GENERAL

Kogman & Keisie Organic Farm, nestled at the foot of the Langeberg Mountains in Montagu, enjoys the gentle murmur of the Keisie River along its boundary. The property boasts a rich tapestry of flora, including the Succulent Karoo, Langeberg Fynbos, and Renosterveld. Within this serene landscape, Fijn Botanicals finds its home.

Fijn Botanicals crafts natural body, sensitive skin, and home products using plant-derived ingredients and the essence of fynbos essential oils. Welcome to a world where nature’s gifts blend seamlessly with everyday wellness.

The products are formulated and created by Liana Jansen in the farm workshop. Liana is a professional Landscape Architect and Anthropologist who specialises in Cultural Landscapes. Her passion for medicinal plants started in high school when she started her medicinal herb garden and experimented with healing preparations. Her professional life exposed her to various indigenous cultures and how they interacted with the environment to promote well-being and healing. This passion culminated in a product line when she joined her husband, Petrus on Kogman and Keisie Farm. The Guesthouse needed amenities that nurture the health of their guests and do not harm the soil as all its grey water drains into the gardens. She experimented with various formulas and consulted with Danish natural skincare formulators and the Tisserand Institute to organically produce a whole range of products over 9 years, all based on the guesthouse, family or friend’s skincare needs. Fijn Botanicals use no chemicals that are detrimental to human and environmental health. All the products contain pure and highly concentrated fynbos essential oils from the Langeberg area, Cederberg Mountains and the Kouga Valley. 

The Fijn Botanicals range includes our Fynbos Liquid Soap and Body Lotion, together with Fynbos Shampoo and Conditioner. We produce a variety of 100% natural Scent Mists and Fragrance Oils. Our Body Oils and Scrubs target specific skin and body conditions and add luxury to any bath or shower. The Sensitive Skin range was specifically formulated for reactive skin types and can also be used for babies.

Every product contains pure and highly concentrated Fynbos essential oils from the Langeberg area, Cederberg Mountains and the Kouga Valley.

FYNBOS AND NAMING

The Fynbos we use is very special. Fynbos (which means “fine-leaved plants”) is an extraordinary type of vegetation that occurs solely on the southern tip of Africa. The Cape Floristic Region is a biodiversity hotspot and one of the world’s six floral kingdoms. It is not only the smallest but also the only one located in a single country. The number of unique Fynbos species makes it by far the richest. With its high rate of endemism, around 70% of the Fynbos species grows nowhere else in the world but in one specific, geographic location. This means that when compared to some of the other floras across the globe, the Cape Floral Kingdom outshines even the Amazon rainforest in terms of sheer diversity. A very large number of fynbos plant species are used in traditional medicine, and while only a tiny proportion have as yet been subjected to formal testing, many have already been identified as having medicinal properties

Fynbos species we use in most products are Kapokbos (Eriocephalus africanus), Buchu (Agathosma betulina), Cape Chamomile (Eriocephalus punctulatus), Cape May (Coleonema alba), Kooigoed (H. splendidum, H. odoratissimum) and Asbos (Pteronia incana).

Our products are named after the Khoekhoe words for either our local landscape features or specific aspects that the scent evokes.  The Khoekhoe people had an unmatched knowledge of the veld they lived in – both as a source of food and medicinal plants used for healing. It is our way of paying homage to the original inhabitants of the landscape of Montagu.

“Kogman and Keisie” refers to the Cogmanskloof and Mountain directly adjacent to the farm. The name is derived from the name of a former Khoekhoe leader, Cochob, a name that means “narrow cheeks”.  The people led by Cochob were known as the Cochoqua. The Cochoqua were one of the most influential Khoekhoe groups, living in two clans under separate chiefs and numbering about 20 000 people. The Cochoqua were settled in the Saldanha Bay region, but after the Dutch arrived in the Cape in 1652, the Cochoqua migrated and settled in the area around present-day Ashton and Montagu. The kloof between the two towns was named after the Cochoqua. This name went through several iterations: from Cochonas to Cockomans to Cochmans and, finally, Cogmans. Around 1760, pressure from Dutch settlement once again caused the Cochoqua to leave their home.  They migrated north in search of new hunting grounds and pasture. They eventually settled in the vicinity of the Gariep (Orange) River. Today, only scattered archaeological artefacts and the name of this route through the Langeberg Mountains remain as reminders of the Cochoqua people.

Keisie means “shining river” and traverses the farm along its southern boundary. “Kingna” means rhinoceros, and probably refers to the Renosterbos which grows in the area. The scent mist “//Khawa” means “to fly”. “!Kui” means “feather” or “head” in Khoekhoe, referring to its essential oil properties that will lift your spirit like soft downy feathers and calm your senses.

SUSTAINABILITY

Our products are made with natural plant-based ingredients and contain no chemicals that are detrimental to humans or environmental health. All of our packaging is reusable, and recyclable and larger refill options are available.

No synthetic fragrances

No artificial colours

No Parabens (Methyl, Propyl, Butyl & Ethyl)

No petrochemicals 

No SLSes or Propylene Glycol

No Cyclic Silicones or Triclosan

No Polyethylene Glycols (PEGs and Ceteareths)

No Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)

No Formaldehyde (Formalin, Methylene Glycol)

No animal testing

100% bio-degradable

Our Team