In 2022, the Lord began a deep work in my heart – He started showing me who I really am. For most of my life, I was trapped in a prison of perfectionism. I constantly tried to fix myself to fit into the world’s version of “beautiful”—from straightening my naturally curly hair to spending my salary on the latest skincare routines. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was rejecting the very way God created me.

It all started to change… with my hair.

Yes, my hair! I felt a clear prompting from the Lord to embrace the way He made me. So, I stopped fighting my curls – and in the process, something inside me softened. I saw that I’d been trying to perfect what was already intentionally designed by God. My curls weren’t flaws to be tamed – they were part of my God-given identity.

Fast forward to 2024. We moved back to my hometown, Modimolle, and something in me shifted again. Back to my roots – literally and spiritually. I started making beef tallow cooking oil, and I read about its incredible benefits for skin. Struggling with acne, PIE (Post Inflammatory Erythema), and perioral dermatitis for almost 8 years, I decided to give it a try.

I thought, “It can’t get worse, so let’s see what happens.”

What happened was nothing short of amazing. I simplified everything. No more 10-step routines. Just my handmade tallow soap and tallow balm. Within a month, my skin was healing – really healing – for the first time.

That’s when Chelev was born.

I dove into research and started learning how to formulate clean, natural skincare – products that work with your skin, not against it. No harsh chemicals. No fake promises. Just ingredients God gave us from the beginning.

Chelev means “fat” in Hebrew, biblically referring to the best or the choicest part. That’s what I want my products to be: the best of nature, made with love and intention, to nurture the skin you’re already beautifully in.

I hope that when you use my products, you feel that same peace I found – less striving, more resting. Less perfectionism, more purpose. Skincare that reflects the Creator’s design. Honest, simple, and beautiful – just like you were made to be.

With love,
Elmien
Founder of Chelev