SOAPSTAR talks to the woman behind Thuùla Regenerative Farming and Thuùla Havens in South Africa about blissful daydreaming, being a mother and finding balance in everyday life.
"Looking at the concept of beauty, for me it is what you do from the inside, from your soul, that radiates outward. I believe that is real beauty. Someone who lives completely authentically. For me, real “Selfcare” starts with self-love ."
I have always been a dreamer (probably due to my Pisces energy) and was constantly dreaming and creating as a young child. Since childhood, nature has comforted me, inspiring me and enriching me in ways that nothing else could. I did well at school and excelled in sports, but always knew I wanted to do something creative after school.
My husband and I both grew up in this region. We met at a young age at school and when we were about 19, my husband moved to France to become a professional rugby player. I eventually joined him when I was 21, we lived there for about twelve years during my husband's career and had our daughters there. The plan was always to eventually return to South Africa. My husband had the ambition to take over his father's business and start farming here. We always had accommodation here, so everything developed slowly. Of course, it took a little longer than planned due to Covid, but we finally launched our Thuùla dream.
I did a few projects in France, but it wasn't until we moved back to South Africa that I fully immersed myself in interior design. I now enjoy a mix of creative projects. Thuùla Havens gives me the opportunity to express myself creatively and bring a variety of ideas to life. My visions for the exterior of the larger house were brought to life by an architect, while I did all of Little Haven's interior design and renovations.
With a passion for nature and its conservation, my husband has embraced regenerative agriculture – an approach to farming that is gentler on the environment. Rather than relying heavily on pesticides or fertilizers, this more holistic method works with natural processes to produce healthier fruit without sacrificing conservation efforts. He sees sustainability as both a solution in itself and an expression of kindness to future generations of our planet.
"While I sometimes try not to react right away, stay calm and go with the flow, unfortunately that doesn't always work. In general, I try to focus on the good things that can come from a difficult situation."
For my husband and me, juggling Thuùla, family life and our two young daughters is quite a balancing act. But since we completed the renovations to create this paradise-like retreat, things have been going much smoother than expected. Having more time for my girls brings joy despite the hectic driving that comes with living out of town, but ultimately it comes down to scheduling and finding balance. Living in this valley and having these beautiful surroundings is so worth it and I love every aspect of it.
Taking my daughters to school every morning gives me blissful moments of silence afterwards, and I use that time for activities like yoga, walking in nature or simply meditating with one of my favorite scented candles. My daily routine helps to maintain balance throughout the day; if I skip it sometimes, I notice how out of balance my energy feels. So it's important for me to have that time for myself in the mornings and ground myself. Whenever possible - usually once or twice a week - swimming in the ocean is also part of this routine. I like to use the Soapstar body oil on my skin and hair after a swim, when my skin is still a little damp. There's something about diving into water and taking care of my body afterwards that rejuvenates both my body and my mind.
I am a very intuitive person and sometimes you find yourself in difficult situations. I believe in forging those paths with intuitive inspiration. Although I sometimes try not to react right away, stay calm and go with the flow, unfortunately that doesn't always work. In general, I try to focus on the good things that can come from a difficult situation.
Looking at the concept of beauty, for me it is what you do inside, do from your soul, that radiates outward. I believe that is real beauty. Someone who lives completely authentically. For me, true self-care starts with self-love.
Being a mother is one of life's greatest gifts, but it doesn't always come easy. There are days when everything doesn't go as smoothly as you would like and you can feel down, but at the end of the day I am always their role model. When days don't go as planned, the most important thing is just being there and offering support. Life can be hard and we sometimes have the urge to adapt or make small changes to fit in, but I really hope and want them to remain their true selves.
Moving back to South Africa has given me more communal support in the form of my husband's family and a close support group of female friends nearby. I'm really living my dream and all I want for the future is just to live in joy and peace, close to the ocean with the people I love the most.