ÈMÉDÍ KOKOBÉRNA
OUR VALUES
BEAUTY + WISDOM + WELLBEING™
The West African proverb “the sun is hidden in her face”, translates a reflection of purity, of thought, of action; one’s inner light. Our highest purpose is to sustainably handcraft the most exquisite portfolio of organic therapeutic science-backed treatments and design integrative wellness therapies that are deeply rooted in traditionalism, ancestry, heritage, and wellbeing so when others see you, they see the light within.
LOVE = KINSHIP + ONENESS™
We have an unwavering commitment to create an enduring love relationship between our customers who are discerning and deserve the best-in-class, our handcrafted products because they are of the most impeccable quality, and the reverence we have for Mother Earth and all of its wonderful inhabitants; a sacred triumvirate that upholds the traditional African philosophy of kinship + oneness™.
DO NO EVIL CAUSE NO HARM
A force for good, KOKOBÉRNA works steadily to make a difference, to do less harm and more good for people + planet. We choose not to be part of the problem. We constantly innovate and evolve our business for the highest good of all.
TRANSCEND MEDIOCRITY
We are just like you… and got tired of being told we couldn’t trust our ability to know our bodies intimately. So we journeyed back to our West African origins and learned all we could about ancient traditional medicine and the philosophy of vibrant slow living using indigenous botanicals to heal, to cocoon, to restore. This is exactly why we do what we do - transcend mediocrity: to challenge obsolete, polarized, and one-size-fits-all norms around the excellence of culture, ancestral knowledge, femininity, masculinity, spirituality, hormone health, reproductive wellness, mental health, and beauty as a spiritual practice™... to create the world's most exquisite, the most impeccable, the most therapeutic products and divine experiences to nurture and rejuvenate body + mind + heart + spirit™ for a lifetime.
A FORCE FOR GOOD: INSPIRE + UPLIFT
We believe "beauty is as beauty does™." We believe in equal human rights and equitable opportunities for women and young girls of tomorrow. The global challenges we face as women in society require leadership. Leadership of ourselves. Hence, KOKOBÉRNA was purposely built as a force for good with the goal to inspire, to uplift, and to use business as an effective tool to leave the planet better than we found it.
Since the beginning, we have always seen it as our responsibility to give back. We pledge 5% of every experience, bottle, and jar sold and donate the proceeds to charitable organizations and nonprofits supporting causes we deeply value: from providing safe shelter for victims of domestic violence, to educating our young girls of tomorrow in STEAMxB (Science, Technology, Engineering, The Arts, Mathematics, x Business), to inspire fellow women entrepreneurs and farmers in developing countries with micro finance opportunities, to be stewards of the environment and advocates of Mother Earth. An important mission to inspire and uplift all of humanity. To be the catalyst that initiates change for a brighter future. With your continued support of our business, this is our gift of gratitude - our gift to humanity.
OLD CALABAR KINGDOM
OUR ORIGIN
OUR FOUNDER
A global citizen who has intercontinental living experiences across Africa, Europe, and America, Belinda Kǒkóèkà Bernadette Bassey Ephraim was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria into an Efik royal family and hails from a dynasty of West African herbalists. A corporate investment banking executive at Merrill Lynch, Belinda made a bold career shift from Wall Street to follow her deeply rooted passion for holistic health and well-being, after surviving a biological death due to steroidal hormone contraceptives and embarking on over a decade-long self-healing quest. She journeyed back home to West Africa and became reacquainted with the traditional philosophy of simple living to nurture her body + mind + heart + spirit™.
During her time there, Belinda recalled ancient botanical formulations which her female ancestors developed centuries earlier for aristocratic families of Old Calabar Kingdom, but which required laborious processes to create. Since access to these remedies were not generally available to all, she would spend time in her home country researching, cataloguing over four centuries of her foremothers' remedies going as far back as 1611, and apprenticing under the guardianship of artisan herbalists to learn the fine art of recreating these divine botanical treatments using traditional methods rooted in the ancient sciences.
In identifying and refining the intricate composites of the bioactive formulating process that was used; diligently researching the healing power of the indigenous herbs, nocturnal flowers, and medicinal bush plants used in traditional African medicine; and meticulously investigating scientific studies on each ingredient, the result of which was a combination of 65 thoroughly researched nutrient-rich indigenous plant ingredients and extracts with a proven record of safety and efficacy. The unwavering commitment to preserve her family's values and legacy, led to the laborious curation of the comprehensive heritage library of proprietary traditional remedies that have since been vetted by French cosmetic scientists and now manufactured in the US following stringent EU cosmetic standards.
Belinda’s first formulae, the sacred crown jewels of the brand, HEALER’S GOLD™ Face Oil and HEALER’S Gold™ Face Serum were both born. At first, Belinda used herself as a test subject applying them daily to both her face and surgical scars. Almost instantly, she noticed the oil + serum combo remarkably calmed down her eczema flareups, increased the moisturization factor, and made her dry itchy skin feel incredibly silky soft. They also effectively repaired the scarred skin tissue, reduced the hyper-pigmented discoloration, and significantly reduced the excess keloid growth. Then her sisters, her mother, a few of her closest friends, and co-workers. The anti-aging, inflammation reducing results were so dramatic yet consistent and the ensuing request to produce more and more was unending.
Today, the emblematic collection is made by our brilliant in-house manufacturing team and shipped directly from us to you. Our exquistely handcrafted products are cruelty-free, CBD-free, and contain a minimum concentration of 90 per cent USDA certified organic ingredients. The caffeine-free medicinal herbal tea supplements contain 100 per cent USDA certified organic ingredients. All the ingredients are 100 per cent sustainably sourced and traceable by KOKOBÉRNA. Learn more about our process.
A University of Florida graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and a Babson College graduate with an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Finance, Belinda is also a trained herbalist, product formulator, and aromatherapist; a Precision Nutrition certified nutrition practitioner; a meditator having trained under Tibetan Buddhist monks, Sharon Salzberg, and Jon Kabat-Zinn; a professional Jesuit Eucharist and lay minister; a certified Crystal Reiki Healer; a certified Usui Reiki Ryoho Reiki Practitioner (Level I and II) and Teacher (Level III); and a staunch advocate for women’s health. As one who constantly seeks knowledge of botanical medicine, mind-body medicine, yoga, ayurveda, naturopathy, nutrition and dietary supplements, functional movement, energy medicine, neurostimulation, and integrative medicine modalities, the seed of KOKOBÉRNA was planted.
Belinda’s background coalesces with her authentic excitement to enrich the lives of those around her, making her influence integral to KOKOBÉRNA as a community and well-being brand. In simple, yet profound ways, this matters for highly discerning customers who truly appreciate and love how the KOKOBÉRNA experience makes them feel.
THE CROWN JEWELS
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