I grew up with parents who constantly encouraged me to become the best version of myself. My mother was a highly successful modelling teacher who founded and ran two thriving modelling schools, and under her guidance I flourished in the industry and enjoyed a successful career as a model.

When life shifted and I stepped away from full-time modelling, I completed my schooling, went on to study business, and worked a variety of roles that steadily built my knowledge, skills and resilience. Each experience became another thread in the fabric of who I am today.

I became part of this beautiful family when I was fifteen years old, and at the age of thirty I was privileged to carry the family name forward on our beloved farm in Mpumalanga — a place that has held our family’s story since our first ancestor set foot here in 1863. There once stood a quiet sheep kraal on this land, a silent witness to generations of dedication and hard work. My father-in-law, a remarkable man deeply passionate about sheep farming, filled that shed with pride. He regularly entered the finest rams and ewes into prestigious agricultural shows, where judges carefully assessed conformation, horns and wool, and he was often awarded the highest honours. In time our focus shifted more toward cattle, and the kraal gradually fell silent. For a long time it stood dormant, yet something inside me always whispered that it could become something more.

Today I am a proud mother of three — one daughter and two sons — a devoted homeschooling mother, a farmer’s wife, and the proud aunt and godmother of Miss Pre-Teen Universe 2025. I want all three of my children to look up to me. I want my daughter to see in me the kind of woman she might one day become, and I want my sons to recognise in me the strength, grace and character of the kind of woman they may one day choose to walk beside — so that each of them feels inspired to become the very best version of themselves.

What began as a quiet, gentle longing to grow my own food and heal my body naturally slowly blossomed into Garden of Grace. With my husband’s steady patience, love and ideas by my side, I cleaned and painted the old shed. We brought in rich soil. We moved from watering by hand to a thoughtful irrigation system, and we created a tranquil pond with a fountain and koi fish. That silent kraal became a living garden of grace — my sanctuary and my office — a place where everything I love can grow side by side.

For over a year I poured my whole heart into this dream — nurturing the soil, testing recipes, creating formulas, and listening to that soft inner voice whispering “this is your path.” It taught me the gentle art of patience, the beauty of divine timing, and the quiet joy of trusting that everything unfolds in its own perfect season.

At forty-three I find myself deeply drawn to the quiet path of healing and soul-searching. I have always believed in the body’s natural ability to restore itself, and this belief has guided me toward the study of Reiki healing, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and other forms of spiritual and energetic work. These practices continue to shape both the way I create and the way I live.

From this same soil and this same heart grew Wildekoei and my liquid gold — the serums I blend and bottle by hand and use every single day. I find them especially nourishing for aging skin, and I felt a deep need to offer this gift to every woman who carries fine lines, crow’s feet, or simply longs to feel soft, radiant and deeply cared for. With consistent use, skin can feel genuinely loved, deeply nourished, rested and restored — a small daily ritual of care, created with intention, from one woman to another.

Garden of Grace is finally ready to be shared with the world. I walk this journey with every soul who craves bold, fiery flavour, and with every person who longs to feel radiant, nourished and confidently at home in their own skin. I am still only at the beginning, yet I am deeply privileged to share these first steps with you. Keep an eye on this garden. There is so much more to come.

I believe each of us is given a unique beauty by the Universe — a gift to be embraced, honoured and gently tended. Never stop trying to better yourself. Strive always to become a kinder, wiser and more radiant version of the person you were yesterday.

May your skin always feel as cherished as your soul.

Living Fully, Loving Deeply, Learning Always, Laughing Often

— With grace and fire, Riana 🌸