Meet Surana George
I’m a Grenadian born, American bred biotechnology /pharmaceutical Quality Assurance health professional, turned passionate entrepreneur. The genesis of Indigenous Ingredients was birthed from my struggles with Graves’ Disease, an autoimmune thyroid condition.
I desperately needed to clean up my skin care routine and make it simple to help improve my health and overall wellbeing. This is where I discovered the glorious nature of nilotica, East African shea butter. I ordered a 1 kg container from Uganda, fell in love, decided to roll up my sleeves, spread the love, and the rest is her-Story. East African shea butter has helped to improve many of the symptoms related to Graves: chronic dry skin, hair breakage, and inflammation.
My journey to healing would become the essence of my signature product “Nutting but Shea Butter”. Later, I harmoniously created blends with raw unrefined shea butter, essential oils, and herbs, which further helped to ease my anxiety, a common symptom of Grave Disease. We are 100% woman and minority owned. Our commitment lies in blending plant-based ingredients with unrefined shea butter to craft all natural skincare products which caters to different skin types and conditions.
In May 2024, we started vending at the Providence Artisan Market at Lippitt Park, RI. This opportunity allowed us to connect with a community that values natural products and craftsmanship. Engaging with customers, we shared the story behind our shea butter—how it’s sustainably sourced, the traditional methods used in its production, and the versatile ways it can be used for skincare and hair care. Offering samples allowed potential buyers to experience its luxurious feel firsthand and gave them the opportunity to purchase our products in person. Through these interactions, our passion for creating simple, effective, and ethical skincare products found a home in a supportive community. Today, that passion continues to drive our mission to bring the transformative power of East African shea butter to more people, one jar at a time.
