I arrived in Johannesburg International Airport (also known as O. R. Tambo International Airport), and as always, coming to South Africa feels like coming home.

My husband, Raymond, grew up in South Africa. In fact, it’s where he and I met!

But the feeling of coming home also has more to do with our “Dermalogica” tribe — I feel the love!

I was embraced at the airport by Michael ten Hope (“S-Af” Distributor Head), and the amazing Cherie Keating (Managing Director). At the office that afternoon, the team greeted me in their Dermalogica FITE tee shirts, and presented me with a luscious, two-layer cake which a team member had baked just for the occasion, topped with two numeral candles: 25, for Dermalogica’s 25th birthday! Yum!

Cherie then presented me with an amazing handmade necklace crafted by a local FITE borrower — one of our FITE recipients! Truly a gift from the heart, which touched my heart.

Then — as if all of this were not enough — Cherie and the South African team presented me with a gorgeous rose, which they have registered officially in the world rose-registry as “Dermalogica Passion.” If you’re a rose-fancier, you know that this is very serious business. It’s sort of like having a star or a galaxy named after you. The new Dermalogica Passion rose is officially registered under that name in 56 countries around the world, and we can grow the rose back in the USA by this title.

Who says I never promised you a rose garden? My thanks to everyone in South Africa who made my arrival such a warm, incredible experience.

More news shortly!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 1st, 2011 at 1:16 pm and is filed under under my skin with jane wurwand, founder of dermalogica.