How one woman’s battle with cervical cancer inspired her natural products business
Natural mascara product
By Christal Yong
Waterfalls Magazine – In the world where most products are made with chemicals, one has to be wary of the harmful effects of the variety of mascaras, lip balms, conditioners, shampoos, and many others can have on their bodies.  This cautionary phrase is all too familiar to Princess Cosbert, a 38-year-old survivor of cervical cancer and owner of the business, Essence of Herbs.
Natural lip balm
Cosbert told The Waterfalls she was inspired to launch her business after she diagnosed with cervical cancer about eight years ago. “Thankfully” she survived her battle with the terminal illness and it is all thanks to her herbal products.
Cosbert said she started her production of natural products in the year 2016, when she had cervical cancer that after some pharmaceutical medications did not assist her in her cancer battle.
Natural deodorant
She said she ventured and fell in love with creating natural products of her own. Cosbert shared that she inherited the skill from her late father, a herbalist who introduced her to creating such products.
“Pharmaceutical drugs did not work, herbs did. As the saying goes, the apple does not fall from the tree, my dad was a herbalist, he passed away and so I got that knowledge a little from him but mostly it is the Creator,” the entrepreneur said.
Natural toning serum
Taking a trip down memory lane, the woman recalled she started with seasonings and then she made teas, but she soon realized that it is not just what the human intakes inside of their bodies but also what is placed on the body.
She related, “So I started to look for ways in which I can make certain products, less toxic.” During the course of completing multiple research, and making new products which were at times difficult to combine, Cosbert said that she learnt, “Most of them are made from chemical-harsh chemical and non-harsh chemicals.
“I look for the one (product) that even if there is chemical, it is not harsh but I try my best to get natural products…to make sure that if it is not natural even if it’s chemical, it’s not harsh chemical,” Cosbert said.
Entrepreneur and cancer survivor, Princess Cosbert at the International Building Exposition 2024
As a result, the entrepreneur became specialized in making a variety of products naturally such as lip balms, hair conditioner, shampoos, mascaras, toning serum, lip gloss and tea bags.
She later took a step to introduce her products to the market and ventured to Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) with just $20,000.
With belief that her products were excellent, Cosbert captured the opportunity for her products to be sold. She then started to introduce her products to other supermarkets which accepted. She later attended exposition which made her receive bigger tools and tips to complete her production of natural products.
Cosbert faced some setbacks as a result of the Corona virus disease (COVID-19) pandemic— her business was halted. Despite that hindrance, she refused to give up and continue her business all over again with the confidence that she will be bigger and better this time around.  This year, she has a booth set up at Guyana’s International Building Exposition 2024. She optimistic about the visibility that platform will offer her business and is excited for the opportunities it will provide in the future. To learn more about Cosbert’s business, Essence of Herbs, One can contact her on telephone number 644-9491, or via email www.essenceofherbsgy.com. Additionally, Essence of Herbs is located at 2166 Farm Phase 2, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
