AFRICAN CULTURE
How the Himba Prepare Otjize, Namibia's Iconic Red Ochre Paste
Learn how Himba otjize is prepared from red ochre, butterfat, and aromatic resin, based on academic and scientific sources.
June 21, 2026 at 4:19:22 PM
June 21, 2026 at 7:19:00 PM
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The ( otjize) red ochre is a mixture of butterfat, ochre pigment, and scented resins extracted from the red haematite pigment from a mine.
Otjize is one of the most recognizable features of Himba culture. It is the famous red paste worn on the skin and hair by many Himba women in northern Namibia and southern Angola.
But otjize is not just “makeup.” Academic sources describe it as part of dress, beauty, identity, skin care, and cultural belonging. Austin Sterling Cameron describes otjize as “a mixture of animal fat and red ochre” (Cameron, 2013, p. 24), while Gregor Borg and Margaret Jacobsohn describe it more specifically as “powdered mineral haematite, butterfat and an aromatic resin” (Borg & Jacobsohn, 2013, p. 46).
What Is Otjize Made From?
The main ingredients are:
Red ochre or haematite pigment
Animal fat or butterfat
Aromatic resin, often linked to the omuzumba shrub
Sometimes goat-butterfat, according to scientific research
A scientific article in Scientific Reports describes Himba otjize as a cosmetic mixture of “goat-butterfat and ochre pigment” (Havenga et al., 2022, p. 2). The same study discusses its protective properties, including UV-blocking and antibacterial effects.
Further Reading
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