In a remarkable story of serendipity, Ojon started as a mysterious "brown paste" that made its way into the home of Ojon founder Denis Simioni, a former ad executive with more than a decade of experience in the beauty business. While visiting Simioni, a relative left behind a baby food jar filled with the unusual paste, calling it an ancient remedy for damaged hair and skin. The jar sat untouched on a shelf for two years.

One day Simioni became curious and decided to try it. The results were instant and incredible—like nothing he had ever seen. His background in beauty sent him on an adventure to learn everything he could about the mysterious oil.

What he learned was that the jar was purchased from a Central American Indian who traveled to the local market to sell the oil in Tegucigalpa, Honduras once a month. He also learned that the paste came from a tropical “Ojon tree” and was the only source of the precious oil. The tree was unique to the rainforest in the Mosquitia region of Central America and, although the Mosquito Indians had been using wild-crafted Ojon oil for centuries to clean, condition, and protect their hair and skin, it had never been exported beyond the region.

Before long, Denis and his colleagues were on a plane to Honduras to find out more about Ojon oil from the people who knew it best. Remarkably, they set out to find the Mosquito Indian tribe, not really knowing where to look. After a five-hour flight on a run-down plane, they landed on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. They hiked for two hours before finding someone who could guide them further.

They happened upon members of MOPAWI, a local non-profit organization dedicated to helping the Indians of the Mosquitia. Now with more specific directions, Denis and his crew embarked on a long boat ride into the rainforest. When asked, Denis still recalls the experience with awe: "The boat ride was incredible—something out of National Geographic or an movie. The Indian tribes lived just as they had for centuries. The land was so pure and unspoiled." As the boat began to slow, Denis knew they had arrived at the Mosquitia: "They all had remarkably healthy, shiny hair... and no one was wearing a hat!" Other tribes they had encountered along the way wore hats to protect themselves from the blazing sun. The beauty of the story is that the Mosquito Indians are referred to in their native language as Tawira, which naturally translates to "the people of beautiful hair."

Denis learned that the Tawira wear Ojon in their hair all day long and use it as a body moisturizer from the day they are born. The Tawira were proud to share all they knew about this rare natural treasure. They demonstrated each step in the tedious process of harvesting the nuts and extracting the oil, which is all done by hand.

Denis spent the next three years developing and testing Ojon formulations while his relationship with the people of the Mosquito tribe grew. In cooperation with MOPAWI, he developed a corporate partnership involving thousands of Tawira producers.