The Flare Up Garage logo See what we offer
The Flare Up Garage in action
Randburg · SA · Est. from a caravan

Where broken becomes beautiful.

From bike spares to beauty services, we sell everything that gets you moving and keeps you glowing — with journals, open healing, and sensitive discussions along the way.

5/5 real reviews
15+ years turning wrenches
Trauma art counselling
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15+
Years experience
10
Real products
2
Healing services
Universe reach
Inside the Flare Up Garage
Grease · Paint · Sparkle
About us

A sanctuary, not a shop.

We blend bike spares, custom gifts, and beauty services with the kind of open healing you won't find anywhere else in Randburg — all from a garage that started in a little caravan with big hope.

Fifteen-plus years turning wrenches, living with RA and BPD, studying trauma art counselling, and learning that grease and paint don't judge.

You don't have to be fixed to be worthy. You just need a soft place to land, and a team that treats you like family.

Why we exist
Bikes mean freedom, adrenaline, and control.
Beauty means colour, softness, and finding beauty again after trauma.

Neuro art provides spanners for the brain. You don't need words to release; you just let the pen move. It is perfect for bikers, trauma clients, and people with RA pain like us who can't always talk.

Our vision

Motorcycle mechanic, RA warrior, and Trauma Art Counselling Student (Module 4) learning Neuro-Art, MLNP™, and future Neuro-Art Trauma Practitioner — building Flare Up Garage: healing through art, bikes, and beauty. Living with BPD, chronic pain, and big hope, selling parts, everyday products, and offering services online from a little caravan in SA.

What's on the bench

Services & products

Every service is a hand-shaped job. Every product is personal. Swipe sideways through each category to see the full lot.

Services

2 · Book
Beauty side nails, makeup, piercings and tattoos
Beauty · 1 hour

Beauty side — nails, makeup, piercings & tattoos

Contact for price
Ask about this
Psyched! Spanners and serotonin
Counselling · 1 hour

Psyched! Spanners and serotonin

Want to speak to someone? Have ready an A4 paper, crayons, pencils, or paint. Healing and counselling by means of drawing.

Contact for price
Ask about this

Products

10 · Buy

Motorcycle Parts

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Bike spares
Bike spares

What we do not have, we will find.

Contact for price
Buy
Second-hand parts
Second-hand parts
Contact for price
Buy

Hand Tools

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Carb jobs
Carb jobs
from R2,000 · excl. kits
Buy

Custom Gifts

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Personalized shirts
Personalized shirts

Request a script.

from R220
Buy
Personalized hoodies
Personalized hoodies
from R455 · 10+ less 10%
Buy

Home & Decor

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Stationery & Handmade Clothing

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For Michelle: a little side hustle
For Michelle: a little side hustle

Place bulk orders for amazing discounts.

from R10
Ask about this
Why choose us

Four reasons people keep coming back.

Unique blend

We're a unique Randburg shop blending cool bike spares and custom gifts with beauty services and inspiring life stories.

Better styling

We're great at styling your look with nails, tattoos, and piercings, while also helping you find the right bike spares.

Like family

Our customers return because we treat them like family, offer great custom items, and share real, uplifting stories.

Built on hope

We started this business to bring together our love for bikes, beauty, and sharing hope with others in our community.

What we stand for

Flare up, not down.

01

Flare Up

Not hiding my RA flare ups, my BPD flare ups, my trauma flare ups. We take the days when our body burns, our hands don't work, our heart is too much —

And we say "this is not shame, this is my power." My flare UP, not down. We turn a medical word that hurt us into a badge.

02

Garage

Not a cold workshop. A safe garage like where our dad used to be. Where broken bikes come in and leave beautiful. Where broken people come in — with chronic pain, with trauma, with no hope —

And they sit, online or via WhatsApp, they do art, they are welcome to come drink coffee, they breathe, and they leave a little more whole. Grease on your hands, paint under your nails, beauty in your hair.

It's not a shop. It's a sanctuary. It's your trauma art counselling practice, your bike custom place, your beauty corner, your RA warrior HQ — all in one little garage with a big heart. And the best part? It started in a little caravan, with a girl who thought she had nothing left, but decided to build something anyway.

From bench to beauty

How a flare-up becomes a fix.

01

Tell us what's broken

A bike that won't start, a heart that's too heavy, a look that needs a refresh — message us on WhatsApp or send an enquiry through any product or service.

02

We wrench, paint, or counsel

Carb jobs, fork seals, nails, tattoos, mugs, hoodies, or an hour of neuro-art — whatever you booked, we work it by hand with honest pricing.

03

Leave a little more whole

Collect in Randburg, chat on WhatsApp, or have your custom order sent — you walk away with grease, paint, or peace you didn't have before.

Who we help

Everyone with a story.

People who love bikes, who wants parts People who want to look good, feel good be a little bad... Anyone who enjoys custom gifts and positive stories, personalised household items People who love to share anonymous stories Motorbike owners Gift buyers Podcast listeners Randburg residents Chronic pain fighters Custom shirt fans DIY mechanics Local bikers
Where we serve

Randburg — and the whole universe!!!

Our garage doors are in Randburg, South Africa, and our online shop ships our heart across the country. If you can reach us by WhatsApp, you can reach us.

Randburg
In-store & virtual / online
Our promise

Consistent. Present. Honest.

We will be consistent, present, involved, and persistent. We will give our very best to whoever needs us, to the best of our knowledge. We will support and provide honest pricing and quality goods with the very best services we possibly can.

What customers say

Real reviews from real customers

Popped in for new fork seals and the service was so quick and friendly. I'll definitely be bringing my bike back to Randburg for the next service!

Shireen E.

Got my fresh nails and a tattoo done in one place, and the prices are honestly unbeatable for the quality you get. Such a cool vibe in Randburg!

Ntombi K.

The team fixed up my carbs with zero hassle and made the whole process super easy. Great experience all round.

Tshepo O.

Ordered a few personalized mugs for the office and they turned out absolutely awesome. Highly recommend this spot in Randburg!

Lungelo D.

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Honest answers

Things people actually ask.

Can I really get bike spares and a piercing in the same place?

Yes. We're a unique Randburg shop blending cool bike spares and custom gifts with beauty services like nails, tattoos, and piercings. One garage, two hands, lots of heart.

I can't always talk about my trauma. Can you still help?

Yes. Our Psyched! Spanners and serotonin session uses neuro-art — you bring an A4 paper, crayons, pencils, or paint, and you release through drawing. No words needed. Perfect for bikers, trauma clients, and people with RA pain like us.

Do you ship outside Randburg?

We're based in Randburg and serve the whole universe — if we can reach you by WhatsApp or courier, we'll get it to you. Message us with where you are and we'll work it out.

Can I order personalised shirts or hoodies in bulk?

Yes. Personalized hoodies start from R455 and orders of 10 or more get 10% off. Shirts start from R220 and mugs from R125. Request any script you want.

I don't see the bike part I need listed — can you still find it?

What we don't have, we'll find. Message us with what you're looking for — we stock second-hand parts, do carb jobs and fork seals, and have 15+ years of sourcing experience behind us.

Who you'll meet

The faces behind the flare.

Nadia Holtzhauzen
Founder

Nadia Holtzhauzen

Mom of twins, RA warrior, and BPD survivor. Some days her hands don't work and her heart feels too much. She lived in flare-up after flare-up, told what she couldn't do. Bikes and art saved her — grease and paint don't judge. While studying trauma art counselling and neuro-coaching, she learned her pain could have a paintbrush. So she started Flare Up Garage: where broken becomes beautiful. Not because she's healed, but because she's healing. For moms with sore hands, people with silent trauma, and bikers needing a soft place. You don't have to be fixed to be worthy. A healing garage. Een neuro-lyn op 'n slag.

Michelle Nicholas-Opperman
Team

Michelle Nicholas-Opperman

Founder of The Mathematics Academy

Michelle had a hard life. That's an understatement. She lived through cheating and abuse, through pain most of us can't imagine, and through heartache that would have kept anyone else down. But not her. She found the strength to get out, to walk away from the fire, even while it was still burning her skin. Then life gave her a gift — the love of her life. And then life, in its cruelty, ripped that love away. Too much too soon. Most people would've stayed down after that. Michelle got back up.

How to pay

Cash, card, or SnapScan — whatever's easy.

No online checkout. You pay us directly when you collect, or before we ship. Pick whatever suits you.

Cash

Bring notes to the garage.

Bank Transfer (EFT)

Pay straight from your account.

Card Payment

Tap or swipe in store.

SnapScan

Scan and pay from your phone.

PayShap

Real-time payment by Shap ID.

e-Wallet

Send cash to our phone.

Capitec Pay

Instant payment from your Capitec app.

Get in touch

Slide into the garage.

Tell us what's broken, what's beautiful, or what you'd like to book. We answer WhatsApp fastest.

Send us a message

Opening hours

Monday08:30 – 16:00
Tuesday08:30 – 16:00
Wednesday08:30 – 16:00
Thursday08:30 – 16:00
Friday08:30 – 16:00
Saturday08:30 – 12:00
SundayClosed