It’s Deeper Than Skin®
It’s Deeper Than Skin® is a compilation of interviews featuring diverse multicultural individuals each carrying unique aspirations and desires yet bound by a common passion to create a more joyful, diverse and inclusive space for us all. They inspire, empower and help transform the way we think and feel about beauty, culture, ancient traditions, diversity, mental health, societal standards and more. Through these multifaceted lenses, we learn to celebrate our uniqueness and are reminded once again that our beauty is deeper than skin.
At Sachi Skin, we’re all about safe and effective skincare rituals for all types and tones. We share this passion with Subuola Oyeleye. She's the founder and CEO of Skin Science Africa, which is a a Nigerian retailer dedicated to creating access to skincare in its region. Subuola’s goal, of creating inroads to and awareness of safe skincare practices, inspires us.
So, to celebrate the launch of Sachi Skin products in Skin Science Africa, we wanted to catch up with Subuola, who told us all about her relationship with skincare, as well as about the skin and beauty industry in Nigeria!
Why is skincare important to you, and what inspired you to start Skin Science Africa?
I fell in love with skincare the second I realised what it could do for others. You’ll be surprised at the effect that your skin has on your self confidence and general well-being even without knowing it - so being able to help others in that way made me interested in it even more.
For me starting Skin Science Africa was about the industry gap - the beauty retail industry (specifically skincare) isn’t yet effectively implemented in Africa and also the desire to be a part of contributing in the little ways that I can to the continent wide issues we have with colorism (the skincare industry in Africa is heavily saturated with unsafe skincare products particularly to do with bleaching) amongst other issues to do with the lack of access to safe skincare.
How have your experiences shaped your business?
In so many ways!! Being able to work brand side with top retailers around the world has really shown me what it means to grow a brand and retailer successfully as well as what that relationship should look like and how it should be nurtured.
Tell us about your skin journey and describe your current skin.
I’m obsessed with trying new products and ingredients so my skin journey has been a good one for the most part - learning what products and ingredients work best for me and people of colour in general. However, I have had my share of down days from clinical research gone wrong to jumping on skincare trends that I didn’t need to when I was younger.
I would say my current skin is hydrated and happy!
Are there any particular skin concerns that you’ve found, in your experience, to be common in Nigeria? What are they, and how are they typically treated?
Hyperpigmentation I would say is the most common skin concern in Nigeria which is made worse due to the lack of education around prevention and treatment. Nigeria is an extremely sunny country pretty much all year round and the lack of education around sunscreen use for people of colour as well as the use and promotion of unsafe bleaching ingredients to treat it is a real problem.
What products would you like to see more of in the industry, and why?
I’d love to see more products that are formulated with skin of colour in mind; sunscreen that doesn’t make us look like ghosts and a better range products suited to treating issues that are more prevalent in people of colour because for the most part we’re an afterthought regardless of the fact that most of the worlds population are people of colour.
Do you have any skin rituals that you follow? What does your routine look like?
Where do I start! In summary, my typical routine focuses on hydration in the morning and treatment at night. Committing to that everyday is my wellness ritual in itself.
What do you want to see changed in the beauty industry, both in your region and globally?
Access. The lack of access to safely-produced beauty products, as well as beauty products that people desire–that there’s demand for in Africa–is surprising. I really want to change that and that’s what Skin Science Africa is all about.
Finally, what’s next for you? What are your goals in the coming few years?
The goal for me is always growth–across categories, across countries. The beauty industry in Africa is extremely underserved and undervalued and contributing to changing that is what inspires me everyday.
Brands like Sachi Skin coming to Africa is exactly what we want to see and, as it stands, that’s what is happening!
Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know?
That Sachi Skin is now officially available in Nigeria at Skin Science Africa!!! I can’t wait for people to get their hands on the Triphala Pigment Corrector and the Complexion Clarifying Accelerator most especially - those are my faves!
