Episode 39 - Kaike - Keli Smith

In addressing the ideology that black women need to use excessive products to look and feel better about themselves, Keli Smith decided to add sugar to the spice and not so nice skincare industry with Kaike, a plant-based brand that empowers black women to celebrate the beauty of the skin they’re in.

While understanding black women’s exposure to a variety of harmful chemicals, Keli was determined to provide black women with a more joyful and holistic experience in their beauty routine with natural products that transport them to a place of comfort and well-being.

Quote from interviewee for call-out box:

“It was around that time that I was researching green beauty and kind of transitioning to a more holistic lifestyle that I got more curious but also disappointed with a lot of what I was seeing on the shelves.”

– Keli Smith

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss

The messaging in modern products revolve around black women comparing their skin type rather than embracing the skin they have needs to change.

Black women who are embarking on their big chop journey should be mindful of the products they use that may contain harmful ingredients.

A steaming washcloth is used to open your pores to release the dirt and the grime that would be left behind in removing toxins.

Check Out These Highlights:

• The inspiration that led to Keli’s creation of Kaike after her big chop journey (14:43)
• Details on Kaike’s three best-selling products and their benefits (17:39)
• The advantage of using castor oil cleanser and oils to remove toxins and impurities from your skin (20:29)

Quotes:

• “The mission of Kaike is to really create a product that causes a desire to really want to celebrate yourself through the products.”
• “It was actually surprising to me to know how many [Black] women suffer from dry skin when I always had the assumption that everyone had oily skin.”
• “One of the things that I'm very passionate about is wanting to be able to help other women who want to embark on that journey of balancing the importance of family, but also the desire to grow something and create a business that serves a purpose and how to really grow business and baby.”