Episode 5: Afro Hair and Skin Co. - Ibi Meier-Oruitemeka

About the Artisan: Ibi Meier-Oruitemeka

Ibi Meier-Oruitemeka is a natural beauty and wellness beauty expert, creative entrepreneur and the founder and creative director of Afro Hair & Skin Co.

Ibi began researching and developing her powerful line of holistic products over a period of 5 years, seeking to eliminate all of the common toxins that she felt contributed to the undermining of black women's health and well-being. While providing high functioning all-natural alternatives.

Through Afro Hair & Skin Co. Ibi aims to share her love of natural beauty and educate on how these ingredients can best be harnessed in beauty products specifically for black women.

Having recognized the need for a more ethical and sustainable approach she is an advocate for the use of locally sourced and grown ingredients and actively supports British artisans, makers and small-scale producers by buying British ingredients that make up much of her range.

Her bestselling facial oil FLOW has attracted the attention of top beauty editors and was subsequently named as 'Best Skincare for and By People of Colour' by VOGUE. She has also attracted the attention of publications such as Marie-Claire, Psychologies, NYLON, The Sunday Times Style supplement, ESSENCE and many more.

Biggest Takeaways:

Using natural ingredients will cure a lot of skin and scalp issues you thought were incurable
Be careful of greenwashing when looking for products made with natural ingredients
To this day we still have to cultivate and create products for ourselves as black people
When transitioning to natural products you only need a small amount.

Highlights

The meaning of greenwashing (5:25)
The name and creation of Afro Hair and Skin (8:20)
Living unapologetically (13:53)
Making sure the growth of your brand doesn't negatively impact the environment (17:05)
The benefits of the ingredients used in Afro Skin and Hair (19:42)

Quotes:

"We were disproportionately marketed too with unhealthy ingredients.
"How do I feel beautiful if the products I use aren't beautiful."
"We don't have to apologize for having products that meet our needs."
"If I think about my brand growing and the impact that would have on the environment I want to be doing as much as possible to minimize my own impact on the planet."

Click here to shop The Afro Hair & Skin Collection

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