The DMV Daily Interviews: Benu Cosmetics
What spark the idea to create a skincare line and why the name Benu Cosmetics?
My drive to create Benu came from my own past and current struggles with skin. From middle school to freshman year of college, I suffered from severe cystic acne. Aside from it being a huge blow to my adolescent self-esteem; it was painful. I found out that name brand, chemical-based products didn’t work for me—and in fact, irritated my skin, making my acne worse. As someone who is from an African family, who wholeheartedly believes that natural solution can fix anything; curating natural remedies for skin care came naturally to me. The name B E N U is derived from the first letter of my mother’s maiden name (Barango) and the first three of my father’s last (Enuenwosu). It is also a shortened version of my middle name (Nwabenu), and a capital in the country of Nigeria, where my father and mother are from.
Since this is a black-owned business, are the products specifically designed for melanin women?
All of my products are designed principally for those who are struggling to attain their version of the perfect skin. My blackness just further supports my business and the black and brown women who indulge. I will say that our newest product Speaking My YLanguage Serum is a great option for women of color, especially black women. We are so well protected by melanin—but not fully protected, and this is something we often forget. Incorporating natural SPF into a moisturizing serum is a great alternative for those who forget sunscreen, or hate the feeling of that extra layer!
What sets your brand apart from other companies?
I didn’t enter the beauty industry to make money or to principally make a name for myself. I’ve realized that one thing that most skincare and cosmetic companies make the mistake of doing is marketing the idea of “perfect skin”. Beauty is a social construct. Perfect skin is a spectrum. Its distinction lies within the person. Beauty is diverse because people are diverse. That’s why I feel Benu is different than the businesses that are already out there; big or small. My goal will always be to market “benu skin”. Benu Cosmetics strives to help you achieve your idea of perfect skin; not the beauty industries. I entered the market of skin and beauty because I know how it feels to be ashamed of your skin. I have dealt with disaster to find beauty. I just want to be the person, the company, that makes people fall in love with their skin, and then inevitably, themselves.
Within weeks of anticipation in the release of Benu cosmetics, were there any setbacks before launching that made you want to give up?
Before Benu officially launched (January 15th, 2018), it was all smooth sailing. I had been working on Benu for so long that it’s like I had already anticipated what I needed to make the launch as successful as I could provide.
What is your biggest accomplishment thus far within the company?
Benu has grown so much in the past 3 months, and this past March 9th restock, not only did we sell out again, but we reached our 250th sale. It’s crazy, and it’s so much work for just one 20-year-old woman in college, but I really wouldn’t have it any other way. I know my mom would have loved owning this company with me.
What keeps you motivated to continue the business knowing there is a lot of competition in the beauty/skincare industry?
What keeps me going, to be completely honest, is the fact that Benu is dedicated to my mom. I started Benu Cosmetics because of my own story, yes, but also in honor of her life. Benu was a company that we wanted to start together, and even with her loss, I knew I had to keep the dream alive. Another thing that will always keep me going is my pursuit and my customers’ pursuits to our definitions of beautiful skin. The skincare business is so different from other facets, such as apparel, shoes, and jewelry in the way that people will always need skincare. You can buy a shirt, a pair of shoes, and have it forever. But you constantly have to take care of your skin for it to love you back. So if Benu can take care of you forever, then that’s how long we’ll be here.
I recently saw a tweet that said you have so much planned in March for the company, can you share a small snippet or hint of what to expect.
We dropped 4 new products, changed our packaging design, and upgraded our media content!
Speaking My YLanguage Serum (25 USD) and Speaking My Ylanguage Face & Body Cleanser (10 USD) are made with 100% natural Ylang Ylang essential oil and flower petals. Ylang Ylang is great for balancing excess oil for combination and oily skin. It’s antiseptic properties balance excess sebum,(one of the causes of acne). The best part about this little duo is the serum holds natural SPF, which makes it an amazing serum for the summer.
Hibiscus Tea Acne Fighting Toner (14.50 USD) is Benu’s newest toner, specifically built to target acne for all skin types.
Benu Mini Boxes (30 USD) was our 4th new product, and it is a comprehensive set based upon skin type, and are half of the size of their originals. It’s a great way to try out our skincare for your specific skin type, a great alternative if you don’t go through your products fairly quickly, you want a cute gift for a friend, or if you need travel sizes!
What is the bestselling product so far? And what is your favorite product personally
Benu’s bestselling products are actually tied! Hello Skin Serum and Keep Calm Essential Oil Moisturizer have been getting the most love! They’re both 5 stars across the board. I expected Hello Skin to be a hit because it’s literally a life-changing staple product. I think the reason why Keep Calm is so popular is that it’s an oil-based moisturizer built for combination and oily skin. Most products that are targeted towards oily skin are chemical based and “oil-free”. But what name brand beauty companies fail to acknowledge is that the reason why oily skin is excessively oily is because its lacking in moisture. Often times when people cater to oily skin, they think the first point of call is to dry it out when in reality, your skin’s oil glands are in overdrive because they believe your skin isn’t moisturized enough. So the best way to balance oily skin is to give it exactly what it wants, moisture in the form of quality refined essential oils. That’s why Keep Calm is probably the best moisturizer for oily skin out there.
My favorite products for my own skincare regimen are tied between Hello Skin Serum, Oh, Honey! Face Mask, and Keep Calm Essential Oil Moisturizer. I use Hello Skin Serum every night, Oh, Honey! Face Mask every other day, and Keep Calm every morning, and for my midday skincare routine as well!
One piece of advice for young entrepreneurs who want to start their own brand or line of business?
Don’t be deterred by saturation. Meaning, yes there may be a lot of people in the apparel business or the beauty business, but focus less on what they’re doing, and what you can bring to the table differently. If you have the creative intention, then that’s all that matters. Do you, and do you well.
“They say beauty’s only skin-deep, so let’s start there” – Mena Nwabenu
