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How Joy Ekhator Landed Her Luxury Skincare Brand On Retail Shelves Using African Tradition
When it comes to beauty and skincare brands, finding the right fit as women of color can be quite a journey—especially when seeking to support women-owned or Black-owned brands. And when wanting to upgrade to luxury for taking care of our body’s largest organ, it can get even more sticky.
Joy Ekhator, founder and CEO of skincare brand Lovinah, started her luxury skincare brand as a side hustle while balancing motherhood with a full-time job in tech. Founded in 2012 but launched officially in 2016, the brand was set to be a luxury, science-centered solution, according to Ekhator, for skin issues, including eczema, a challenge she saw many people of color face. Fast forward to today: Her products are now sold on Macys.com, and the mother of three is now a full-time entrepreneur.
Lovinah’s line of cleansing balms, creams, oils, masks, and cosmetics includes ingredients like vitamin A derivatives, beetroot extract, and fermented elements with striking names that definitely intrigue.
Here’s more on the Houston-based entrepreneur’s journey to land on retail shelves, how she infused her Nigerian culture’s traditions to come up with her line, and how she’s been able to sustain a luxury Black-owned brand that serves as an innovation-centered presence in skincare:
xoNecole: You have a 20-year background in tech. What inspired you to get into beauty and skincare?
Joy Ekhator: Because of my children and myself, I decided to lead in starting to make skincare products. I have a lot of chemist friends, and chemistry was my minor in school, so it was easy to come up with the formulations.
Between that and getting the product stable, packaging, and all those different things, we had a focus group, and people loved [it], and that’s what inspired me to continue to pursue a career in skincare.
Lovinah
xoN: Your product offers a specific value in terms of luxury and the quality of that. What was the process like to get your product on retail shelves?
JE: It was hard [laughs]. This is one mistake we made: I came into skincare, assuming I have a new business and everyone is going to support me. Friends and family are going to buy it, and it’s going to make money from day one. Once you actually get into business, you realize, no, it doesn’t work that way.
We started with social media, had a couple of brand ambassadors, and we went to a lot of trade shows. It takes money to make money. You have to be with those buyers and make sure your product is retail-ready—the packaging and regulations. You have to have everything set up in a way that when your brand starts getting recognition and visibility, the retailers will come to you, and they don’t have time to wait for you to go and get [things] sorted out. You have to make sure you’re prepared.
"It takes money to make money. You have to be with those buyers and make sure your product is retail-ready—the packaging and regulations. You have to have everything set up in a way that when your brand starts getting recognition and visibility, the retailers will come to you... You have to make sure you’re prepared."
We also pitched—we still pitch today—and we got a lot of no's. When I’d get no's, I’d ask them, "What am I doing wrong?" and gather feedback. Sometimes, it would be something to do with the packaging or something to do with the ingredients. Sometimes we would be told we’re too forward-thinking or too futuristic. I’m thinking my background is in science and tech!
Cosmetic Executive Women had [an award event] they did in 2020, and I was on a panel. From there, Macy’s reached out to us. They wanted to carry us on Macys.com. I worked with buyers, they reviewed my SKU [Stock Keeping Unity] and made sure everything was okay because when you’re selling with a major retailer, you have to make sure—[from] the right insurance to [product stability]. Everything has to be retail-ready.
You have to differentiate yourself, pitch and pitch and pitch, put yourself where those buyers are going to be, and know your ideal store—the companies that you’d like to work with. Not every retailer works for your brand.
And build a good relationship with your customers. They sell for you when the product works, and it becomes a must-have product. This is something that solves a problem.
Lovinah
xoN: A lot of skincare brands focus on one key ingredient that makes their products work so well. What would you say that ingredient is for your line?
JE: This is what makes Lovinah unique: We don’t just base things on one ingredient.
You hear a lot about probiotics and prebiotics in skincare, but if you really look at the origins of probiotics, this started in ancient Africa, where they didn’t have access to antibiotics, preservation systems, [or] refrigeration. So what they did was preserve their food by fermentation. When you’re sick, you have eczema, and all these things, you were given fermented things to drink.
That’s still my grandmother’s first line of defense. And even living in the Western world, when I get sick, I think, ‘Oh, let me drink my [tonic].’ That was what they used for centuries, and it worked.
So when I started Lovinah, that was a big part of my inspiration. I wanted it to center on fermentation. So when you hear about products with probiotics in skincare, we’ve been using that in Africa for [so] long where it actually takes care of your skin.
"When I started Lovinah, that was a big part of my inspiration. I wanted it to center on fermentation. So when you hear about products with probiotics in skincare, we’ve been using that in Africa for [so] long where it actually takes care of your skin."
When the bad bacteria outweighs the good bacteria, that’s when you have those different skin problems. When you use a fermentation-based skin product, what it does is help to balance your skin’s microbiomes so you can fix a multitude of problems.
xoN: There are so many brands to choose from on the market when it comes to beauty products and skincare. What do you want your brand’s legacy to be?
JE: I want it to be known as a brand that came in and solved a lot of problems. One of the biggest things right now is the TikTok world, with people doing a lot of DIYs. They don’t even really know what they’re putting on their skin. I want Lovinah to be known as a brand that caters to the consumer and provides solutions. I want to leave this for my kids and grandkids.
We don’t have a lot of luxury Black-owned brands, unfortunately. What makes me so happy now is that I see a lot of Black cosmetic chemists. Back [in] the day, we didn’t have [that].
Representation is everything. I think we need more luxury Black brands. We talk about La Mer and all those big companies, but we want to have our own as well. We want to be known as a go-to for the Black luxury brand that serves a purpose.
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Featured image by LaylaBird/Getty Images
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."