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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This Black Woman-Owned Creative Agency Shows Us The Art Of Rebranding
Rebranding is an intricate process and very important to the success of businesses that want to change. However, before a business owner makes this decision, they should determine whether it's a rebrand or an evolution.
That's where people like Lola Adewuya come in. Lola is the founder and CEO of The Brand Doula, a brand development studio with a multidisciplinary approach to branding, social media, marketing, and design.
While an evolution is a natural progression that happens as businesses grow, a rebrand is a total change. Lola tells xoNecole, "A total rebrand is necessary when a business’s current reputation/what it’s known for is at odds with the business’s vision or direction.
"For example, if you’ve fundamentally changed what your product is and does, it’s likely that your brand is out of alignment with the business. Or, if you find your company is developing a reputation that doesn’t serve it, it might be time to pump the brakes and figure out what needs to change.
She continues, "Sometimes you’ll see companies (especially startups) announce a name change that comes with updated messaging, visuals, etc. That usually means their vision has changed or expanded, and their previous branding was too narrow/couldn’t encompass everything they planned to do."
Feature image courtesy
The Brand Doula was born in 2019, and its focus is on putting "the experiences, goals, and needs of women of color founders first," as well as brands with "culture-shifting missions."
According to Lola, culture-shifting is "the act of influencing dominant behavior, beliefs, or experiences in a community or group (ideally, for the better)."
"At The Brand Doula, we work with companies and leaders that set out to challenge the status quo in their industries and communities. They’re here to make an impact that sends ripples across the market," she says.
"We help the problem solvers of the world — the ones who aren't satisfied with 'this is how it's always been' and instead ask 'how could this be better?' Our clients build for impact, reimagining tools, systems, and ways of living to move cultures forward."
The Brand Doula has worked with many brands, including Too Collective, to assist with their collaboration with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Balanced Black Girl for a "refresh," aka rebrand. For businesses looking to rebrand, Lola shares four essential steps.
1. Do an audit of your current brand experience — what’s still relevant and what needs to change? Reflect on why you’re doing the rebrand in the first place and what success would look like after relaunching.
2. Tackle the overall strategy first — before you start redesigning logos and websites, align on a new vision for your brand. How do you want your company to be positioned moving forward? Has your audience changed at all? Will your company have a fresh personality and voice?
3. Bring your audience along the journey — there’s no need to move in secret. Inviting your current audience into the journey can actually help them feel more connected to and invested in your story, enough to stick around as changes are being made.
4. Keep business moving — one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies take down their websites as soon as they have the idea to rebrand, then have a Coming Soon page up for months! You lose a lot of momentum and interest by doing that. If you’re still in business and generating income, continue to operate while you work on your rebrand behind the scenes. You don’t want to cut existing customers off out of the blue, and you also don’t want so much downtime that folks forget your business exists or start looking for other solutions.
While determining whether the rebrand was successful may take a few months, Lola says a clear sign that it is unsuccessful is negative feedback from your target audience. "Customers are typically more vocal about what they don’t like more than what they do like," she says.
But some good signs to look out for are improvements in engagement with your marketing, positive reviews, press and increase in retention, and overall feeling aligned with the new branding.
For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
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Not too long ago, while in a session with one of my clients, they were talking to me about having strong sex cravings that seemed to have come out of nowhere. After asking some questions for clarity’s sake, I got that the reason why they used the word “craving” is because it’s not like they are hornier than usual all of the time. Nah, it’s more like the urge creeps up at some pretty random and/or unexpected moments. What they wanted to know from me was if I thought that it was normal.
The short answer is “yes.”
Now, while it’s another message for another time that if this type of sex-related craving feels impulsive or out of one’s control, it could be a sign of someone who is leaning into some level of sex addiction; however, that is not what we’re going to unpack today. Today, we’re going to look into what could be going on with you if it seems like, lately, you’ve been having a greater desire for sex, and you can’t quite pinpoint why.
Because, just like, say, a craving for a particular type of food oftentimes reveals something that is going on with you physically or mentally — sex cravings tend to bring certain things to light in those same areas, too.
Let’s dig in…
Hormonal Shifts
GiphyAlthough I don’t have social media accounts, I do tiptoe out there to see what’s going on — and boy, do I roll my eyes whenever I hear folks act like being over 40 is old. SMDH. It’s especially annoying when I hear about it in the context of sex because, believe it or not, there are a lot of late perimenopausal and menopausal women who are “gettin’ theirs” more than some of these 20 and 30-year-olds are (just ask them).
One reason is that the fear of experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, for many, is now in their rearview mirror. Another is because some are taking a form of hormone therapy to treat the changes that their system is going through — and when you’re getting more estrogen, progesterone, and/or testosterone into your body (in order to level things out) — HUNNAY.
For other women, even consuming phytoestrogens (plant-based estrogen) like peaches, garlic, berries, spinach, and cabbage can make them want sex more than when those aren’t a part of their diet. Bottom line here, a shift in your sexual hormones can definitely cause you to desire sex more than you have before (or have in a while).
Ovulation
GiphyBack when I was a teen mom director for the local chapter of a national non-profit, something that I used to tell “my daughters” all of the time is when you know that you’re ovulating, that’s when you need to be hypervigilant about using wisdom when it comes to the sex-related decisions that you make. I’m thinking that most of you get why: your body was designed to feel its horniest when you’re able to get pregnant — and that is during your time of ovulation.
That’s why it really is a good idea to keep up with your cycle and, if a baby is not something that is on your priority list right now, you either avoid having sex during that time of the month or make sure to use some form of birth control. Chile, even women with low libidos can find themselves wanting to hang off of a chandelier or two when they are ovulating. It’s nature’s way.
A Healthy Diet
GiphyIf you happen to be someone with a sluggish sex drive and you know that you spend most of your time in a drive-thru, there is probably a direct correlation there. No joke. There is plenty of research out in cyberspace to support the fact that a wack diet and low sex drive have a lot in common. While processed foods and unhealthy fats can throw your (sex) hormones off, foods that are filled with zinc, vitamins B12 and D, and iron can ramp up your desire for intimacy.
This is why many people who decide to make a lifestyle change as far as their eating habits are concerned are oftentimes surprised by how much sex is on their minds and how much easier it is for them to orgasm because of it. While a part of it can be due to a boost in their sexual confidence, a lot of it has to do with consuming foods that will literally feed their libido (in a healthy way).
More Exercise
GiphyPlainly put, exercise makes you hornier. Not only does it boost your testosterone levels, (consistently) working out also lowers your stress levels and gives you a boost in the self-esteem department. On top of that, exercise makes you more flexible, builds up endurance, and increases blood circulation which can turn around and intensify your climaxes as a direct result. In fact, this is oftentimes why people will want to have sex right after a workout session.
While we’re here, let me also share that too much of a good thing can end up being counterproductive. What I mean by that is, that although it is wise to exercise on a regular basis, make sure to not overdo it. Something known as overtraining syndrome can result in fatigue, insomnia, and irritability; no one can really have amazing sex when all of that is going on.
Being a Certain Age
GiphyWhile it used to be said that the sexual peak for men is in their teens and for women, it’s in their 30s (some believe it’s because after 35, it’s more challenging for women to get pregnant and so our biological clock plays a role in it all), some research believes that coming to that conclusion isn’t fair because aging affects people differently. For instance, while on one hand, people in their 40s tend to see a dip in their sex hormones, as we’ve already discussed, hormone therapy (for both men and women) can level some of those issues out, if not increase some people’s sex drives altogether.
Adding to that, it should also go on record that some studies indicate that women between the ages of 27-45 actually have a stronger desire — or craving — for sex than women between the ages of 18-26. So honestly, there goes the myth that being younger (automatically) means that you’re hornier. #Elmoshrug
Certain Medications
GiphyIf you used to have a higher sex drive and you’re currently on an antidepressant, that could be why your desire for copulation has decreased. Some studies say that as much as 40 percent of people who are on these types of medication end up having a lower libido (by the way, antihistamines and beta-blockers can have this effect, too).
On the other hand, if you’ve been taking a prescribed drug to increase your sex drive (perhaps like Vyleesi or Addyi), then it would make sense that you may have an increased libido level. Other meds that may have a similar effect include birth control pills (since they alter your hormones), medications that help to treat Parkinson’s disease, along with dopamine-related drugs.
Less Stress
GiphyIf, on the days when you don’t seem to have a care in the world, you also desire sex more than usual, that’s not a coincidence either. Thing is, when you’re all stressed out, that can cause the stress hormone known as cortisol to work overtime and, when that happens, that can end up suppressing your sex hormones which can deplete you of sexual urges. Ironically, there is a flip side to this because when you engage in sexual activity, that actually elevates feel-good (and bonding) hormones like dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins, which can also de-stress you.
So basically, if you’re craving sex, you probably aren’t very stressed out (right now), and if you want to stop being stressed out, you probably should have some sex (some protected sex, if you don’t want to be stressed later up the road…if you know what I mean).
Having an Amazing Sex Life
GiphyTo me, this one right here should be a given because when something is both good to and for you, why wouldn’t you want more of it? So yeah, if you have a great sex life with someone, it’s common sense that you’d want to engage in that act with them as much as possible. Hey, not to mention the fact that orgasms activate your brain in a way similar to a drug high does.
So, if while reading this, you’re thinking about sexting your bae to make arrangements to — eh hem — satisfy your craving, I say go for it! To “greatly want” to connect with your partner in order to have some fulfilling and satisfying sex? What in the world could possibly be wrong with that?! Not a damn thing.
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Featured image by Giphy