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Having had to deal with stubborn hyperpigmentation and hormonal acne for most of her life, East London financial adviser and mother of one, Ayabulela Gwanya decided to launch her own skincare brand — Nee-Yah.
Inspired by Gwanya’s interest in minimalism and her own skincare journey, Nee-Yah was launched on Thursday with a single product, Glow Therapy, which is a brightening anti-oxidant serum.
“I’m quite intrigued by the contradicting philosophies of essentialism vs materialism, and so throughout 2020-2021 I started reviewing what was absolutely essential in my life, and what held purely material value.
Nee-Yah was inspired by my yearning for simplifying and minimalising my life, and this extended to skincare too
“Nee-Yah was inspired by my yearning for simplifying and minimalising my life, and this extended to skincare too,” Gwanya, 28, who hails from Duncan Village, said.
“It seemed like achieving great results for your skin required you to have 10 products to fit into a routine, which becomes so unaffordable and completely goes against minimalism.
“So I sought a solution that needed multitasking, multifunctional ingredients, in one product.
“However, the main reason I started my own brand was because of my own skin issues. I’ve never been satisfied with any of the products that I’ve bought, literally since adolescence.”
The first product in Gwanya’s minimalist inspired range officially went on the market on June 30 and can be purchased via her online shop on the Nee-Yah website.
“Glow Therapy brightening serum is the first product on offer.
“It is a vitamin C serum that aims to brighten one’s complexion, even out skin tone, and protect against harmful environmental damage,” Gwanya, who lives in Beacon Bay, said.
Our products are made overseas in Asia. We’ve partnered with Korean scientists and chemists for product formulation, and Chinese manufacturers for economical production
Containing vitamin C, arbutin, kojic acid and nicotinamide, the ingredients work together to brighten and boost the skin’s natural radiance, while reducing the appearance of dark marks.
Primarily made with natural ingredients, Nee-Yah’s Our Glow Therapy is vegan and cruelty free.
“Of course it is not 100% natural as that would not be commercially viable, and some ingredients are synthetically formulated.
“Kojic acid, for instance, is an extract derived from mushrooms, and alpha abutin is an extract derived from berries,” Gwanya said.
Partnering with Korean scientists and chemists and Chinese manufacturers, Gwanya said her product’s formulations were created with expert advice and guidance.
“Our products are made overseas in Asia. We’ve partnered with Korean scientists and chemists for product formulation, and Chinese manufacturers for economical production.
“Our advisers on the formulations are local chemists and dermatologists,” Gwanya said.
She said the brand’s focus was to provide top-quality skincare to ensure effective results, while helping clients keep their skincare routines simple.
We want people to feel good about themselves and their natural beauty, without spending enormous amounts of time and money
“This not only means beautiful skin, but it’s pocket-friendly too. We want people to feel good about themselves and their natural beauty, without spending enormous amounts of time and money.”
Gwanya said though Glow Therapy was the company’s only product on the market for now, the goal was to expand the brand to include an extensive skincare range.
“We’re hoping to expand the brand and have a full range of products, from cleansers right through to sunscreen.
“Even though we’ll be selling our products on our website and in person, I really aspire to have our product on the shelves of major retailers like Clicks, Dis-Chem, Edgars in future.”
Gwanya gave samples of the product to friends to test ahead of its launch and said witnessing the response had been rewarding.
“My favourite part of this entire process of establishing Nee-Yah has been the education.
“I’m constantly learning something new every day, and it’s knowledge that I get to share with everyone.
“So far the biggest reward has been seeing how much of a difference the product has been making with the people that have been using it.”
To find out more about the brand visit www.nee-yah.com.
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