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Omoronike Bello-Adepoju Reveals Her Success Story With Yazmin Essentials

Omoronike is a seasoned communications practitioner whose experience in marketing, public relations, advertising, media and data intelligence cut across sectors and industries. With her solid background in media, marketing, clients management, negotiation, as well as content and strategy development and implementation, she has effectively managed and partnered with foremost Nigerian and international brands within the telecoms, financial services, and development sectors, providing services to corporate organisations including MTN Nigeria, Society for Family Health (SFH), First Bank Nigeria (FBN), Family Health International (FHI360), and a number of others.

 

Aside being a certified member of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Omoronike holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Metropolitan School of Business and Management, UK; a Diploma in Marketing Communications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM, UK); a Higher National Diploma and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications from the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and Tansian University Nigeria respectively.

 

Having worked with a couple of media and advertising agencies, learning the ropes, she established Fontem Communications, a growing media and communications agency, which she presides over as the Managing Director, overseeing a young and dynamic team.

 

As a serial entrepreneur, she ventured into nurturing her passion through the establishment of Caramia Clothiers, a multifunctional bespoke fashion company, through which she expresses her passion for fashion and creativity.

 

Following years of service to family and friends whom she provided with free home-made skincare products, that were adjudged to be very effective and loved by many, she proceeded to acquire professional training and skills in skincare products development and formulation, and with the knowledge gained as a quick and forward-thinking learner, she recently founded Yazmin Essentials, a luxury skincare brand aimed at delivering safe and effective skincare products inspired by nature.

 

Omoronike is married and she is a mother of two adorable children.

 

In this interview with Oyinlola Sale, she explains what led her into creating her Skincare line, Yazmin Essentials.

 

 

Tell us the story behind the name of your skincare line Yazmin Essentials?

 

Yasmin is my daughter’s name; it is of Arabic origin. It is a variant of the name Jasmine which is the name of a beautiful flower. There was no one more excited than my daughter when I conceived the thought of creating a skincare brand, I knew immediately that I should name the brand after her. The name also perfectly represents the essence of the brand as a natural skincare brand. My son was feeling left out so we switched the ‘’S ‘’ for ‘’Z’’ which stands for Ziyyad, and YAZMIN was born. It is safe to say I named the brand after my kids.

 

 

What are the hidden Opportunities in the Cosmetics Industry?

 

The cosmetics industry is a big and viable one because it covers a wide range of business lines. This includes skin care, hair care, color cosmetics, toiletries/baths etc. I am going to focus on the skincare sector since that is where I operate.

 

As you may be aware, the skincare industry is quite saturated. Modern-day technologies have made it easy for new entrants, there is an undeniable access to knowledge, production requirements and marketing needs. I don’t think there is anything you want to do now that someone else has not already started, so there are numerous learning grounds one can build on. But for you to carve a niche for your business and create a sustainable brand, you must wear your thinking cap and your creativity must be top-notch. Trust me, that is where the work is.

 

There are so many business opportunities. One can decide to formulate products and sell, you can decide to invest in the importation of skincare ingredients and materials, you may decide to establish and run a formulation lab that can be leased to formulators, you may focus on selling packaging and branding materials, another person may decide not to formulate products but create a distribution network for existing brands: wholesale or retail. I could go on and on. There are numerous opportunities in the industry but is largely dependent on how informed you are, your determination and of course your financial capacity.

 

 

 

Is the Cosmetics Industry Capital Intensive?

 

As it is obtainable in other sectors, capital is a great determinant of how big or small a business would be. How much capital that is needed to start a business depends on how big the vision of the founder is. So, the answer is yes and no.

Yes, it is capital intensive if you want to create a formidable brand that caters for a variety of skin issues and reach many consumers, or you want to position your brand as a luxury brand that caters to the middle or upper class. These people are known to have certain expectations which must reflect in the wide range of products you offer, the quality and feel of the products, the packaging and presentation etc. This would necessitate that you import a lot of your ingredients from abroad, your packaging must be desirable and your marketing strategy on point. All of these is not cheap at all.

No, if you want to start small and grow with time. You can start by formulating products yourself, cut down on packaging and importation costs. Do direct marketing and a lot of online and offline engagements with a team of one or two people. Over time, as the brand grows you continue to scale up.

 

 

What are the challenges you have faced so far in the industry?

 

In the early days, I faced so many challenges. It is not easy to run a business in a country like Nigeria. So many operational hiccups and undue government regulations. My biggest challenge has been the high cost of production due to limited access to affordable and quality formulation ingredients and tools. Till date, the safest option remains importation of these materials. A lot of local suppliers do not stock quality or original ingredients, a few of them who do, sell at exorbitant rates which is no fault of theirs really, the rate at which dollar increases is alarming.

 

Prices of ingredients and other materials increase at every fresh purchase, but we dare not increase the prices of products at such frequency else, customers will complain. Other challenges include lack of access to good printing press and high cost of marketing. All of these are enough to deter one, but as the popular saying goes “we move!’’.

 

 

Elaborate on the Cosmetics Industry Then and Now?

 

As I mentioned earlier, technology has made the world easier. Anyone interested in learning any business or trade now has access to information at their fingertips. Unlike before, we now have a lot of well-trained certified skincare specialists who have gone ahead to establish formulation schools where they teach basic and advanced skincare formulation courses. We also have many others offering online course most of which are affordable. This was not the case back in the days. People had to go oversea to gain such knowledge.

 

Another major difference is that a lot of Nigerians are now inclined to using home grown skincare products which has brought growth to the industry.

Also, it is now widely known that natural skincare formulation goes beyond just using shea butter and black soap. Natural plants from different parts of the continents are now being innovated into stable and safe skincare ingredients that we now incorporate into formulation to deliver world class standard products. A lot has changed, and it is a welcome and liberating development.

 

 

Why Should I use Yazmin Essentials for my Skin?

 

Firstly, let me tell you the story behind the existence of this brand. My sisters, my mum and I for a long time struggled to get the right skincare products, we would spend money on products that do not work, others work but were too harsh and unsafe. I have always been curious about skincare, fashion, and the likes. After many years of experimenting, I decided I will no longer patronize any skincare brand except it is a safety conscious brand. I started doing home skincare remedies that I shared with my sisters, and we were getting amazing results. I would use turmeric, fresh aloe vera, cucumber, I would make oils etc. to treat hyperpigmentation, pimples, sunburn, and other skin concerns. And guess what, the results were mind blowing. As time went by, I started extending to friends and colleagues who will later ask for refills.

 

It became obvious that this can no longer be a one-time thing, there was need for consistency and product availability and amazingly all of them were ready to pay. The push was encouraging so I decided to take the leap and I enrolled in a proper cosmetology school where I bagged a certificate in skincare formulation. I needed to know the rudiment of the business, I wanted to offer my best.

 

So, use Yazmin because it is a brand birthed out of need. Created to answer questions and fix your skin concerns with natural ingredients inspired by nature. We create luxury products but offer them at affordable prices. We cater to family needs; we know that many are wary of using cosmetics products on their skin. We want your skin to be flawless and breathtaking but never at the expense of health and safety. We are one brand you can trust!

 

 

Do you have plans to expand your brand?

 

Our vision for the brand is for it to become the number one skincare brand out of Africa. We want to create a sustainable brand that will cater to the needs of every black person, man, or woman. An African brand by an African for Africans. We are taking it one day at a time, we are currently operating in Abuja, we intend to expand to other parts of Nigeria soon.
















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