Being a skincare formulator wasn’t something I PLANNED to be, it happened purely by CHANCE - Founder (Vellora Beauty range)

By Kemi Mobuse - Saturday, May 26, 2018

When I birthed my first son, all I could think about was how to maintain his “baby” skin, so it would look the same, even after he has grown up to become a man. I wanted him to have a skin that people will call “clean” “supple” , fresh and beautiful.

With the myriads of baby beauty products out there, I got totally confused and decided to go the natural route. I ended up using shea butter as his body cream, coconut oil for his hair and whenever he had baby enzema and black soap mixed with honey as his bath soap. He is 4 years old now with a glowing skin that is making me very proud.

Vellora Range beauty is a Made in Nigeria beauty and skincare brand dedicated to helping everyone achieve the skin of their dreams the natural way. They have a range of beauty products that covers baby needs, ladies and men’s beauty needs.

KMB interviewed the founder Folukemi A.Akintomide and she shared the story of the brand with us….read excerpts from the interview below… By the way, do you know you can order for their products right here in our online shop?

KMB: Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Vellora Beauty range: My name is Folukemi A.Akintomide, I am a wife, mom of two adorable kids and the founder of Vellora Beauty Range, A natural skincare brand in Nigeria.

KMB: How did you get into cosmetic formulation? Did you know that’s what you wanted to do while you were in school, or did you find your passion for it later?

Vellora Beauty range: It all started when I came across a page on natural skincare Formulation on the Internet. It was about the making of DIYs natural body butters. This pricked my interest and I started researching about it, before I eventually went fully into the business.

Truth is; I was totally unprepared to venture into this field, it happened purely by chance, it was basically a passion that developed overtime.

Funny enough, if anyone were to have told me three years ago that, I was going to be a natural cosmetic Formulator; I would have laughed at the person.

KMB: When formulating a new product, what procedures do you follow? Are there any common challenges you face when developing something new?

Vellora Beauty range: Before I even formulate any product, there is a stage called product development. It takes some time, sometimes months to complete that stage. Start with knowing what you want to formulate, who you are formulating for, what effect will that particular formulation have on its user, Ingredients that are incorporated into the said formula and their different percentages, how stable the formula will be, the shelf live etc. A lot goes into developing formulas for every product.

KMB: You’ve been active in the beauty industry for a long time. What drove you to excel in this industry? What / who are your inspirations as a beauty formulator?

Vellora Beauty range: I say it’s Passion. My personal belief is that; if you are not passionate about what you do, excelling is going to be difficult. There are a lot of natural skincare brands in Nigeria who are doing exceptionally well. I see them and draw inspiration from them while I work on myself every day to get better at what I do.

KMB: As a mother, how did you manage to maintain your flawless beauty? What are the beauty secrets that you can share with women and other mothers out there?

Vellora Beauty range: Well, I’m someone who consciously takes good care of her skin. Unfortunately, because I started my brand much after I birthed children; I have stretch marks which could have been avoided during pregnancy, if I knew then, what I know now.

This is to say, every woman needs to consciously take care of their skin the natural way. This means sticking to a staple skincare regimen that works for you. Loving the skin you are in especially!

KMB: If there are certain “beauty foods” that you believe in, what are they? Likewise, are there foods that you consider as “sinful” when it comes to skincare?

Vellora Beauty range: Water, Fruit and vegetables are the best beauty food for everyone including kids. If you spend a whole lot on skincare and you are not eating right. You might not get the results you want. Beautiful skin starts from within! Frizzy drinks, fried food, too much processed or canned food contributes to a not too good looking skin. Everything has to be in moderation.

KMB: Many people are already including natural skincare products into their beauty routine. What is it about your product line that makes it standout from what is available in the market today?

Vellora Beauty range: Vellora Beauty Range of products cuts across all skin types, age and gender. It is affordable too which makes it easily accessible to everyone. We believe using safe ingredients in all our products and helping our customers achieve their desired skincare results shows that we are giving their money worth and this has kept us in business.

KMB: Before you developed your own beauty line, did you follow a certain beauty regimen?

Vellora Beauty range: No I didn't, it was just using cream for using creams sake

KMB: Among your selection of beauty products, which of them are you most proud of and why?

Vellora Beauty range: Our babies & kids range. This is one product that I’m especially proud of because it means we are nurturing children’s skin in natural products alone from day 1 of life. It's contains all the bath and body essentials for babies and older children.

KMB: I’m sure that many of your followers would be interested to know your beauty routine. If you are to create an ideal beauty box, what would it contain?

Vellora Beauty range: Hmm, I exfoliate twice weekly with any of our body scrubs range, I exfoliate and mask my face 3 times weekly with any of our facial mask range and then follow up with our range of toner.

I use our Citrus Shea Body oil or Shea body butter as my morning moisturizer, our clarifying body milk as my night cream and I use our luxury herbal soap or body wash as my everyday soap. An ideal beauty box for me will include An Exfoliating Body scrub, A facial mask, A facial toner, A herbal body soap and a body oil /lotion /Body butter.

KMB: How can you be contacted for your products?

Vellora Beauty range: You can call, text or Whatsapp: 07069004216.
Instagram @vellorabeautyrange_ng.

Facebook @vellora beauty range, Nigeria.

KMB: Thank you so much for your time.

Vellora Beauty range: Thank you so much for taking your time to listen to me talk about my brand.