It takes someone with a vision to think outside the box when in his or her comfort zone. Imagine someone working with a multinational skincare company and being well-paid but decides to quit, and come back to Ghana, her homeland – all in the name of developing a product specially for Africans. That is what Esinam, the CEO of Enam Cosmetics did. How is her business faring after making that decision? This week’s B&FT Inspiring Start-ups has more. Read on!
Born and raised here in Ghana, Esinam Agbley the founder of Enam Cosmetics, is currently a cosmetic scientist and seasoned product development and innovation specialist with 12 years in cosmetic product development.
Esinam had her first degree in Biochemistry at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi and masters’ degree in Cosmetic Science at the Fairleigh Dickinson University in the United State of America. After her masters’, she had the opportunity to work with some big cosmetic brands including Johnson and Johnson Consumer Products where she was a formulations Scientist, and Colgate Palmolive, where she worked as a Senior Research Scientist.
Esinam’s desire to develop a product tailored specifically for the African skin started when she realised a gap in the cosmetic industry. Working for over a decade in the US, she realized that products made were not tailored to suit the African skin type but mainly for the whites, and as a true example of what an entrepreneur, she came up with a solution that will give Africans value for their money, bringing forth Enam Cosmetics in May 2021.
“Throughout my career in the beauty industry, I discovered a significant gap in the market for clean, natural products tailored specifically to people like me – dark-skinned women with our unique textured hair and melanin-rich skin. After 12 years of creating beauty products for some multinational brands in the USA, I decided to make something for myself. Combining my background as a Cosmetic Chemist, my love for natural ingredients, and several years of research into skin and hair, Enam Cosmetics was born. For Enam Cosmetics the main focus is quality of products,” she said.
Esinam has experience in skin care, sunscreens, textured hair care formulations and she is a cosmetic science educator, author and public speaker.
Enam Cosmetics
Enam Cosmetics is dedicated to providing the best, high-quality skin and hair care solutions for radiant skin and luscious hair. The amazing clean and natural products help to achieve a healthy and beautiful skin and hair.
“We ensure that first of all, we use quality raw materials. We do a lot of research before making these products to make sure they are very safe for use, that they are good for African hair and the type of skin. Our products are formulated by an expert cosmetic scientist and chemist, to ensure that we bring you safe, effective, quality premium products at an affordable price.
“At Enam Cosmetics, we create safe, clean, effective products to give you radiant, flawless skin, free from blemishes and hyperpigmentation, and healthy, soft, manageable hair from scalp to strands. Our products are multi-beneficial, so you don’t have to spend hours on a 9-part beauty routine.
“We believe that skin and hair care products should be accessible for everyone and be effective – exactly how they’re supposed to – with minimal, clean ingredients. All our formulas are cosmetic chemist-formulated and customer-approved. We are constantly researching, innovating, and learning to provide you with the best possible products for your specific needs,” Esinam elaborated.
Vision
In the next five years, Enam Cosmetics aspires to be one of the known brands and a global company that will expand to different African countries and also to the US and Europe so that people of African descent would have products suitable for them.
Also, with the coming into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), she is sure of taking advantage of the opportunity to expand her market base by accessing the international markets.
How education has helped
According to Esinam, having worked with major cosmetic brands and being a cosmetic scientist and chemist have helped in carefully selecting the right materials needed for a quality product. Beyond that, it has helped her gain the trust for her products and of customers.
Training other women
As part of effort to empower other women and girls, Esinam organises training sessions, both in person and online to teach ladies on how to make skin care and hair products. She said this is one of her objectives and desires to see others benefit from her knowledge.
Challenges
Even though doing business online has become increasingly common lately, the market is challenged with trust issues. Hence, Esinam said customers feel reluctant to freely buy from online, especially with her type of products, as most would want to see the product first, due to fear of buying fake or being scammed.
“It’s a new concept and because of the activities of some fraudulent people online, a lot of customers feel reluctant to pay for the products. A lot of customers are skeptical because of the scam.
Another challenge is the high taxes. We are hit by so many taxes like corporate income taxes, among others. It is discouraging as you are now starting your business and you are putting in a lot of money to buy raw materials and other equipment, so probably for the first three to five years, you are not really making any profit but here is the case where there is so many taxes,” she said.
Also, the high cost of delivery she said is discouraging sales because sometimes the cost of delivery is about half the price of the product which is puts customers off.
How government can support start-ups
Enam suggests that the government must give tax breaks to new start-ups or new entrepreneurs for the first few years into operations.
She explained that such taxes must not apply only to just corporate, sales and income taxes but should also affect taxes on importation of raw materials and machines. She further stated that government must develop a programme or scheme that will offer start-ups with low interest loans, as access to adequate capital is a major challenge.
Economic empowerment for Women
For Enam, the concept of economic empowerment for women is crucial because she believes if women are empowered economically, they are able to assist in taking care of the family and to extend a helping hand to the society due to their caring nature.
Advice for prospective entrepreneurs
When asked what her advice will be for prospective entrepreneurs, Enam said, they must attach passion to their ideas as that is what will drive them when things start to get tough.
“You have to really believe in your vision and mission, and in your products and services. I will also advise them to give themselves sometime for the business to get established because it is quite impossible to make profit in the first or second year. So give yourself time and don’t be discouraged,” she said.
Contact details
Contact: 055 372 2602
Instagram/ Facebook : enamcosmetics
Linkedin: Esinam Agbley
