The Interview: Yaw Okyere, founder of Ava Estelle on creating a natural brand with melanin in mind

Yaw Okyere is the founder of Ava Estell, an all natural skincare brand made with melanin in mind, which was launched in October 2020. The inspiration behind the launch of the brand was his wife Esther, who was struggling with hyperpigmentation. After trying multiple products, she wasn’t able to find a natural product that worked for her and it had started to have an impact on her confidence.

Okyere used his experience as a formulator for brands to create something for Esther, spending several months reading research papers about solutions for hyperpigmentation and eczema. During this time, he obtained a Cosmetic Science qualification from the Royal Society of Cosmetic Scientists to expand his knowledge. He was able to create a solution that worked for Esther and the rest was history.

Since its launch, Ava Estell has established itself as a go-to brand for people who want to treat skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation, stretch marks, blemishes, dark spots and eczema.

Originally from Ghana, Okyere studied Chemical Engineering and Business Management at Warwick University. Over the last eight years, he has worked for start-ups and also pursued his long-standing passion for entrepreneurship.

When Okyere decided to help his wife with her hyperpigmentation, he wasn’t really thinking about starting a business, but the products he created worked amazingly well. “I knew I had something special, but I was preoccupied with other business ventures, so I wasn’t really ready to start a brand. Later on, I changed my mind and decided to reformulate the products and give them to friends and family to try. They loved them and that was when Ava Estell was born,” he says.

Ava Estell is backed by science and research

Okyere was able to use his experience formulating products to ensure the brand was ready for launch. This involved doing the necessary safety tests to get approvals as well as carrying out market research and giving sampling to consumers. “We wanted to ensure there was a real need for our products. Once we gathered sufficient data and feedback, we knew we were ready,” he says.

Ava Estell was born out of personal experience, but once Okyere started to talk to other women he knew within his community, he realised that there was a real need for natural skincare solutions that were made with melanin skin in mind. “I also noticed there was some distrust from the community about ingredient formulations and the potential long-term health implications that could be experienced. People wanted natural solutions with ingredients such as shea butter, coconut and aloe vera that could address their skincare concerns,” he says.

Ava Estell is one of a few skincare brands aimed at melanin skin that are backed by science and research. It has looked at the skincare concerns that its customer base dealt with on a daily basis. “Our goal is to continue to remain a market leader when it comes to providing natural solutions for PoC who have skincare concerns. We want to continue serving the community in a way that is true and authentic to them,” he says.

The brand was a huge success upon its launch, earning £10,000 in sales and receiving rave reviews from customers. “From mothers who rave about our Magix Cream helping their children who suffer from eczema and psoriasis to people sharing testimonies of how they’ve gained their confidence back because they no longer have to hide their scars, blemishes, spots etc. with clothes – it’s been such a humbling and affirming experience,” he says.

Customer reviews are really important to the brand because it prides itself on being transparent and authentic in its approach, which social media has helped with. Being able to show its customers that the products work has helped it build trust and assure PoC that all products have been formulated with them in mind.

The best-selling Magix Cream

The brand’s bestseller is Magix Cream – a vegan cream that easily absorbs into the skin and leaves it feeling soft and smooth. It improves hyperpigmentation, dark spots, stretch marks, dark spots and blemishes. It recently launched a collection of three shower gels, which were requested by the customer base.

When it comes to making beauty effective for all, Ava Estell’s formulations set it apart from the rest. It will continue to keep its customers at the heart of everything it does by listening to their feedback and tweaking formulations in accordance with their needs.

“We’ve also started offline community-based activities that allow us to meet, celebrate and thank the customers that have got us to where we are today. I never want to forget that it’s our customers who keep us going and all elements of the business (from service to strategy) have them at the centre,” Okyere says. In addition to keeping the customer at the heart of everything it does, the brand works with industry experts around product innovations to ensure they keep creating products that deliver results.

The new shower gels

According to The Black Pound Report, multi-ethnic consumers spend 25% more on health and beauty products than other consumers, due in part to 22% needing to use specialist shops to purchase products (this increases to 30% for Black women). Although there will always be a demand for beauty products that have been formulated with PoC in mind in specialist stores, Ava Estell is focused on direct-to-consumer sales for the time being, but it is open to stocking in supply stores in the future. “As the business grows, we’ll look into it and make a decision in accordance with the business’s needs,” he says.

Okyere believes that the skin care industry will continue to innovate and that more inclusive brands will emerge in the beauty space. “It is apparent that the skincare needs of PoC have been ignored for a while and I think there will be an emergence of brands making products with melanin in mind rather than passing existing products down,” he says.

In the past three years, Ava Estell has gained traction in the beauty world but for Okyere, the biggest highlight of his journey so far will always be seeing how the brand’s products are helping its community.

As for the lessons he’s learnt along the way, Okyere doesn’t underestimate the importance of having a trusted team who are ready to face challenges together. “There is always something happening that puts the business to the test but I’ve learned to accept that this comes with the type of business we are building,” he says. His advice to anyone who wants to get into the beauty industry is that they need to be able to solve a clear need. “Standing out and being unique is what will set you apart,” he says.

For more information about Ava Estell, please visit its website.