Interview with Charis Udeh, Founder of KYALLI Skincare

We caught up with Charis Udeh, founder of KYALLI skincare, to talk all things from the importance of natural skincare to global expansion in 2020…

Tell us about KYALLI

KYALLI /KEY·AH·LEE/ a word from the Hausa language of Sub-Saharan Africa means Luminous. We are a socially conscious holistic lifestyle brand that creates luxurious products; infusing beauty and wellness secrets from around the world. KYALLI is a brand for every woman. Embracing all races, skin types and skin tones, our unique product blends are primarily formulated with 98% – 100% organic and natural ingredients that are proven to possess the distinctive ability to penetrate into the skin for deep nourishment, rejuvenation and long-lasting protection.

Our selection process for every ingredient that goes into the KYALLI product range is intended to strengthen and protect your skin from free radicals and toxins that may be harmful. We intentionally formulate products with a high percentage of active ingredients, resulting in a pure, highly concentrated and effective beauty brand that epitomises the concept of complex simplicity. Our ingredients are of ultra-premium quality and are sustainably sourced from all over the world.

For us it is very important that everything we put on our skin actually does something, there are tons of products that are filled with texturizers that really do nothing beneficial to the skin, but make you “feel good” temporarily. Our skin is a fixed constant and it is our bodies’ first protective barrier. It will always be there to protect, heal, and fight for us. It is super important that we love and nourish it efficiently so it is able to do its job well; whilst making us look and feel luminous every single day.

How did you come up with the idea for KYALLI?

Growing up I had severe acne, so I had a personal obsession to solve the “acne” problem which led me to become a product junkie.

About 10 years ago I began the journey to match my body care routine with high-quality products to match the myriad of products available for the face (skincare) and I was always met with very limited options. I suffered from dry and patchy skin especially in the winter months which is not ideal, so I really needed products that worked! I usually have oily to normal skin, so I only wondered what the drier skin types faced. I spoke to a few colleagues, friends and family to understand if this was a common problem and I was shocked to see most of them enhanced their products in some way just to get the results they needed. People needed ingredients in their products that made a real difference, not products with complex ingredients lists but delivered little value to them.

This led me learn to formulate products for myself – to solve my own problems. I went back to basics and started to research how to formulate products, using “skin food” as I call it – as I nourish with nature-derived phytoactive ingredients. I was fortunate enough to have a mother who knew exactly what to do. I got the ingredients I needed based on her guidance and I was in the kitchen formulating body care products to match my exact needs… the results were phenomenal. I was able to create exactly what I needed using very high-quality ingredients that actually gave results! Friends and family noticed and asked for my products, which I made only when I had time. Fast forward to 10 years later, the situation on the market has not changed, nor did the demand from people, and this caught my attention. I didn’t want to make a product for the sake of, nor did I want to create something that already existed. So I spent a lot of time, resources, effort teaming up with experts to create something that solves real problems and is easily available for us here in the U.K. and KYALLI just does that!

What advice do you have for other female entrepreneurs looking to start a business?

You must have a concrete idea, plan and action against this plan every single day, because it does take time to get it done well. Everything does not have to be in place when you start, but as you ride on the journey you’ll find people, resources, opportunities and finances to help you refine and perfect the product or service.

Don’t worry if you make mistakes, they are part of the process to help you learn and get better. Always be sure to be prudent and keep your financial burn rate as low as you can. Focus on your strengths and surround yourself with people who will add value to you in your areas of need.

What can we hope to see from KYALLI in the future?

We’re in the process of launching our capsule collection, which is formulated with Peony and Yakuwa “Botox” Plant. It is enriched with nourishing butters, exotic oils and lots of problem-solving actives. All the ingredients in every product solve a problem. It comprises 5 products – On The Glow Body Oil, Good To Glow Whipped Body Creme Souffle, Good To Glow Rich Body Lotion, Ready Set Glow Exfoliating Body Polish and That Heavenly Glow Face Oil. This collection sources organic ingredients from several continents and is perfectly housed in sustainable packaging.

It’s available now on our website and we aim to hit retailers here and abroad by the end of 2020.