29-year-old beauty entrepreneur Constance Mapule Bhebhe, shares why she added to her lipstick brand a face-care, called Constance Beauty 30, as well as her success tips
Tell us about your new skin-care offering, Constance Beauty, what inspired it?
My skin was dry and damaged. Much like when I needed to lose weight, I looked for a natural solution which was herbs. For my face, I looked at natural oils that heal and repair damaged skin.
How long did it take to research and create your products and who will it benefit most?
I’ve been learning about natural oils for about four years. When this year began I looked at improving my life physically, spiritually and financially, repairing my skin was one of five things on that list. If you have damaged skin, dark marks, acne or dry skin, your skin needs nutrients to repair itself. No matter your skin type, the ingredients in our collection work collectively to restore the skins collagen so your face can return to its natural suppleness which in its own makes for younger looking skin.
Share the reason you named your skin-care products after your name?
Constance is the woman I want to be. Connie is the girl I am. We all want to grow up to be a better version of ourselves. Connie Transform, our cosmetics brand is rebranding to Constance Beauty. It makes sense to introduce a skincare as Constance Beauty.
What is it about the beauty industry that you love and how is it, really, competing with giant global brands?
The beauty industry is something I need myself. Because I’ve travelled extensively, I know what’s lacking, I know what women need. I also know how to encourage women to celebrate their own beauty because beauty is different in different parts of the world. We need African brands. We need female-owned brands. Women need to own the industries they spend their money on.
READ MORE:Connie Transforms Lips
Share with us beauty tips for healthy, glowing skin.
Nourish. Everything we see is a result of what it feeds on. I take moringa – a tree called the tree of life. I take it as a powdered supplement and when I am in Zimbabwe, I take the leaves off the tree in our yard and I blend it with water and take it as a shot. This is a short cut to getting 93 nutrients in my body to nourish every single cell in my body so my hair, nails, skin, mind can flourish.
Describe your busiest day, and what else do you aim to tick off your business goals?
I wake up at 7, spend an hour taking two pots of herbal and green/white tea, journaling, dry brushing then I start with work. On a busy day I will do my eight-minute workout, take a cold shower then eat something small. I’m a small eater. I might have to do content creation or communicate with our manufactures. I might be shooting with a model or working on our website. Generally I take 1-2 hours off midday to go for a walk, have lunch with a friend or just do my makeup. I might have a date later that evening but will need to get about three more hours of work in first. I sometimes do press, radio, TV but if I’m working on a product launch, it’s a lot of communicating with my designer, getting samples, trying samples, shooting images of product, editing images, videos, creating newsletters and studying the industries I’m in.
Which entrepreneur (especially in the beauty space) do you look up to and what lessons have you learned from them?
I look at Bethenny Frankel, Victoria Beckham, Lynn Tilton, Huddah Monroe, Keyshia K’aoir and Rihanna. I’ve learned, produce quality products and stay focused.
What legacy would you like to leave behind the beauty industry?
I’d like to create a brand out of Africa that’s available internationally so people can see that beautiful things with international standards do come out of Africa.
From your experience, what are your success tips to young people?
Limit the time you spend on social media. Don’t compare yourself to others. Do what feels right to your soul. Always choose local when possible.
