Pass The Pen: Nyakio Grieco
I think we all know my deep deep love for skincare. Indulging in lotions and potions for my face and body is truly one of my favorite forms of self care. So when you come across an entire line of products that when you touch them you can SEE and FEEL the purity of its ingredients and then you use them and they WORK, they become instant staples. Now let’s take it a couple steps further, these products are green! And affordable! I mean, we are talking the holy grail! And that’s what you get with Nyakio Beauty products.
Founded by my friend, Nyakio Grieco, Nyakio Beauty is based on beauty secrets passed down from her Kenyan Family. I will let her tell you how specifically, but I promise when you indulge in her products you will absolutely understand how her beautiful family history, combined with Nyakio’s skincare expertise and commitment to sourcing only the best of the best products globally combine to make a truly beautiful line of skincare. Now available online at Target, it has never been easier for people to discover Nyakio Beauty. And I promise it won’t disappoint.
I sat down this week and asked Nyakio if she would be my Boss Babe this month as we begin highlighting some very special Black owned and founded brands. Nyakio and I have had many conversations about the spirit of The Happy Place and the foundation in which it’s built upon since becoming friends. And realizing there is so much to learn and so much work to do to truly be an ally to the black community. I expressed to her that this kind of support is something I want to incorporate into the foundation on which we stand, a commitment that extends beyond weeks and months. We acknowledge the struggle and obstacles that black entrepreneurs endure and we will be using this platform to uplift and highlight their work.
So, Happy Placers, meet Nyakio!
Xx,
Jo
1. So many of your products are staples in my life that I cannot live without. But if this is the first introduction to your company for some of our readers, what would you want them to know?
That truly makes me so happy that you love Nyakio Beauty. nyakio is a clean and green skincare brand which uses ethical and sustainable ingredients sourced from 13 different countries around the globe.
I’m a first generation American and I was inspired to create nyakio Beauty based on beauty secrets that were passed down to me from my Kenyan family. My grandfather was a medicine man and my grandmother was a Kenyan coffee farmer who taught me my first beauty secret while visiting her in Kenya at 8 years old. She used Kenyan coffee grounds and sugarcane blended to exfoliate her skin.
2. There has been a huge push highlighting Black owned and founded businesses and a call to action to support them. For your company, what is the number one way that we support you and your brand?
This time has been incredibly heart breaking for so many, especially those of us who are Black. So many of the disproportionate challenges that we have in Black communities are due to systemic racism and generational poverty. The BEST way to support us is to help us create wealth in our communities. If you have the means, invest your dollars in our incredible products! I recently launched online Target! The best way to support my brand specifically is to shop my skincare line! I’m deeply proud of what I’ve built and nyakio Beauty is clean Beauty that works! Ask Jo! 😘
3. Like I said, so many of your products are staples in my life. Nick and I fight over the coffee face polish. And your Sweet Almond Cleansing Balm literally MELTS away all my make-up at the end of the day! Also, all of your facial oils...they are incredible!! Do you have a favorite product?
I love that you and Nick fight over my coffee face polish! A beauty editor recently voted that product the #1 product your man will steal from you! That product has my heart because my grandmother, also named Nyakio inspired me to create it. But because my grandfather was a medicine man and had the ability to go out in nature and extract oils to treat the skin, I am partial to my face oils and all I’ve learned about their restorative powers. Don’t be afraid of oils! We have to use oil to fight oil. Our Maracuja & Yangu Rescue Oil is our number one seller. It’s naturally colored green so it helps to minimize redness and calm irritation. It brings me complete joy when some reaches out let’s me know that that oil saved their skin. That’s why I named it Rescue Oil because it’s done just that for some many people. I’m 47 and literally use oils every morning and every night, swear by it. Insider tip: if you have oily skin, you need oil even more. Our skin is made up of oils and as we age we lose the oils so our skin has to work really hard to produce them. If we use just a few drops of oil day and night , it helps our skin to maintain its balance and even skin tone.
4. At Target you have this amazing Global Beauty Starter kit. Can you share with our readers the hot tip you gave me for one of the products inside? It’s perfect for summertime!
Launching online at Target was literally an 18 year dream in the making .
I love our Global Starter Kit and it’s the perfect way to be introduced to our brand. It has Nick’s favorite original coffee face polish, your favorite Sweet Almond Cleansing Balm that melts the day away (make up, dirt and impurities) and another one of my favorites which is our Tamanu Miracle Balm. It contains a powerful ingredient called Tamanu which comes from India. They refer to it as “green gold” This balm is magic in a jar. I use it for everything! It helps to firm the skin, I use it for a facial massage at night and wake up with such a glow. It’s been so helpful to massage on my hands as we are washing hands so much. With changing seasons we get itchy skin so it also helps to sooth irritation, like pesky mosquito bites. My dear friend @sarahappherself swears by this balm!
5. What is the one thing you’ve learned from your experiences that you wish to impart on the next generation of Black female entrepreneurs?
What I’ve learned from my experience as a Black female entrepreneur is that mentorship is a gift. Seeking out mentors to help guide you in your journey is important. It can be a lonely journey as a Black woman in business, we tend to get more “No’s” then “Yes”. A mentor helps you to stay the course and offers the support you need. And as you grow in business , pay it forward to another entrepreneur starting her dream. What you put out into the universe comes back to you, so find someone that you can encourage and lift her up, share your experience, be there in support so that she will be motivated to do the same for others.