Inclusive, Natural, and Vegan? Sign us up! Kiyomila Cosmetics is a black-owned vegan skincare brand based out of London, UK. The cosmetics brand specializes in healthy, vegan products that are catered for individuals experiencing eczema, acne and hyperpigmentation. The inspiration for the brand comes from the founder’s own skincare journey, as she suffered from eczema and hyperpigmentation since childhood. The brand offers a range of body butters, body scrubs and body oil for eczema and body acne. For hyperpigmentation the brand introduced the Fade Away’ face and body butter which is enriched with natural Kokum butter and Buriti fruit and Kukui nut oil. Read on in our interview with the brand to hear more about their product assortment and helpful skincare tips!

Where are you based?
Kiyomila Cosmetics is based in London, UK.

When did you first begin your brand Kiyomila Cosmetics?
Kiyomila Cosmetics first began in 2021.

What was the inspiration behind the brand? Have you always been passionate about skin care?
The inspiration behind Kiyomila Cosmetics was my own skincare journey. I have suffered with eczema and hyperpigmentation ever since I was a child. My mum would always have to put oil on my eyelids which was very uncomfortable and made me constantly look greasy. My eczema then cleared on its own. I began to have a love for skincare when I was a teenager as I had hormonal acne and developing a routine helped to clear it. However, my eczema was then once again triggered due to stress once I went to university and although creams would help for a while, my eczema kept coming back; so, I decided to take matters into my own hands once my favorite skincare brand announced they were closing!

The brand specializes in healthy, vegan products that are catered for individuals experiencing eczema, acne and hyperpigmentation. What type of products does the brand offer?
For eczema and body acne we offer a range of body butters, body scrubs and body oil. Our customer favourite is the whipped shea butter as it is rich, creamy, light and easily absorbed into the skin offering a protective barrier and an extra burst of hydration. It’s made with skin loving ingredients such as shea butter, avocado oil, rosehip seed oil and vitamin e which help to calm eczema and inflammation. For hyperpigmentation we have our new ‘Fade Away’ face and body butter which is made of natural, raw ingredients. It is enriched with natural Kokum butter and oils such as Buriti fruit oil and Kukui nut oil to fade away dark spots and hyperpigmentation without lightening the skin.

What is the process like for creating a safe skincare product? Are you involved with choosing the ingredients?
I am 100% involved in choosing the ingredients for all of my products. I have taken many skincare courses in order to make sure I am not only making safe products, but products that work. When creating products, I ensure everything is sterilized with a bleach solution, rinsed and left to dry naturally before using. All products are made using gloves, coveralls and a hair net to avoid any contamination. All products are tested by me and family members with various skincare issues to see how they respond to them.

Why was creating a vegan skincare brand a priority for you?
I wanted to create products that could be used by everyone and anyone without them worrying about where the products were coming from as plant based ingredients provide more benefits and are also good for overall health due to being chemical-free. I think it’s very important for us to love and care for our skin and by making my products vegan, I have been able to do that.

What is your ultimate skincare routine?
Every day and night, I cleanse my face, follow up with a toner, niacinamide, face oil or serum, moisturiser, eye cream and sunscreen, during the day only. Twice a week I also use a face mask and scrub.

For my body I shower as normal, use my body scrub to remove dead skin, moisturise with the whipped shea butter, use the fade away body butter on my back acne and finish off with the body glaze. I only use the body scrub twice a week.

You have dealt with lightening agents in your own skincare journey. What are the ingredients that cause this?
In my own skincare journey, unfortunately I do not know the exact ingredient that caused my skin to lighten, I used a known eczema cream for mine which was recommended by a family member. When you search it up it is very hard to find a full list of ingredients which is a red flag in itself, nor did it have a full list on the bottle. I would however recommend avoiding products with a high amount of hydroquinone and mercury as this can cause untreatable skin discoloration, I was very lucky that my skin color returned once I stopped using the cream.

How were you personally able to repair your skin after such damage?
I was very lucky that after my skin lightened, my original skin tone returned on its own after a couple weeks once I stopped using the cream. However, due to my acne I was left with scars all over my cheeks, forehead and chin which became more noticeable when my skin was lighter. It took many years to clear (when my skin would clear, I would get more spots and try to pop them) and that was due to the help of my skincare routine, particularly the niacinamide which is amazing for clearing dark marks. My skin hasn’t completely cleared and I still have dark marks on my back, however thanks to the Fade away butter the process has been quicker.

Photo provided by Kiyomila Cosmetics

What are the highs and lows of being a black-owned wellness and skincare brand?
The highs of being a black-owned brand is that we have received a lot of support due to black-owned brands receiving more recognition than ever before. I have been able to create products catered to the community as I have first hand experience of the skincare issues a lot of us struggle with which has built trust. Being a black-owned brand however has lows such as profiting less than other brands, working harder to be seen, and building networks with other business owners that aren’t black-owned.

How do you hope the company grows within the next five to ten years?
I see Kiyomila Cosmetics becoming a worldwide name in the next five years. I see us as one of the most known U.K.-based skincare brands. When people ask for skincare recommendations, I would see Kiyomila cosmetics popping up multiple times. In five years, Kiyomila cosmetics would have helped thousands and thousands of people transform their skin and hair. We would have expanded to not only skincare but also hair care. I would have hired a whole team and warehouse due to the increase in our customer base. In ten years we would be the biggest cosmetics brand and have shops all around the world. Kiyomila Cosmetics would be in beauty spas, shops and salons.

Has your business been affected during the pandemic? How are you staying positive during the current wave?
I have been lucky to say that the business hasn’t been affected by COVID, we have built a loyal customer base that have continued to shop with us! They have even recommended others to us, which has helped, as it can be hard to keep up with social media.

What does your new normal look like?
My new normal is working my full-time job, picking up my daughter from nursery, spending time with her and my husband and once she goes to sleep, working until early hours of the morning; packing orders, working on my website or making products! My weekends are usually spent working on the business too, however I always prioritise my family and make sure to have me time to avoid burning out!

Where can our readers shop the brand?
You can shop our brand at https://kiyomilacosmetics.com

What is your motto in life?
It always seems impossible until it’s done.

To find out more about Kiyomila Cosmetics, please follow the brand on the platforms below:
Instagram: @kiyomilacosmetics
TikTok: @kiyomilacosmetics

Let Kiyomila Cosmetics Introduce You to Black-Owned Vegan Skincare