Discover the Beauty Secrets of Africa with Eni Culture's Founder Nkonye Iwerebon

0:02Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Skin Anarchy. This is your host Exa and I'm really really excited to introduce you guys to this brand today that we're featuring because I think that when it comes to understanding beauty especially skin and our needs and you know as they're changing and evolving it's really great to be able to learn from various cultures various traditions various knowledge you know that we have globally available to us but we rarely see you know really come up in the beauty industry and so very excited about the brand which many of you might know, Ene Culture and the founders with us today, Nkonyé Iverbaum.

0:37Welcome to the show, Nkonyé. I'm so excited to chat with you. Thank you so much, Ekta. I am thrilled to be here and to talk to your listeners about Ene Culture. Yeah, I'm really, really excited about, you know, just learning from you because, as I said, you know, I don't think we can ever learn enough about just, like, global remedies and global approaches to skin health. You know, I think there's so much to learn. And when I come across a brand that's really kind of shining a light on a new approach or just ingredients, it always intrigues me. And from that angle, I'm very excited. But I'd love to learn about you, Nkornie.

1:14What inspired you to create e-me culture and just get into the beauty space? Yeah, no, that's a great question. Well, I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. and even though I've lived in the U.S. since college basically, Nigeria has always remained part of me. I go back often to visit family and each visit brings back this deep nostalgia for the traditions, for the beauty and the richness of my cultural heritage. I was raised with a mix of traditional remedies and allopathic medicine in addition and sometimes in addition to more or maybe instead of conventional medicine, my mom would use what traditional remedies she had available for mild ailments.

2:02At times, she might use a concoction of herbs for a fever or palm oil with sugar for a cough and apply clay to heal a rash. And of course, shea butter was the go-to for sore muscles or bumps on the skin. And these remedies were a part of everyday life. Even now, I still use a traditional Nigerian sponge that's made from the bark of an invasive plant for exfoliation. So when I started experiencing my own skin issues, naturally, I looked for products with the same wholesome, nutrient-rich ingredients I grew up with. But I started noticing that so many products are filled with synthetic ingredients that I didn't recognize.

2:45And that's what really set me on this path. I began researching the age-old ingredients used by locals back home. Again, things like shea butter, moringa, which are rich in nutrients and antioxidants. And I realized how powerful these time-tested ingredients are for the skin as well. And that's what inspired me to create any culture. Africa is abundant with powerful, nutrient-dense ingredients, and I wanted to bring that to the world. But more than that, I wanted to create a brand that reflects the true beauty of African culture with luxurious, high quality and incredibly effective products. Because too often, Africa is so unfairly associated with poor quality products.

3:30And I wanted to change that narrative. And one of the reasons I named the brand Any Culture is because it represents both the celebration of African culture and inclusivity. culture to me emphasizes the connection to my heritage while any a play on my initials eni stands for the idea that beauty is universal because each person has authentic beauty within them and so people from all backgrounds whether they're of african descent or not can learn and benefit from the wealth of of another culture i love that i love that yeah i love that you're really approaching it from this stance because you said something very very you know interesting to me because when it comes to cultures and understanding where we can really pull from right when it because i look at the skin and i think you might agree with me in the sense that i look at the skin as truly an organ you know it's sure it's not a i mean yeah there's beauty involved but it's yes wellness conversation you know what i mean and so yes when i look at that it always intrigues me how much there is to learn from very old cultures very old traditions and it's something that I think in the west we kind of miss the mark in that we don't have enough representation of that you know of that knowledge and that's right that's the really cool stuff I mean at the end of the day I mean no one can even argue the fact that you know geographically Africa is you know it's you're going to find the most nutrient dense you know really just amazing amazing indigenous plants and species there you know it's just naturally there because that's where life began you know and so i did i mean i'm a biologist sorry yes yes no of course of course but it's like the fact that we're we need to tap into that more you know because exactly we are dealing with wellness and where do you go to understand wellness well you go to your roots You go to the beginning place, you know, the starting point.

5:34Every scientist does that. So I guess my question is for you, I mean, where was your starting place with developing the formulations? Because I'm sure this was, you must have had a lot to work with, you know, in terms of like choices for ingredients. Yes, I did. And I did a lot of, I did a lot of research, first of all. First, you know, observing my family members in current day, observing my mother, my sister who take various ingredients still for all kinds of ailments. So specifically moringa, moringa seeds, they chew on for digestive issues. I traveled to Ghana and actually for part of the process, I worked with a lab, but then decided that I wanted to go in a different direction.

6:24But that process exposed me to a number of ingredients that I was not so familiar with. And it opened my eyes to the idea that there's so much out there. And as you mentioned, the biodiversity of the continent is incredibly diverse and incredibly potent. And so, you know, tapping into our rich history and to the wellness traditions of the elders, you know, friends of family, family members, and so on, enabled me to just find out more about what was available and what I could use to really turn this into something that others could benefit from. Yeah, no, that makes sense. And I love that, you know, that you've, you went on a journey with this because I think when it comes to specifically you know African traditions we don't know enough you know and so I really want to learn a little bit more about some of the wellness traditions you mentioned a few of them you know but is there I mean I'm sure this differs from every country in Africa you know but like are there like underlying similarities and some maybe you could share with us some traditions that you've noticed that are kind of yeah I'm glad you mentioned two things.

7:44One, you had mentioned that Africa is the birthplace of humanity. And as you know, it's often referred to as the cradle of, well, we say mankind, but I'm going to say humankind. And the other thing that you just mentioned is that there is a great degree of diversity. Africa itself, while one continent, is made up of 54 different countries. So of course, across the regions, there's going to be dramatic differences. But I will say that across the many regions and cultures of Africa, there is generally a shared belief that wellness is holistic, and it's about finding harmony between the mind, the body, and the spirit.

8:28And these traditions and the understandings of holistic medicine are passed down through generations, and it's a blend of psychology and cultural practices and the use of natural elements to bring balance and well-being. And so this kind of philosophy has really shaped my approach to beauty. And it aligns so closely with my love of culture and the belief in treating the whole person, for example, or that in Nigeria, northern nigeria for for somewhat painless hair removal they use a concoction of honey and sugar and lime perhaps you've heard about african black soap which is yes so african black soap is something that many people use for on their skin for for exfoliation and it smooths the skin as well and then you know there are other special rituals and traditions like in certain parts of of the country before a special occasion like a wedding.

9:31The bride's body is covered in palm oil and shea butter to make the skin, to prepare her for that ever important day by making the skin look radiant and feel more supple. And what I love about these rituals is that they've lasted for centuries, primarily because they work. And they remind me that less is really more when it comes to skincare. And that's why we focus on harnessing the power of traditional African ingredients that have been used successfully by generations. But what you mentioned also is that it's more about holistic care. So it's not just about looking good. It's also about feeling a deeper connection to something authentic and more meaningful.

10:18Beauty rituals serve as a form of self-care, a way to reduce stress and to really connect to heritage and community. And at any culture, we want to move people to tap into something that is much greater than themselves. And using these ancestral ingredients is a way to both care for your skin, but also, and maybe just as importantly, it allows you to ground yourself in a culture and the ways of people that came long before you ever did yeah I love that's beautiful by the way I love that but you know I really believe in the in this concept of you know when you try to understand a culture and you want to immerse yourself in that experience you will take so much away you know what I mean and in the sense of like you'll learn new things about yourself you'll learn new things about other people and you might find a solution to something that you've been looking for for a long time I really believe that because you know how many people do you know that just they love to travel they love to experience new places but then when you talk to them about their travels it's always like what did you take away from your travel you know what I mean like what did that bring to your life so I when I when I think about it from the standpoint of like we're talking about skin here for me it makes full sense as to why you would create such a unique brand because it's bringing a beautiful like set of traditions and culture but it's also bringing a new a fresh set of eyes you know to search for a solution i think a lot of consumers are struggling with you know many skin disorders that i that i come across just by you know the people that are tuning in and you guys chime in with your skin concerns a lot of them are things that have been around for a long time acne you know psoriasis atopic dermatitis you know these are words that come up over and over and over again even though we have this plethora of products in our industry and sometimes I'm not gonna lie you know I sit there and I wonder I'm like well maybe it's just it's a simpler solution you know that all of these pharmaceuticals that we have out I mean maybe it's simpler than that I I think I relate very much with you in the sense that I grew up in an Indian household my parents were both raised in India and my mom I remember would always give me these like you know the old traditions you know the things that her mother would use like and she grew up in rural india so like that when she grew up she didn't have allopathic medicine available to her like that you know it was it was really the things that worked in ayurveda and things like that but but those things really helped me you know with the things i would go through as a child like little like whatever it was so i think there there's so much to gain you know when you really immerse yourself is what i'm trying to say and and from that I want to I want to take this opportunity to ask you about how you source your ingredients and like what is that process like for for your brand in terms of bringing that the the true like 100 authenticity over you know into your products because I'm sure it's difficult to I mean is it how is the process I'll let you tell me it's actually it's actually not that difficult I I think that the challenge lies in just the plethora of ingredients that are available and understanding what their qualities are and, you know, what the potency, effectiveness, usefulness of the ingredients are and making sure that we are selecting really the best of the best.

13:51And the other challenge is making sure that there's quality control, right? And that's one of the concerns that some of the labs that I work with here were concerned about. And so I wanted to make sure that I was sourcing from a place where things were done appropriately and consistently. And I so happened for the two ingredients that we source directly from Africa, in this case, Rwanda, I found Cooperative that supplies a major beauty company in the U.S. And through that, I got assurances both from them and others. This was a product that was consistent and that maintained a lot of the qualities and properties of the oils that we were using.

14:39And so, as I said, right now, we source two of our main oils, Moringa and passion fruit, and they are sourced from a cooperative of smallholder farms in eastern Rwanda. And I don't know if you know this, but most of the farmland in Rwanda is used to grow coffee and tea because those are the cash crops in Rwanda. But in the east, the land is not as suitable for those cash crops. So for them, growing plants like moringa and passion fruit for oil extraction and other uses provides an alternative source of income for the people in those rural communities. So our commitment at Any Culture is where possible, our main ingredients will always be sourced directly from the communities where they originate in Africa, because this not only supports economic and community development in those regions, but it helps us remain true to the heritage, as well as create high quality, luxurious products for all people to enjoy.

15:45And I think in our mission to create effective tools for healthier looking skin, I want to continue to go back to the continent to gain more ancestral wisdom from the elders. And so that we can learn more about the efficacy and potency of indigenous ingredients that have served locals for generations and generations. I love that I love that and that's really really cool that you're really supporting the community you know that you're you're gaining your inspiration for I mean that I think that is so fundamental for me as a consumer you know when I'm looking for a brand I really try to look for a lot of different things and one of them is you know when we talk about things like sustainability it's a very different definition in my eyes than I think it's in someone else's where I really believe in this concept of you have to support what you gain from you know like what feeds you you need to feed that same thing you know so it's like give back and the fact that you're doing that it's a beautiful thing you know so hats off to you for doing that correctly because i think a lot of brands can learn from that you know trying really hard trying really hard yeah i mean you're doing a great job i know that the you guys have a beautiful product and i'd love to dive more into it the Safi revitalizing face oil for everyone listening it's a beautiful beautiful product and that I find it to be very unique because for me as a consumer I'm not a huge oil person but I look for I still try them because once in a while you come across a really great oil you know oil-based product and you're able to use that and this was one of them for me I found it to be extremely extremely light in the sense that my skin didn't break out you know sometimes I try oils and my skin doesn't react well it's it's not fitting you know with just my own physiology but this is really nice because you can use it as a standalone product but you can also layer it especially with the colder months coming up with your moisturizer especially at night and it just gives the most beautiful glow so when you were crafting Safi you know what was the what were some of the ingredients I think you mentioned moringa but what were some of the other ingredients in the oil?

17:53Well, first of all, thank you so much for mentioning that you can use an oil that doesn't necessarily lead to a result in breakouts. A lot of people are confused or unaware and think that oils will always clog your skin. And I like to let people know that generally speaking, they don't, and it really depends on the kinds of oils that you use. Many have a rating as to whether they are comodogenic or not, whether they clog your pores or have a tendency to clog your pores or not. And it's important to educate oneself on, you know, the kinds of oils you're using, because oils can actually be beneficial in getting nutrients directly to where they belong.

18:37But so, you know, I'm really proud of this product, Fafi Revitalizing Face Oil, which has only 10 ingredients, you know, just sort of sticking to this idea that less is more. And it's a combination of oils and solubles that are chosen for their effectiveness and purity. In fact, Safi is a Swahili word meaning pure. I wanted to keep in what was necessary and leave out anything that didn't feel like or serve an actual purpose. So as you mentioned, the oil is lightweight, which allows it to absorb very quickly into the skin without leaving a greasy residue and still helping your skin to shine, to glow.

19:22So at the heart of this blend is moringa oil from the moringa tree, which is also called the miracle tree because of just how effective it is for overall good health. And when I say it's the main ingredient, I mean, there is truly a high concentration of moringa in the formula. And as you can see, it's the first on the ingredient list. And for people who aren't familiar with moringa, they should be aware that it's packed full of nutrients. It contains vitamin A, seven times more vitamin C than an orange, seven times more potassium than a banana, four times more calcium than milk, has protein, essential fatty acids, and is packed with antioxidants.

20:05And moringa is also antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, which makes it a powerhouse for skincare. And honestly, I think we all should be consuming moringa in some form every day for our general wellbeing. Another star in the formulation is passion fruit, again, sourced directly from Rwanda. It boosts our collagen production, which helps and provides other nutrients, but it helps to maintain skin elasticity, which is something that is important for all of us to help us age well, I guess. And to balance the traditional with the modern, we've also added coenzyme Q10, which is a very potent antioxidant that fights environmental damage, which also works to keep our skin firm and resilient.

20:53Alongside that, we have squalane. Squalane mimics the skin's natural sebum, and it helps to protect and maintain the skin's moisture barrier. And together, all of these ingredients create, I love the word elixir, so I'm going to use it, that you can use in the morning or at night to lock in moisture, to soften and smooth our skin and to promote a healthy, more resilient complexion. And as you said, you can either use it on its own or you can use it after you have gone through your skincare routine. If you're using it during the day, just make sure that you put sunscreen as the last possible product on your face.

21:40That makes sense. I love those ingredients, by the way. They're really, really, you know, I feel like they all have their unique purpose that they're serving and that's very important oftentimes i think we get so lost in ingredient decks you know when it comes to products that you forget what it is that's actually benefiting but all of these are so heavy hitting i'm a huge fan of coen's on q10 i wrote a pulpit yes oh did you really yeah yeah i might want to read it yeah you know it's great it's a great antioxidant i mean it's it's a really really great antioxidant and i love that you're combining and i feel like this is genuinely beauty done right where you're combining things ingredients that are truly tried and true you know and they're combining them with this new like approach and you're bringing this beautiful set of ingredients that maybe we haven't really seen as much you know i really like that approach i think it it's the true in my opinion i think that's at the heart of allopathic medicine if you think about it you know we do that in medicine all the time and that's what works that's that's what really results in in breakthroughs so i love it i mean i think the oil is beautiful and during the room listening if you are looking for a great oil right now this is this is the one that i would recommend because it is lightweight you know and i think the lightweight nature a lot of people ask me this question and maybe you can address this question as they ask about you know obviously like the comedogenic properties of oils but also just what to use on a day-to-day basis i get that question a lot of like what is a great oil but like what you know for day-to-day use you you said you recommend it in the daytime but use spf after but what are some other ways that we can incorporate this oil oh yeah you can use it day or night that i i know people who use this particular oil in the morning by itself and then follow it with sunscreen.

23:38And then there are others who mix it with a serum or a moisturizer, or they layer and use the oil afterward, again, to lock in all the other products that you've used on your face. And then you could use it at night, right before you go to sleep, so that it does all the work that it needs to overnight. There are people who are not as comfortable using an oil during the day. There are those who are comfortable using it, you know, all day, every day, all the time. And so it's really up to you. I think it's a very versatile product in that way. It's just a question of your own comfort level, but it is really a good addition to any skincare routine.

24:22And as I said, it helps to lock in everything else that you may have used before if you use anything else that makes sense no I really like it a lot for just like I said it's great standalone like I really enjoy it standalone because it's not it doesn't weigh you down at all so that's very cool in that way now one thing I want to ask you this it's more of like a philosophical question I guess because whenever I look at the beauty industry I honestly I mean a lot of it is philosophy right because when I when I look at the beauty industry for me, it says it means a lot of different things, maybe because for me growing up, I didn't really see myself reflected a lot, a lot of times, you know, in the industry.

25:03And so with that, now that, you know, things are changing, and for the better, I see a lot of brands have popped up from various cultures, you know, I'm sure you've seen K beauty is a huge movement, you know, at this point, Yes. You know, even J beauty and a lot of the Asian inspired beauty beauty. Yeah, like it's just it's everywhere. And I love that. You know, I love that we are seeing various cultures represented. But I often wonder, you know, why is it still so polarized? And so what are your thoughts around making African beauty more mainstream and bringing more awareness to this topic? I think that's a really good and thoughtful question.

25:47Interestingly, I think that African beauty or a beauty is already here. To your point, it's not quite in the mainstream just yet. And I think that's because we haven't yet seen the global spotlight that the other beauty movements that you just mentioned have received. But I think it's coming. And if anything, we African beauty, we were clean beauty before clean beauty was actually a thing. And it taps into, as we have discussed today, it taps into centuries of wellness rituals and the incredible biodiversity of the African content. It's more than just skincare. It's a holistic approach that promotes health and wellness through the use of powerful natural ingredients like moringa, like shea butter, like marula, mogongo, baobab.

26:45I mean, there's a long list of these ingredients. And I think what's also truly exciting about A Beauty is its authenticity and its diversity. We mentioned earlier that Africa is a continent of 54 countries and in countless cultures, each bringing its own rich traditions to the tables. And there are brands all over the world now that are inspired by African beauty. They're emerging everywhere, both within the continent, by the way, that are becoming more popular within the continent, but also exporting their products throughout the world. And by those in other parts of the world that are inspired, either of African descent or not, to share these incredible secrets of African beauty.

27:36And the brands, as you know, are catering not just to African communities, but to all kinds of people because they are inclusive. And the mission is to bring the benefits of these potent ingredients to people of all backgrounds. And I think we're already, we're seeing the impact of a beauty in the global beauty industry and the world will finally wake up it's starting to wake up but it will finally wake up to the magic of of african inspired skincare you heard it here first yeah no absolutely i mean i love that though and i really hope it does become mainstream because like you said i mean just to add to that i i think there's been african beauty has been everywhere for a long time i think that you know the ingredients have been in our products They've been, you know, used and utilized and we've benefited from the wonderful knowledge and traditions already.

28:30So why not make it a whole movement, you know, and shine a light on it? I think it's a natural thing to do. That's exactly right. They just haven't been recognized in the context of what they actually are, right? They're just ingredients on the list, but people don't fully understand their history, their importance, their potency and the culture that surrounds it. yeah yeah exactly and i mean i think that's half the half the knowledge is missing that when you do that you know when you don't recognize because you won't get the benefits fully that at that point if you for me i think it's more it's not even about okay cool you got some ingredients you know that were derived it's not even about the ingredients it's about are you utilizing things correctly you know because the different cultures the you know they're they're doing things in a specific way and there's a reason why you know certain you know plants and different different ingredients are being used like there's a reason they're used in that way because there's benefit in that whole process of treatment and so that treatment process I think also comes along with when we shine the spotlight you know and really call it for what it is and say no this is a beauty and it's not a beauty inspired you know it is a beauty you know it's the real deal here so It's the real deal.

29:51Exactly. Exactly. Well, this has been so amazing, Konya. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and your wisdom and all the wonderful things you're doing with any cultures. It's really, really a breath of fresh air for me to see as a consumer. I love it so much. And I encourage everybody listening. You guys got to, you know, you got to check out the brand. Really, you know, support brands that are bringing these things forward, because I think that's how this community is going to grow. I really believe that as a consumer. You know, I get very excited when I see brands such as AnyCulture that are shining a light on things that we haven't seen before.

30:29They're new and they're innovative and they're really helping treat concerns that have been around for a long time that we just keep failing, you know, because modern medicine, it also learns when we create more innovative approaches. You know, we learn on the allopathic side of things from things that occur that are inspired by different traditions and different globally, you know, speaking. So I think it's truly something to be considered when we're shopping for products, you know. Yeah, exactly. Thank you for those kind words. Yeah. No, thank you. And for everyone listening, if you guys want any more information on the brand, please, you know, check out the show notes.

31:06First of all, we'll be linking everything there, but also reach out to us about your thoughts around, you know, a beauty and just everything we've discussed here. We'd love to hear from you. But thank you so much. Thank you so much. Hey, guys. So I hope you love that episode. Please make sure to hit subscribe if you're tuning in to us on any podcast platform. We are available on so many different platforms. So wherever it is that you're tuning in, just go hit subscribe. You will be immediately notified when we publish new episodes. This way you're able to tune in to amazing insights from experts, brand founders, industry leaders, authors, all the wonderful people that we host.

31:41And that's very important for me because I love to hear from you guys and really understand what you love and what you want to hear more of. Also, make sure to give us a follow on all of our social media outlets. We're available on Instagram, TikTok, X, you name it, we're there. We also have a blog on Medium. So if you're a reader and you love Medium blogs, check us out on Medium. We publish some really great articles on there that do deeper dives than just what's available on the podcast. And it's really a great place for all of you science geeks out there that want to learn a little bit more.

32:12We go above and beyond with our research and making sure we're bringing you information that you usually probably won't hear about in other outlets. So check us out. Leave us a comment. Leave us a review. And we'll be back next time with another episode. Thank you.