Osome Heroes – Abi Shokeye of Rich Skxn

Entrepreneurs are society’s problem solvers, society’s heroes. And here at Osome, we’re obsessed with helping heroes fly. That’s why we’re championing the entrepreneurs that push the world forward.

We spoke to the founder of Rich Skxn, Abi Shokeye, to hear more about her business, her journey, and her dreams for the future.

How It All Started

Abi’s journey with skincare started during her time at university. She’d had enough of putting makeup on every day before leaving the house. She wanted to head out every morning with her skin looking fantastic, and naturally so. To paraphrase her own words, she wanted to channel her inner Beyonce and “wake up like this”. Queue her research into skincare and assessment of her own skin.

She discovered that she had acne patches and hyperpigmentation — a problem many people with melanin-rich skin suffer from. None of the high street stores had anything to help. None of the consultants had any answers, nor did they understand her skin type. So Abi took matters into her own hands, hit the books, and found a treasure trove of products in America that weren’t available to the British consumer.

She began importing products and testing them out on her own skin. She played both the role of guinea pig and scientist, and went on to get her qualifications in skincare too.

Finding a solution for herself motivated Abi to help others. She posted tips on her Instagram account and saw how many people were receptive to what she was saying and how many people had experienced the same problem.

She had a tried and tested selection of products to serve people like herself who desperately needed the right products for healthy skin. Recognising a gap in the market, she dreamed up a platform where people could feel safe purchasing products that suited their specific needs without worrying that the products contained harmful ingredients.

With a supportive network around her and coming from a family of entrepreneurs — all of Abi’s sisters have their own business — it was almost written in the stars that Abi would start her own business too.

Rich Skxn was up and running.

Curator for a Community

But Rich Skxn had more than one reason for being. It’s a marketplace, yes. But it's also a communal space where customers can learn about their skin and leave reviews on the products they’ve had success with — so others can trust the products they’re using too.

Now, Abi has helped over 8,000 customers on their skincare journey. She’s demystified the myths around black and brown skincare and given black-owned brands a platform to showcase their incredible products.

The advice Abi offers her customers and the brands Rich Skxn provides the UK market with are trusted by many. Rich Skxn’s database of over 13,000 boasts a high open rate, a key metric for measuring how a brand is perceived by its customers.

Keen to make strides in the skincare industry, Abi is excited to launch her own skincare brand next month. Watch this space!

Overcoming Challenges

A turbulent 2022 resulted in rising costs for many businesses, and Rich Skxn wasn’t immune to that. Postal strikes also held up orders. That’s not something Rich Skxn had any control over, but it could have meant sales taking a hit.

Luckily, Abi has always put her customers at the centre of her business. She didn’t hesitate to contact her customers, asking them to hang tight and assuring them that their orders were on the way. Transparency and excellent customer service: a simple solution to what could have been a complex problem.

The whole world felt the effects of Brexit. The pound’s value fell through the floor, and the cost price of Rich Skxn’s US imported products shot up. But Abi didn’t let that get her down. She streamlined the business’s costs wherever she could to keep her outgoings low. She also tweaked her business model to make use of Rich Skxn’s growing popularity. The business is focusing more on the service than the products. Instead of holding large amounts of stock, Rich Skxn will act as a marketplace for black-owned skincare brands to fulfil the orders — all tried and tested to maintain Rich Skxn’s flawless reputation.

Obstacles aren’t slowing the business down or taking the wind out of Abi’s sales. She’s proactive in thinking about solutions and faces any challenge head-on.

On Her Achievements

Customers praise all aspects of Rich Skxn, but the personal messages of thanks that Abi receives are what hit home the most — hearing how her business has solved her customers' problems reminds Abi why she started and motivates her to keep going through hard times.

“It’s hard to see what you’ve built when you’re in the midst of it because you’re trying to build something much bigger, and you don’t feel like you’re there yet. But when people remind you how far you’ve come, it’s a nice feeling. It’s nice to be still in those moments and recognise what you’ve achieved over the years.”

Final Thoughts

We’re in a very fortunate position here at Osome. We get to speak to ambitious people like Abi every day. We get to hear what drives them and their future goals. Then, taking some of the load, by handling the financial admin, we can help them realise their dreams.

We’re always left feeling inspired by our clients and that we’re succeeding in our mission to build a society of problem solvers — one entrepreneur at a time.