Graduate spotlight: Ekó Botanicals – harnessing ancient African botanical wisdom

Award-winning Ekó Botanicals Founder and Formulator Apinke Efiong has always had a deep love for botanicals. Inspired by her great grandfather, a botanist at Kew Gardens in London, UK, over 100 years ago, and having run a floral business from her home country of Nigeria, she felt healing plants were going to be central to her future, but she didn’t know exactly how.

When the Covid lockdown began, she decided to close her floral business in Nigeria and concentrate on her financial consultancy work in England. Finding herself uninspired and working from home, she set about brainstorming a new beginning for herself. Apinke wanted to create something that could marry her African and British heritage. Having had her own ongoing skin challenges as she reached her 40s, she felt that creating organic, botanical-rich products for menopausal skin was her destiny.

When Apinke began her organic skincare journey, she looked for a suitable formulation course and came across Formula Botanica. She saw how many other graduates of the School had evolved their dreams to become successful skincare entrepreneurs and immediately felt at at home. Formula Botanica became an incredible resource for Apinke, as too was the School’s community of like-minded formulators and entrepreneurs which was on hand to help her learn and grow her skincare business.

On completing her Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation, Alpinke set about developing a multi-functional line of products to deep cleanse, hydrate and replenish maturing skin. Her range included nutrient-dense formulations along with the meditative ritual of application and facial massage

Apinke had suffered for years with various skin conditions related to her skin type, so she had a deep desire to create products that would improve the appearance, tone and feel of dry, hyper-pigmented, menopausal skin in those over the age of 35. She experimented with dozens of natural and organic botanicals, extracts and oils designed specifically to smooth, rehydrate and nourish the skin. In 2022, she launched her three-product line to rave reviews and has enjoyed success ever since.

In her own words, formulation has changed Alpike’s life. Hearing from clients who have experienced remarkable changes in their skin, positive reviews on social and traditional media, winning awards and meeting wonderful people are the biggest compliments and highlights of each day at EKÓ Botanicals. “Being able to grow a botanically-based organic and sustainable beauty business that I am very proud of is something I would recommend to anyone.”

Interview highlights include:

• Apinke’s desire to combine her love for botanicals with her Nigerian and British heritage;
• Why she chose to focus on menopausal skin concerns;
• The value of Formula Botanica and its extensive network of resources; and
• How the Formula Botanica community members and their stories were key to her growth and inspiration.

About Ekó Botanicals

Apinke sources the best botanical ingredients from Nigeria and the UK, choosing organic and wild-grown ingredients whenever possible. Each Ekó Botanicals’ product derives inspiration from powerful ancient African warrior queens, including the Queen of Sheba and Nefertiti, and recalls the rituals and botanicals these figures deployed thousands of years ago to create clear and radiant skin. Ekó Botanicals products reflect ancient heritage and wisdom, but are rooted firmly in today’s science.

Find out more about Apinke Efiong and Ekó Botanicals:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

Inspired by Apinke’s story? Join us

Formula Botanica has the blueprint for the kind of life-changing transformation Apinke achieved. Our flagship International Organic Skincare Entrepreneur Program takes you all the way from learning how to formulate and create beautiful botanical products to giving you a road map to start the beauty business of your dreams, whether you wish to stay local or take things further afield. Alternatively, start as Apinke did with our Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation.

Sign up for our FREE TRAINING to see if formulation is for you, and to get a feel for Formula Botanica. Join us to get started in formulation and your own entrepreneurial path.

Take a look also at these related articles and podcast on starting a beauty brand:

Episode 173: Unveiling ancient wisdom – the power of Asian herbs with Dr Jenelle Kim
Episode 174: Beauty wisdom – ancient herbs in modern skincare
How to Start a Beauty Brand on a Small Budget
10 Steps to a Beauty Brand Business Plan

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Liz is Formula Botanica’s Content Coordinator and joined our team in August 2020. Liz worked as a professional blogger, journalist and site developer for many years and was also part of the Formula Botanica student community. Read more about the Formula Botanica Team.