South African skincare brands are showing up, and they are showing that they deserve a seat at the table. Silki’s 5th Birthday sale brought a thought on our local brands, and which brands are preferred by South African girlies and what products do we love.
Silki
Clean. Cruelty- Free. Affordable
Silki was started with a powerful mission of creating high-performance and affordable skincare that is proudly made here in South Africa. As they approach their 5th birthday they have gone from an online cult favourite, to building a retail presence with stores in Mall of Africa and Cape Town.
The most loved product by the SA girlies is the Hypochlorous Acid Daily Spritz that helps acne, eczema and post- waxing skin care. A second favourite is their Oil Gloss Lip Serum that last longer than normal lip oils but, helps with hydration and doesn’t feel like a lip oil but rather a lip gloss.
Lelive
African Botanicals. Award-Winning. Global
The brand is named Amanda du-Pont’s Swazi name, Langalelive meaning “Light of the world”. The brands focus was to blend local heritage with modern science in a way that feels personal. Lelive has made it onto internation waves with a successful launch in London.
The Drip- Hydrate and Glowing Setting Mist that is a two-time beauty award winning product and the 3-step Routine kit that tackles dark spots, dullness and dehydration all at once.
What's your hot take on this story?
SKOON.
Clean Beauty. Cape Town. Botanical
Former Engineer turned beauty-founder Stella Ciolli built SKOON. After realising people were applying hundreds of un-familiar products to their faces, she decided to start her own brand with modern skincare science and a minimalist packaging. She wanted the transparency with the ingredient list with a less-is-more philosophy. This made SKOON. One of the country’s most recognisable clean beauty names. SKOON. Is for the women who would like to simplify their skincare routines without having to sacrifice results.
SwiitchBeauty
Youth-Led. Community-Driven. Affordable
The founding of story of the brand is a motivation that you are never to young to start a business. Rabis Ghoor launched SwiitchBeauty at just 14 years old. It started out as an experiment by trying to fill the gaps with affordable and honest beauty products. Her secret to success is building products with her community and not just their feedback, her goal was to co-create every launch with people who know what their skin needs.
South African skincare brands are fast evolving, with an understanding of what South African skin needs and the history of South African skin. Brands like SwiitchBeauty and Lelive have built their followings through genuine connection with their clients, this level of intimacy is something multinational brands cannot compete with.
Silki turning 5 this year is just a reminder of what can happen if local brands are given the chance to grow, and when South Africa consumers choose to invest in their products. Many of these brands cannot be purchased at your local Clicks or Dis-chem and they are proving that you don’t need a large retailer to distribute your products for you.
