Ekwy Chukwuji-Nnene created Equi Botanics a few years ago when she could not find a product that worked on her and her daughter’s hair. She took time out to tell us how she created her hair brand.

What made you decide to set up your own beauty business?

I worked as a business analyst and knew nothing about haircare products, the chemistry behind it or running a business, but three things triggered my lightbulb moment. Firstly, about eight years ago, I was left with a bald patch on top of my head from hair extensions that were woven too tightly and scalp inflammation from dodgy cheap products – I was wearing extensions because my experiences were that Afro hair is hard to grow. 

The second was that my eldest daughter, Danielle, had extremely tightly curled hair, which was brittle and broke off when she tried to grow it. I couldn’t find anything in the shops that helped, so I started to research natural oils, seed butters and plant extracts that encouraged hair growth, nourished the scalp and conditioned the hair shaft. I experimented a lot and finally found a formula that worked. Friends couldn’t believe the difference in mine and my daughter’s hair and asked me to make them some as well. I just pointed them in the direction of the raw ingredients, but they wanted me to mix it too. A germ of an idea started to form. What if I could sell this? 

The third thing was when a stranger reached out to touch my hair and ask if it was real. I realised I could totally sell this.  

What is the concept behind Equi Botanics?

Equi Botanics is unique because it actually makes women feel beautiful in their own hair. It actually works. One of our key phrases in customers’ feedback is ‘it makes my hair feel so lush like it’s supposed to feel. I love my hair..’ We work with nature’s ingredients at their highest possible concentration but also ensure the weather’s impact on hair is considered. We don’t rely on ingredient fillers, and completely avoid toxins or chemicals, we actually want to impact with our products by formulating, crafting and blending in a specific way. We are also in the process of letting you try our products for free via the website. That's how much we believe in our results. 

What sort of research did you do to find out what sort of products your customers wanted to buy?

My early focus groups were new to the whole natural hair journey thing and I was actually teaching them. All they wanted was soft, manageable hair and growth. I sent out questionnaires and had little gatherings where I worked to understand their struggles. In truth, these were my own struggles too, so I could relate totally. With the product, I asked myself which of the products in a range would be a staple and the answer was a resounding 'the Leave-in' so I made that a combination product - so that it didn't only soften and condition my customer's hair, it also grew it - a double whammy.

How did you decide on the look and feel of the brand?

I thought about the ethos of the brand I wanted to build and three words I stand by - wholesome, sophisticated and pure. That's what I worked on with my designer over a period of time until we got it right. I wanted something that wasn't trendy but instead, classic and long-lasting.

What are your future plans for the brand?

During the current pandemic, our plans are to take our physical events online and engage with our customers consistently. So lots of digital products are being planned right now. Beyond the present times, we will be launching innovative new hair products and services so stay tuned for the surprises.

What are your favourite beauty products?

I love House of Purple Rose serum, clay mask and face cream. I also love Antonia Burrell's Skin Conditioner. I don't really know about makeup or use it that often but I've heard good things about Fenty Beauty.

What advice do you have for anyone who wants to set up their own beauty business?

Don't be hard on yourself. The social media reel is nothing compared to the grind of building a business so steer clear of comparing yourself. Take your time on your journey because everyone was once a beginner.