Representation Matters — Ayanna Beauty is setting the tone.
The opportunity to chat with the founder of the beauty line Mademoiselle Ayanna. Founder Ayanna Henderson spoke to me via Q&A about this amazing line and the face of the brand. I was enamoured by the beautiful brown skin woman on the packaging. As a brown skin woman this made me smile. The brand has various products from Detoxifying Charcoal Masks to Lash and Brow Serums — there is something for everyone.
Mademoiselle Ayanna is a cruelty-free vegan-based beauty & wellness line, free from parabens, sulfates, silicones, and talc.
Ayanna Beauty is a beauty destination created by Mademoiselle Ayanna. Featuring popular brands, along with its own private label, Mademoiselle Ayanna. Ayanna Beauty offers beauty products including cosmetics, skincare, and more. (Think of them as Sephora)
The inspiration behind the brand
After trying what seems like hundreds of beauty products…like so many… I think we all have that “used once” or “half-used” collection of product bottles in our home. It’s either we tried it and it didn’t perform or we didn’t use it consistently and moved on to the next product.
I launched the Mademoiselle Ayanna skincare line with the idea of not everyone wants to buy into a skincare system. You may want to add a few products to your current skin-care regimen — my products can be used as a combination or a one-off booster. You may only need a detox mask or vitamin c booster (excellent for breakouts and toning) to your current regimen or you may need a new regimen that includes anti-aging products or brow and lash recovery. It was important to launch Mademoiselle Ayanna as a luxury-grade skin and hair solution at an affordable price point.
How important is representation for you? I see that you have beautiful black women in your advertising.
Representation is everything! Yes, Nacilia McCarthy is our Global Brand Ambassador, she’s a beautiful black woman from Jamaica. In one of our in-studio videos on youtube , we talk about building confidence through beauty. Often “brown and darker-toned black” men and women are not included in ads or even in mind when a product is developed. I am a brown girl and wanted to be sure to include women of different hues on all of my campaigns. Only now are you seeing an increase in brands incorporating melanated campaigns. This is a good thing, however, I launched to market with melanated products, marketing, advertising, and targeted social campaigns via instagram.
What advice would you give to anyone who is timid about using themselves or persons who look like them in their branding?
I received a lot of negative feedback when I decided to use my own face on my products. Most responded with use a name only or logo. I’m really glad that I followed my instinct to use my own face and our Global Brand Ambassador Nacilia McCarthy. We soft-launched in October of 2019 and given today’s awareness and solidarity impact with brands black creators, models, influencers — we were ahead of the curve as our packaging and marketing materials were already melanated.
How important is knowing your ideal client or customer to your brand?
It’s really important knowing your ideal customer and it’s even more important to include a marketing strategy to expand your ideal client base. We launched with an ideal customer but quickly pivoted to include a larger scope. That has paid off for us with our targeted advertising efforts.
How close are you to the production of your beauty brand?
I am very close to the production of my beauty brand and the brands that are not my personal brands that we carry on AyannaBeauty.com I personally test each product offered before I decide to carry an outside brand. I’ve vetted everything, I think it’s important to be able to say that, some I’ve given product reviews or demos on our YouTube channel. It’s important to stay close to the production of my brand as we are constantly testing and adding new products. We are launching a collagen powder (edible) next quarter. Beauty is important inside and out and adding a wellness product shows our dedication to providing clean beauty and wellness products to our community.
What feelings do you want your brand to invoke?
We want our brand to invoke the feeling of — rejuvenated, healthy, refreshed, clean lifestyle by using non-toxic beauty products. Often, we are more concerned about the foods we eat instead of the products we are using on our skin and hair — that seeps through our pores. It’s time to start thinking about the products we consume and the impact on our bodies. We are encouraging a clean beauty regimen and we want people to feel excited about the choices they are making.
Are you planning on expanding your luxury lifestyle line?
Yes, the first is an edible Collagen powder. Ayanna Beauty RX. As we age, collagen production declines, causing our skin to lose elasticity and our bones and tissues to weaken.
Our Non-GMO, Gluten-free Collagen is sourced from grass-fed cows, cage-free chicken, and kosher, North Atlantic whitefish. (not vegan)
What words of encouragement would you give to someone who is having a tough time in their business?
Don’t give up on your dreams! Don’t give up on your investment! Take time and analyze your digital analytics, operations, and products often. This helps with pivoting where needed or where to place your reinvestments.
You can find more about this beauty line below:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopayannabeauty/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ayannabeauty_
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopayannabeauty
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9pUrhYdwt_7Q55Xfj3a0yg/
