CRWNMAG Co-Op: A Convo with Ezinne Iroanya of SKNMUSE
As part of our CRWNMAG Co-Op Program, we caught up with SKNMUSE’s Ezinne Iroanya about her beauty industry journey.
Written by: Jordan White
The CRWNMAG Co-Op is our way of highlighting Black-owned businesses to share with our audience. Meet Ezinne Iroanya, founder of beauty company SKNMUSE and our first Co-Op pick of the month!
Jordan White: What is the mission of SKNMUSE? What are the driving values of your business?
Ezinne Iroanya: Our mission is to create a luxury skincare house that caters to Black women. We want to elevate the beauty experience for our demographic, so that we can finally see a beauty counter and boutique that is deserving of our coins.
Beauty is culture for us, in our community we have routines that have been passed down through generations. Even with SKNMUSE, I uphold that — most of the formulas are inspired by family and the body oil is named after my sister, Devine.
JW: How did the name SKNMUSE come to you?
EI: When I think of skin, I think of it as the ultimate muse. [It is] the most complex organ in the body. We dress it up, express ourselves with it, create art through it and unfortunately, neglect it. SKNMUSE simply defines that, our skin is our muse.
JW: What prompted you to launch a skincare company?
EI: My first job was in skincare. I actually worked for Lancôme, then Dior until 2018. From behind the counter, I enjoyed watching the gratification women would get when their beauty needs were met. In this world, women were the priority, except Black women. The needs of Black women always seemed like an afterthought.
I remember having to mix foundations to get the right shade for my clients, or not even having skincare products that were suitable for their needs. I disliked the fact that women who looked like me had a different experience in the beauty industry. When Black women visited the counters, the other girls would scatter because they labelled them “too difficult” to help.
Meanwhile the real issue has always been the lack of resources and training from the beauty industry. I remember always having only 1-2 options out of 20 skincare lines for my Black clients. They never really taught us how to do make-up on darker tones — I actually learnt how to beat a face from Black YouTubers.
I knew we deserved better and I knew I could take everything I learned from the industry and create a luxury line that was a reflection of Black women and other women of color.
JW: When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur? Was there a moment in time that sparked it, a mindset you were raised with, or something else?
EI: Being born and raised in Nigeria, entrepreneurship was like second nature for me. My mom worked a full time job and owned a salon, and my grandma was a holistic healer. I grew up seeing women striving for more than the norm, so it’s definitely a mindset I was raised with.
Actually, for as long as I can remember, my siblings and I always had a “hustle” [laughs]. My little sister braids hair in college, I used to sell weaves in college and my little brother sold snacks for the low in high school. So this is definitely a gene in our blood [laughs].
JW: What was your thought process and approach to creative direction?
EI: This brand had to be a reflection of my truth. It was important that not just the ingredients, but the branding and experience reflected Black women. Melanin skin is so beautiful! So beautiful! The shades, the diversity of it and the way it glows when the sun hits — it’s like art when you think of it. And that’s how the team and I create, we embrace the beauty and art of melanin and build on that.
I remember how nervous I was from my first shoot: “Would people be offended that I only had one type of skin tone in my branding?” “Would that make them not want to buy from me?” It gave me some anxiety to be so bold with dark skin tones. However, I’m glad I stuck with my truth because the support has been a blessing for the brand and myself.
JW: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in entrepreneurship so far? How have you overcome them?
EI: Imposter syndrome is probably my biggest challenge. Even though I have YEARS of experience, I still have to fight that little voice of doubt, but every day I silence it with my faith. I tell myself “The power that is within you is greater than anything else in this world and mediocrity is not for you.”
That usually does the trick [laughs].
Read more like this in The Money & Power Issue of our Journal
From learning when to scale back your budget to visualizing federal reparations, the Money & Power Issue tells the real story of Black wealth (or lack thereof) and reimagines a Black existence in America that imbues us with agency and perspective.
JW: What’s the most played song on your playlist right now?
EI: TRAUMA by Manny Cloud, it’s the first song I play when I’m trying to tackle my emails!
JW: Black women are the fastest-growing segment of entrepreneurs in the country. What advice would you give to our readers who are thinking about starting a "side hustle" or taking the full plunge into entrepreneurship?
EI: Stand in your truth and the world will make room for you.
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