What’s one of the most essential forms of self-care? Skin Care! There’s nothing more rewarding than being able to sport flawless, “glass-like” skin after countless weeks of devotion to your set beauty routine. Having great skin gives many people an extra boost of confidence; finding skincare that not only works but specifically combats your problem areas is incredibly fulfilling. I say this especially as a black woman where it seems as if our representation in the beauty industry has significantly diminished. There are still several beauty and cosmetic companies that have yet to discover solutions that directly target the issues and concerns black women face when addressing their cosmetic needs. 

It seems that in the black community when we want specific change to be facilitated, we often have to take that initiative ourselves. For the cosmetics industry, Karen “Koko” Iyere is one of those women. Karen is the brilliant founder of the luxury skincare line Kokanni Cosmetics; she is a Nigerian-American and holds a Master’s degree in nursing. Initially inspired by her brother who strongly advocated for her entrepreneurial launch, she expressed her desire to merge the industries of healthcare and beauty. While working as a nurse practitioner, Karen began to notice the disparity in the concerns many black women had with their physical appearances as opposed to their health. “I thought to myself, what if I created something that could help women of color feel confident and beautiful with their appearance while maintaining their health through the products they use?” Karen told me. During this time in her life, Karen also  recalled a deep conversation she had with her late friend Manny just the day before he passed away, she remembered his exact words, “I love my beautiful black skin, I wish everyone else could too”. It was at this moment that Karen reached an epiphany, she decided that she would curate a skincare line that would emphasize the beauty of WOC while simultaneously promoting the importance of healthcare. 

Kokanni Cosmetics is a luxury skincare line that offers all-natural, quality products that have been specifically curated to treat and enhance the various complexions of WOC. After 16 months of vigorous development, Kokanni Cosmetics offers different product formulations which have been specifically designed to suit all skin types including, sensitive, dry, and oily/combination skin types. Kokanni’s products are formulated with very special ingredients which are essential in treating cosmetic irregularities such as hyperpigmentation, dull complexion, acne, and poor texture.

I had the pleasure of trying three of the top best-selling products of Kokanni Cosmetics over the course of a few weeks. I received some samples of the Orewa Antioxidant Toner, the Kokanni DMAE Mask, and the Orewa Smoothing Moisturizer. 

The Orewa Antioxidant Toner is a soothing, natural toner that is most suitable for normal to skin types. Its key ingredients consist of organic pomegranate juice, vitamin C, organic chamomile, and sandalwood oil which collectively work to cleanse and improve the appearance of the skin. It is best to apply this product after using a gentle cleanser; this product will have your skin feeling squeaky clean and very hydrated. 

The Orewa Smoothing Moisturizer is a light, silky, soothing moisturizer formulated to be compatible with dry skin types. The key ingredients in this product contain essentials such as vitamin C, lycopene, and hawthorn berry extract, all of which work to nurture, balance, and smooth the skin. This product is best used after the skin has been cleansed, exfoliated, and toned. The Orewa Smoothing Moisturizer is very light, free of irritating fragrances, and perfect for sensitive skin. 

The Kokanni DMAE Mask is a gentle exfoliating mask infused with anti-aging essentials such as collagen and vitamins which help to defy wrinkles and enhance the skin’s elasticity. Some  key ingredients you will find in this product are caviar, Omega-3,  hyaluronic acid, and 24k Colloidal Gold. Personally, this was my favorite product to try from Kokanni Cosmetics, it had my skin looking rejuvenated and baby soft in just a matter of weeks. The Kokanni DMAE mask should be generously applied after a good cleansing and thoroughly rinsed off after 10-20 minutes.  Follow up with the Orewa Smoothing moisturizer after this product. Since the Kokanni DMAE mask is an exfoliating agent, you should use this product no more than twice a week. 

You can browse over the various selection of luxurious skincare products and make your Kokanni Cosmetics purchases on kokannicosmetics.com.