There are so many beauty brands to discover on the market, and there is one homegrown brand developed right here in Detroit with some connections to the other side of the world. This woman-owned company creates products with “high quality ingredients without compromising the environment or your budget,” as they put it.
Chinonye Akunne, CEO of Ilera Apothecary, spoke with Live in the D co-host Tati Amare about her sustainable beauty products.
Approximately eight years ago, Chinonye’s brother was moving to a vegan lifestyle and wanted a natural deodorant. She used her chemistry background to make some for him and distributed the products to friends at a party, where they received positive reviews. As a result, customers began requesting other goods, and she began researching how she might improve other body care products, which is how Ilera Apothecary came to be.
As a first-generation Nigerian-American, Chinonye realized it was important to connect her background to their goods. She claims that utilizing shea butter and cocoa butter as a child provided excellent skincare advantages. She calls shea butter “liquid gold” and claims that it is suitable for all skin types.
Chinonye displayed body washes and body butter in four signature scents ranging from citrus to woodsy and floral. Shea butter, jojoba oil, vitamin E, cocoa butter, and coconut oil are used to make the body butters, and a small quantity goes a long way, according to her.
Customers are encouraged not to throw away glass containers once the product has been consumed. She suggests filling the glass containers with gorgeous flowers, sewing tools, cotton swabs, pencils, or other toiletry items to beautify your house or events. She says that you can just remove the label and it will stand alone.
To purchase products, visit the company’s website.
Watch the video above for the full interview.