Pretty Damn Good: the perfume this beauty entrepreneur relies on for mental clarity

Maya-Nije-Tropica-perfume-review-Ibi-Meier-Oruitemeka

Credit: Ibi Meier-Oruitemeka/brand

Beauty


Pretty Damn Good: the perfume this beauty entrepreneur relies on for mental clarity

By Hanna Ibraheem

5 years ago

Welcome to Stylist’s Pretty Damn Good, a weekly series in which different women share the one product – across hair care, skincare, make-up, body and fragrance – that remains a forever staple in their beauty routines.

There are many great Black-owned beauty brands that are finally getting the recognition they deserve. One of which is The Afro Hair & Skin Co. 

Founded by Ibi Meier-Oruitemeka, this afro beauty and wellness brand is committed to delivering organic and natural handmade products. Located along the English coast, Meier-Oruitemeka researched and developed her range over five years. She was determined to seek out fresh and locally-sourced ingredients that are grown, harvested and cold-pressed in the UK.

Every product is created to meet the needs of afro-textured hair and melanin-rich skin, though Meier-Oruitemeka adds that their quality ingredients make them suitable for everyone.

Within the ethical brand, you’ll find a hydrating hair butter, an exfoliating clay mask and a selection of nourishing oils. There’s even a gorgeous Face Mask Treatment Dish, £12, created by local artist and ceramicist Carla Wright, to bring the element of self-care into your masking session.

Of course, running your own business, sourcing sustainable ingredients and producing new formulas is far from easy work. So how does Meier-Oruitemeka bring self-care into her own day? Here, she tells us about the perfume that brings clarity to her day.

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Credit: Ibi Meier-Oruitemeka

“I first found Maya Njie [founder of the eponymous brand] through Instagram. I was captured by the fact that her Swedish-Gambian family heritage and childhood memories inform the scents that she creates. A blend of two uniquely different worlds come together like magic to create the captivating and nostalgic backdrop to her brand. I was also drawn in by the Swedish/Scandi references as I have fond memories of living there in my late twenties.

“About a year ago, I ordered the Maya Njie Discovery Set, £20, through the brand’s website. That’s when I discovered its Tropica Eau de Parfum, £90. I fell in love with the whole collection but Tropica and Vanilj were by far my favourites. After raving about her scents at home and dropping some well-timed hints, my partner surprised me with a bottle of Tropica for my birthday last May.

“Using this perfume makes me happy. I feel good wearing it and love that it’s both light and playful but pinned down with a kind of earthy sensuality. The scent is really clean with subtle and well balanced notes of pineapple, coconut and sandalwood. It’s full bodied without being cloying or overpowering.

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Credit: Brand

“I wear Tropica most days, it’s like a second skin. I usually spritz a little inside my coat or on my scarf before going outside, I love to bury my face deep in my scarf as it gets cold and take in the warm tropical aromas. I also dab a little bit on my wrists and behind the ears.

Applying perfume is usually the final step in my fairly simple morning ritual. It allows me to shift mentally into a readiness for the day ahead. I inhale, savour, exhale and go. The way I see it is that a good perfume also works to connect me to my life-force by encouraging me to breathe in a little deeper. It helps me to express some of the deeper and more complex facets of my personhood, by communicating through a language only the subconscious understands.

“The simplicity of the square glass bottle with gently rounded corners is beautiful. The design is clean and minimal and fuses both a hint of old glamour with a clean Scandinavian vibe. It’s right up my street. I also love that you can send your bottle back for a refill once you’re done.”

maya-nije-tropica-perfume-review-buy-now

Maya Nije Tropica Eau de Parfum

buy now


Main image: Ibi Meier-Oruitemeka/brand

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