Hi guys! how’s it going? This is the Bekeme, aka Mummy G. O. and you’re listening to the Good Citizen show.
I hope you’ve had a fantastic week like I’ve had. It’s actually been a different kind of week. I don’t know. There’s just something I think as I inched towards my landmark birthday like things are just feeling a little bit different like I’m just taking things easier. And it’s going crazy around us, but what do we do?
I mean, how many of you actually watched the Convention, APC Convention this week? And what did you think? We’re not talking about that, but I’ll also be very happy to hear what you have to say about that. Because I do have my opinions ’cause for the first time ever I actually went to the VP’s Social media page. VP Yemi Osinbajo and I just wanted to see what he had to say following the primaries.
Cause if you remember when he did come up to speak, a lot of people started shouting. They wouldn’t let him speak for five minutes. People were shouting, hey, hey. Some of his Supporters in my house were like, oh how he’s got this one in the background, I was like eh, see Nigerians. It is not by shouting o. Don’t trust us when it comes to that. And then it turns out differently, so I just wanted to see what you had to say.
It was a man that I respect too, of course, and even when I got to his page, I was actually a little disappointed by some of the comments that I saw there, and I thought that this is actually a problem of Nigeria. So, I went there, and I saw some people saying, yes, it is good. He shouldn’t even have worn and everything because he Is still stingy apparently.
You know, I’m looking for those comments because they’ve specifically said, oh, he’s a very stingy guy and he doesn’t give money to his constituents. What did he even do for his state? What do he even do for his community?
And I said, you know what? therein lies the problem of Nigeria. How do you say that a person who is vice president of the country, should focus on using government money, federal government money to do stuff for his community, and you know they were praising who and I’m saying, oh, that’s what he does. You know he gives money to everybody and I’m like, this is the problem.
If we’re in saner climes, such a person would actually be arrested for using, you know government money for that. Like that’s not what money is for. And why do you have so much to share to people who don’t know you just because they hate you, hey Baba, whatever, and then you just have that money to give.
It’s shocking, and so even as we say we’re fighting for change and interestingly, more and more people are coming out to acquire their PVCs and everything, we just need to stop and think about it and be very careful. To be very sure that we’re really, really, really ready for good governance. Because you can’t say that we’re ready for good government and then you have somebody come out who’s prudent, I would say, why they’re so prudent while thinking of the immediate.
So, if they give you money now as well, we say you get N5000 today or even get much more, or say you can get N20,000, how much is that in for years? It is so important that we stop to think and that appreciate what it means to actually vote our conscience.
’cause when we say vote conscience, we don’t mean vote who give you money now to pay your children school fees or pay your house rent. It’s more like voting somebody who will be beneficial to the people in the long run. We are voting sustainability. We are voting long term leadership. We are voting long term enjoyment, not in a short term. OK, so we’ve got to be very careful.
So anyway, today we are actually going to be talking about beauty. Beauty radiating from within. One thing that we keep on seeing in this part of the world is that everybody thinks that you know scratch that, because I don’t think so. Most people think that they have to be light skinned, for instance to be beautiful. And research actually points to the fact that Nigerians actually account for the highest number of people in the world who buy bleaching creams. I was very shocked. Very very very shocked. Now I’ll tell you why I’m shocked. India has a population of about a billion and I know that they love to bleach as much as we do.
I don’t know if it’s the colonial thing. I mean, all of us were colonized by the British. They want to, we think that looking light skinned is more beautiful than being dark skinned. And so, we want to our bodies to look much better now. What that tells us is that we do not appreciate the skin that we’re born in because I mean we’re born in Africa. If we want it to be a certain shape, we will be born in Europe or some other clime with a different kind of weather.
As far as long as you live in this country and that your families come from here, then you’re obviously more than likely going to look a certain way. And so, you know, as I was thinking about that and I was just prepping for the show, I just thought about, rather, I just happened upon this woman.
I think she’s in her 30s now or she is great. You remember the young lady who survived this Sosoliso crash? Do you remember her? Ikechi Okwuchi, her name is. I so in fact I had to follow her today because I was so tripped by who she is. By the love of herself. If you remember, she was probably only survivor of the crash. She was a student of neurology sweetie. You know what it means to be student of the neurology.
So, it means that you’re bright and you know you were selected out of many other children who tried to get in and then this happens. And then her parents, and she herself must have been thinking, how do I get to suffer for being a bright kid?
This plane crash happens, but she was burnt all over. In fact, she still only has a thought of hair on her head. But I have never ever seen a more confident person in my entire life, and you know, I was like wow, you know, it’s amazing how she’s you know, choosing to be body positive through all of this, through everything that has happened to her, so I want us to have that conversation really about acceptance and, you know, depending on the conversation that we have today.
I want to also be magnanimous enough to like to like to give you an opportunity to win something ’cause you know this past few weeks we have been talking about entrepreneurship, and I just think that if one person would call in today and give me that pitch you know, around a beauty product, a beauty service that you want to give and that we’re impressed by, you know we will, you know, put some money towards your businesses.
It is important that you know, we talk and do. I know we said we shouldn’t revolt our conscience, but we want to empower people. We want people to learn how to fish, you know, either by changing the way that you think people, or sometimes giving money.
So we do have a guest on the show today and we’re going to ask her questions all right, but before we do that, I wanted to say that for those who just give you a little-known fact for those who just thinking I want to jump into business and do such and such, do you know that NAFDAC prohibits the importation of manufacturing, distribution, display for sale, offer for sale, or used of any skin care products that contains a product like Mercury just in case.
You know, one day, they can come and park you up. Don’t say, don’t say that you didn’t hear it on The Good Citizen Show. So just be careful. Love yourself the way you are. But I’ll introduce our guests we have today, Ololade Fasuba and she’s a skin care consultant. She is a scientist. She is Estheticians. and she is a CEO, founder of Vivid Glow Cosmetics.
Welcome to the show.
Ololade: Thank you very much.
Bekeme: Can you just push that a bit closer?
Ololade: OK.
Bekeme: OK, so we’re going to do a little flip. Yes, whilst settles in. I will give you the number to call is O709-2392- 39323. Again, we’re talking about beauty being acceptance.
It’s very, very important that you know we accept ourselves, the way we are. We’ve got to know that there are certain things that we can do to enhance ourselves that may be useful and so many other things that we dare not do because then you’re, you know, carrying out some sort of alteration that may be negative to your wellbeing.
Then we’ll listening to The Good Citizen show. We have on the show Ololade Fasuba. Who is a beauty entrepreneur all right. So sorry about this scratchy sound. As we tried to ready ourselves for that conversation, so Ololade welcome to the show.
Ololade: Thank you very much.
Bekeme: And thank you for coming on the show.
Ololade: Thank you for having me
Bekeme: Hello, how how you doing today?
Ololade: I’m very well thank you.
Bekeme: Alright, great, so you look well and good to hear.
Ololade: Thank you.
Bekeme: Or rather I’m happy to hear that you look well or that you are well today. So just tell us a little bit more. Unlike some of the guests that I’ve had in the past few weeks that I’ve known for many years. ’cause we’ve been doing a series on entrepreneurship and basically thriving in Nigeria. As is, UM, I’ve known quite a number of them. Well, I’ve seen how they’ve grown their businesses in this clime that is Nigeria. So can you just tell us a little bit about you and how you entered into this space?
Ololade: You mean beauty space
Bekeme: Yes
Ololade: OK, so like you meantioned, my name is Ololade Fasuba. I am esthetician and cosmetic scientist. So many people know what estheticians do.
Bekeme: Yes
Ololade: Esthetician are like skin care providers, beauty providers. We do visual treatments, body treatment and esthetic treatment. And I found myself in this industry. That must be 2016, 2015, 2016
Bekeme: Okay
Ololade: But I didn’t dive into it until 2016.
Bekeme: Why’s that well?
Ololade: Not much I don’t like to sound cliche but the reason why I, you know, join the industries because of my personal experiences and
Bekeme: (Laughs) Oh, right, that’s why you said you didn’t want to sound cliche.
Ololade: Exactly
Bekeme: (Laughs) But that’s the reason why it’s the reason why
Ololade: That’s what everybody says.
Ololade: You mean beauty space
Bekeme: (Laughs) I laughed because I, you know, I had an interview today with prospective help and you know, as soon as I asked her, uh, you know what happened with her last employment, she was like Oh my last employer traveled. I was like ah, the usual excuse. So that’s why (Laughs)
Ololade: Exactly
Bekeme: but in your case, what was it? What was this particular challenge that you thought to resolve that caused you to do it
Ololade: I had skin care challenges. I had a lot of breakout on my face
Bekeme: OK
Ololade: The normal term is acne. An acne that led to all sort of hyperpigmentation on my face.
Bekeme: Hmmm
Ololade: I had melasma. Melasma is like a patchy form of hyperpigmentation that can be triggered by your hormones.
Bekeme: Hmm hmm
Ololade: My sun eyes. Not wearing sunscreen and by using certain product you are not supposed to be using
Bekeme: So, hyperpigmentation being more like your skin, changing different
Ololade having different colors, Means OK, let me break it down, hyper means excessive like a lot
Bekeme: Hmmm. Yes
Ololade: So, as in pigmentation, pigmentation like Colour
Bekeme: Yes
Ololade: So, like when you have hyperpigmentation, that means color is a lot. It’s excessive, so means melanin is being produced.
Bekeme: (Cuts in) So in this case, the colour would be melanin
Ololade: Exactly. Be darker
Bekeme: So, would it be like sunburns and stuff like that?
Ololade: Yes. So, if you have acne, and it leaves dark spot. That is hyperpigmentation.
Bekeme: As well?
Ololade: We call it post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
Bekeme: Ok
Ololade: because it happens after an inflammation according to what you are saying
Bekeme: Right
Ololade yes.
Ololade: So that’s an example. So, we have this someone that Nigerians, this particular, Malesma is something that the Nigerians call sun burn the more. That is an example of hyperpigmentation
Bekeme: right. ’cause I used to have that a lot of school like, I’ll just burn down the sides of
Ololade: (Cuts in) your first face, right?
Bekeme: Your face.
Ololade: Towards your eye
Bekeme: To my under eye as well, but primarily the corners of my face. Now, you say that you still have breakouts, it is amazing. Your face is literally baby but smooth (Ololade laughs) Really.
Ololade: Yeah, used to breakout. I struggled talking to never hurt the good skin.
Bekeme: OK.
Ololade: I still struggle with acne till now
Bekeme: Really. So, what, it doesn’t look like it. Well done.
Ololade: Well (Bekeme and Ololade laughs) Ideally, our treatments and I use good products for my routine. That’s what keeps me going. That’s what keeps it under control, ’cause when you have acne, it keeps going and coming back. So that’s why it’s called Chronic inflammatory disease. So it comes and it goes unto it reach your burnout age. Maybe when I am 70 or 80.
Bekeme: Right. ok right. So, you are an Esthetician,
Ololade: Yes, I am.
Bekeme: Now what is the difference between what you do, and I know that you have products, right?
Ololade: Yes. And you know people who sell like body alteration products like skin lightening products. I remember that I was coming on the show. My colleague and I were talking about Uhm, products that people now have for lightning children. You know, as well, so I mean, what are your thoughts on that?
So, you find out that OK? Uhm, dark skin person, you are aAfrican, but let’s even just say they are light and then their child turns out dark because obviously they have dark people in their families
Ololade: And the parents are both dark
Bekeme: The parents are dark. Sometimes the parent might be light, but then they’re thinking why should my child be dark? You are African
Ololade: Genetics. (Bekeme and Ololade laughs)
Bekeme: I know, right. Why should my child be dark. And then the oldest skin Lightning products which you know are likely to have these negative long-term effects. I mean, what are your thoughts on that what was the difference, but do you subscribe to that. Or would you what would you say about that?
Ololade: So, I won’t call that lightning. I will call that bleaching. That is the plain word, simple.
Bekeme: Good
Ololade: So, they are natural. I don’t like to use word naturals because even human beings, we are not all natural. We have chemical inside us. There are bio- ingredients that you can use to safely improved hyperpigmentation, reduce or even restoring improved discoloration. These are safe enough. Ingredients like Alpha butane, Chronic acid or decimemide, dichloride, and stuffs like that
Bekeme: Where are they? From plants.
Ololade: Well, I’ll say the synthetic, but some of them are naturally occurring. In India, Synthesized in lab or some other for example, decimemide, the other name for decimemide is vitamin B3.
Ololade: OK right. So like for example Ethenone, the other name for ethenone is Vitamin A.
Bekeme: OK?
Ololade: So, some of them are naturally occurring. Some of them are synthetic
Bekeme: Hmmm
Ololade: Yeah. So, I’m saying so, bleaching is outright bleaching. So, when you use steroids like populates, let me not speak too fast, (Bekeme laughs). Steroids that find in some of this cream. And when you use mecury
Bekeme: Yeah. Which is banned.
Ololade: Exactly. Which is banned. I don’t think it is banned in Nigeria, because the Nigeria, let me not go into that. I don’t want to digress
Bekeme: Hmmm
Ololade: They now start using products that are obviously bleaching you. It is changing your entire complexion. You’re like dark and then you are now white or excessively, which is lighter. That is bleaching. Products that actually brighten the skin. We have a target. It’s melanin.
Bekeme: Hmmm hmmm
Ololade: It inhibit melanin production when your skin is producing excess
Bekeme: Hmmm hmmm
Ololade: So yeah, so that’s bleaching. So, bleaching
Bekeme: (cuts in) For children.
Ololade: For children, it is ethical and irresponsible
Bekeme: Hmmm
Ololade: because these are kids, they don’t have any control over what you use on them
Bekeme: Yes
Ololade: So why do you have to go that route. When a child is born, their Melanin is not exactly produced at the normal levels. That why when you give birth to a child, the child is light. Oh, oyinbo. Do you get?
Bekeme: (Bekeme and Ololade laughs) Not for long
Ololade: So, Nigerians have to think that this one is getting darker
Bekeme: Yes (Laughs)
Ololade: What is happening? So, the melanin of the baby is beginning to develop properly.
Bekeme: Yes
Ololade: So, you cannot just start to mix creams for these children, because their organs are properly developed yet.
Bekeme: Hmmm Hmmm
Ololade: You don’t get to see the actual completion until certain age. So, It’s very irresponsible
Bekeme: Hmmm
Ololade: That’s just it. So it should be, what is that English word I want to use now, it should not be encouraged anyway
Bekeme: Hmmm
Ololade: So, it’s extremely harmful for the kids. I heard a story recently that a child died recently that a child died of kidney. I’m not sure of the details now, but he was related to was linked to the products that the parents were using on her
Bekeme: Really?
Ololade: Yeah
Bekeme: Because I read as well of a woman, some Binta Omar, who has kids between the ages of 2 and 12, Who actually bathes them with, you know, bleaching products. I was going to say skin lightning, but you’ve disabused me of that fact
Ololade: Hmm hmm
Bekeme: And who then mixes these like glitching products with Shea butter to cream thekids afterwards
Ololade: To make it (voice becomes inaudble) afterward
Bekeme: Yeah. So, they sewage their conscience by using Shea butter. It as a natural product, you know?!
Ololade: Hmmm
Bekeme: So, I’m just wondering, like what are these people thinking? But I just also wanted to remind listeners, you know, listening to the Good Citizen show and you can’t call us on 0700-923-923-923 and whilst in the coming weeks we’re going to be giving you an idea about you know 50 businesses that you can start with N50,000.
You can actually be a lucky caller today if you can call in and tell us you know beauty business that you think that you can start with that sum of money.
We’re being magnanimous today and we also have a beauty entrepreneur in the house who can actually provide you with you know some guidance as to some of the ways that you know you can start, and you know kick off your business ideas.
So, Ms. Fasuba, in your experience and you know from your work or knowledge as an esthetician. Why do you think that many people do these body alterations as opposed to enhancements? Because you know, people want to look good and clean all the time, but you know many people go to the extreme. And now we’re not just talking about skin, there are people who do all sorts, I mean from being straight to having a figure 8, that even the figure 8 will fear when It’s sees it. You know?
(Bekeme and Fasuba laughs)
Ah ah, this one is more than me. In your experience, why do people actually typically do these things?
Ololade: It’s like, will I say subjective? The truth is that people want to look good. People want to look aesthetically pleasing
Bekeme: Hmmm
Ololade: If that is like a phrase I’m allowed to use now. So, people that want to enhance there body, I have no I don’t judge people like that because it’s your body.
Bekeme: Hmm
Ololade: As long as you are an adult, you are responsible your life decisions, but I always tell people to make sure that they go to licensed professionals with a good track record
Bekeme: Right. Because people have died from these things.
Bekeme: Exactly
Ololade: They need to know that surgery Is like 50 –50, even if you’re not ready for beauty
Bekeme: Hmm hmm
Ololade: So that’s why I say women that do this, they have mind
Bekeme: Hmmm
Ololade: Because I would like uhm uhm. So anyway, it depends on the persons, interests, personal interests and then first so, anybody can choose to do what they want to do. Just make sure that you are responsible about it, ’cause if anything happens to you. For example, if this happens to you, probably are married or have kids
Bekeme: Yes
Ololade: It’s like extremely painful for your partner or for your kids. So everybody has to be responsible for whatever decision that they have to make but still left them.
Bekeme: Yeah, so I was asking you so the reason why, but you say it’s different reasons people have
Ololade: (cuts in) Exactly
Bekeme: for doing these things
And obviously, you know for the skin mining. I guess this society and the big light skin is a beauty standard
Ololade: Colourism
Bekeme: Yes. Absolutely
Ololade: And I think, not even I think, colourism stem from colonialism
Bekeme: Yes. Totally
Ololade: Because when we you know decades or do I centuries ago, people used to prefer people with long straight hair.
Bekeme: Hmm hmm
Ololade: Dark curly hair
Bekeme: Hmm hmmm
Ololade: People that are dark skin are separated from people that are light skin.
Bekeme: Yes
Ololade: If you’re still skin tone is closer to white people, you are more likely to get more, should I say pretty privileged,
Bekeme: Absolutely. Even till date in the US., I bet it still the same
Ololade: Exactly. Colourism stems from colonialism
Bekeme: Yes, it does, and that’s part of the intro that we had earlier saying, you know, I was actually surprised to hear, for instance, to read, for instance, that Nigerians actually ranked higher in the people who get more breaching products than Indians
Ololade: Yes, we do. I think about
Bekeme: than the Congolese
Ololade: Yes
Bekeme: ‘Cause I know that in the UK, the Congolese are doing it bad, bad, you know, very hot hot.
That’s both men and women. So, to think that sNigerians, maybe because the I don’t know, I would say I was going to say because we have more in number, but Indians are more. But you know I also just wanted to pick your brain a little bit.
Ololade: (cuts in) ok
Bekeme: And you know, entering this market in the 1st place, you know what are some of the, because you can see manufacturer products.
Ololade: (Cuts in) Ok
Bekeme: And you know, even though we’re moving away from entrepreneurship in our topics, I wanted you to share, you know, some of the challenges and success stories of pursuing this business.
Ololade: My personal story or
Bekeme: Yes, your personal story
Ololade: Ok. Well, I started or how I’m thriving?
Bekeme: How you started? How you’re thriving? We only a couple of minutes left, but just a summary.
Ololade: Ok
(Call comes in)
Bekeme: But we do have a call, hello.
Caller: Hello
Bekeme: Yes. Hello, thank you for calling the Good Citizen show what’s your name?
Caller: Good evening. My name is Jane Doe
Bekeme: Jane Doe?
Caller: Yes
Bekeme: Ok, thank you for calling again, what’s up?
Caller: I want you to play me (voice becomes inaudible)
(Bekeme and Ololade laughs)
Bekeme: When the show is over, we will play booth bunting. Thank you.
Caller: (Voice becomes inaudible)
Bekeme: Alright then, we hear you
(Call ends)
OK, you were saying Ololade Fasuba.
Ololade: Yeah, so I started really small and I believe if you are consistent you
(Call comes in)
Bekeme: (Cuts in) We have a call. Hello. Hello! Hello!!
Caller: Hello
Bekeme: Hello, thank you for calling The Good Citizen show. What’s your name?
Caller: I’m Dorathy calling you from Oshodi.
Bekeme: Dora
Caller: Yes
Bekeme: Dora, please increase the volume on your set.
Caller: Ok
Bekeme OK, increase your volume please. OK so what’s up? What’s your contribution or question?
(Call ends Abruptly)
Okay so, we’ve lost Dora. I don’t know if we are able to take and another call with that, but you can listen in if, for instance, you wanted to be one of the winners for this show today, just listen out for next week or the week after that as we talk about entrepreneurship.
So, your final question, Ololade Fasuba, what would you say have been some of your highlights of starting this business?
Ololade: It have been to many. It has been six years now. So, I would say go into esthetic itself, having to be able to actually use treatments and procedures to enhance people skin, to improve people’s confidence and do better, has been like a game changer for my brand
Bekeme: Hmm
Ololade: Should I say, yeah, we recently opened a new location, new store at Lekki Phase 1.
Bekeme: Ok
Ololade: we use to be on the mainland. Now we have a new store
Bekeme: Where is that in phase one? So, if people want to come patronize you because your skin is giving life
Ololade: It is at Ayoba’s street. We have our address in our in our bio. If it is not on our bio, It should be on our website. So, we have an address at 5, Ayoba Street, Lekki Phase 1.
Bekeme: And your website is?
Ololade: www.viviglowskincare.com
Bekeme: www.viviglowskincare.com
Ololade: But if I may have, well, we might, we’ll be branding soon, so we are going to change the name. That name is going to change. Everything is going to change. So, we are trying to everything away from the globe.
Bekeme: OK, that’s good. Thank you so much for coming. And you know if you want to know more about Ololade Fasuba and her brand, go to viviglow, www.glowskincare.com.
And thank you for listening to The God Citizen Show. I think the message here is, you know, love yourself just the way you are, enhanced or not. And if you have to do anything, be safe.
Take care, have a good evening and a great great weekend.
Bye bye.
