When Celmira Amade came to study International Business at Royal Holloway University of London in 2010, she was not quite ready for the impact of the English climate. As a result, her skin suffered from blemishes, dryness and uneven tone almost overnight. After spending time and energy searching across mainstream UK beauty stores and still not finding anything natural and designed specifically for melanin-rich skin, she eventually settled for make-up as a temporary solution.
It was not until she was offered a “skin bleaching” cream in a local independent beauty shop that Celmira realised she really had to do something. Make-up was no longer the solution and skin bleaching was definitely not an acceptable alternative.
After a year of hesitation, Celmira took the entrepreneurial leap to influence the concept of beauty products for melanin rich skin tones, by using the ancient Mozambican beauty recipes of her grandmother to launch TSAKA. TSAKA (with a silent T, pronounced SAKA,) means happiness in the Ronga dialect of Mozambique and this journey has certainly led this young businesswoman to discover the true meaning of happiness.
The TSAKA facemask is the first product in the skincare line and is set to take the melanin rich skincare world by storm. This highly effective wonder product is formulated with rare plant extracts from the Olacaceae family that are only found in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Madagascar – and it is the first beauty line in the UK to use this ingredient extensively. The mask has high anti-inflammatory and smoothing properties that minimise post-inflammatory hyper pigmentation, which is a serious issue in melanin-rich skin. It also deep cleans, detoxifies and smoothens the skin without clogging your pores. But the real wonder of the TSAKA facial lies on its preservative free formula, boasting a one-year period after opening shelf life.
This is the first time that the beauty and science behind Mozambique’s extraordinary flora will be used in a major beauty line. As a vegan skincare company launching its first product for melanin-rich skin, TSAKA pays tribute to time tested traditional African beauty recipes – pushing the boundaries of possibilities in natural beauty.
Today, Celmira splits her time in England completing her studies in the University of Cambridge and managing TSAKA’s production and brand development. She regularly travels to Mozambique to visit her suppliers in isolated islands and in the remote countryside. This hands-on commitment allows this dynamic young businesswoman to ensure that only the purest ingredients are used in the TSAKA collection. TSAKA begins its journey with a commitment to leverage 2% of its profits to achieve beautiful things in the communities where the ingredients are sourced. Utilising beauty as a platform to sprinkle happiness and create thriving communities, by providing farmers with the necessary harvesting equipment, and their children with personalized academic support and mentorship to also succeed in secondary school and beyond.
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
