By Maliha Rehman
Ayesha Omar turned entrepreneur almost three years ago with the launch of her eponymous range of beauty products, Ayesha O. Beauty. The pandemic, while it wreaked havoc around the world, inadvertently lead to the birth of new ideas and for actress Ayesha Omar, it offered an insight into how there was a dearth of locally made beauty products in the market.
The range, launched in collaboration with Hemani International, was ‘100% natural, cruelty-free, paraben-free, sulphate-free and vegan’ and ran the gamut from face washes to toners, lotions, gels, serums and a mask. Since then, Ayesha has launched a nail colors range which also stays consistent with her aim to create products that are eco-friendly.
“The entire range is locally produced and completely organic. During the pandemic, I observed that a lot of people struggled with manufacturing their product-lines because some of the ingredients that they used on were imported and all of a sudden, commute beyond Pakistan had come to a halt. As a result, I made sure that my range was entirely made in Pakistan from the ingredients used to the packaging, ” said Ayesha, at the recent launch of her beauty range at Allure Beauty, a multi-brand store located in Karachi’s Dolmen City Mall.
She continued, “I have also been very conscientious about the quality because I wanted my range to be at par with international counterparts. I have researched extensively on health and fitness while developing the range and have enjoyed diversifying my career goals, running a business of my own.”
“It’s a niche product because most people are not aware of the benefits of using products with natural ingredients for skin care. Slowly and gradually, though, I feel that people are moving towards developing healthy ways of living and that includes what you eat, how you live and what you put on your skin.”
What are the most popular products in her beauty range? “The night serum and the facewash,” she told me.
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The range, with its well-designed packaging, has slowly been building a loyal fan base, with rave reviews for the various products visible on social media. With inflation on the rise and the availability of imported products downsliding, it would be fair to say that Ayesha Omar has tapped into a much-needed space in the market.
She has also, simultaneously, set an example for other budding female entrepreneurs, wanting to start off businesses of their own. For instance, the blueprint for Ayesha’s business model is an interesting one. The product range was initially only launched online. Then, as the customer base increased, Ayesha developed a nail color range. Now, the range is also physically available for retail at a major multi-brand store.
Hopefully, this is just the beginning and it’s very impressive for a beginning – the business acumen and the product range!
What do you think?