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I make and retail handmade skincare products using organic and fair trade ingredients. Ni-Ka Deluxe Organic Body Butters all contain fair trade organic Shea butter and coconut oil. Coconut oil is an emollient that softens and moisturises the skin. Shea butter is intensely moisturising and healing as it contains essential fatty acids that are used in cell regeneration.
Ni-Ka Deluxe Organic Lip Balm contains organic cocoa butter, organic sweet almond oil and fair trade organic beeswax. It does not contain mineral oil which can take moisture away from the skin when it dries.
Ni-Ka Deluxe Organic Handmade Soap is made with a blend of 5 different oils to produce a gentle cleansing bar that moisturises the skin and is perfumed with essential oils.
For babies there is Ni-Ka Deluxe Soothing Baby Balm with soothing calendula oil and sweet almond oil.
And for hair Ni-Ka Deluxe Golden Hair Pomade with organic castor oil and organic jojoba oil to add lustre and body to the hair, being suitable for all hair types.
None contain animal products and none of the ingredients have been tested on animals.
YR: I am the founder and owner of Ni-Ka Deluxe, starting out 5 years ago after 30 years in the Civil Service. I was always interested in fairtrade and the world economy supporting several small charities. It was thinking about what could be done with the raw materials produced on the co-ops, in part supported by these charities, that led me to develope the idea for a business. Ni-Ka Deluxe make handmade skincare using organic and fairtrade or fairly traded ingredients. 100% natural the products contain no artificial colours, fragrances or preservatives.The core ingredients are organic fairtrade beeswax, organic fairtrade Shea butter, fairtrade organic coconut oil, and fairly traded palm oil. Most of the fairtrade raw materials are produced on a co-operative at Bolgatanga in north east Ghana.From these raw materials I make body butters, lip balm, soap, baby and child balms as well as a hair pomade. You can have beautiful skin using ethically sourced skincare.
YR: One of the major challenges was formally learning about skincare, the rules and regulations surrounding cosmetics, this I overcame by reading everything that I could lay my hands and taking from it that which applied to me. There were many practical matters to address but it allowed me to lean on my creativity.
YR: It is difficult for me to identify any one individual who has had the greatest influence on me in my business. My family have cheered me on from day one and are always there to encourage me when I falter.
RB: What is the vision for your business and where do you see it five years from now?
YR: My vision is for Ni-Ka Deluxe to be a vehicle for economic advancement for women and girls whether as employees, agents or business associates by providing work, experience or mentoring.
