MEET OUR WINNER
Introducing Ofome Eyanagho: winner of Avon’s Beauty in Colour Start-Up Competition
Ofome Eyanagho
The Glow Pot
Ofome & The Glow Pot
Ofome impressed the judges with her all-natural, vegan skincare range, The Glow Pot. Developed after struggling to find the right products to treat her eczema and formulated with women of darker skin tones in mind, Ofome’s range offers gentle, effective, and affordable products for achieving glowing skin. Research shows that almost two fifths (39%) of people agree that products for underrepresented ethnic communities are too expensive* and Ofome aims to address this with her range.
Ofome says, “Winning the Avon Beauty in Colour competition is invaluable for me. I quit my job recently so I could focus all my energy on my business, so this could not have come at a better time. The £20,000 prize money and Avon’s mentorship means I can actualise my dreams and have a chance to take my business where I know it can go. As a woman of colour, I think I’ve definitely had less opportunities - doors like this don’t seem to open for people like me so I’m extremely grateful and excited for what the future holds.”
*Diversity in Beauty, UK Mintel & Lightspeed, November 2019
What’s next?
As the brand’s founder, Ofome will receive £20,000 prize money and mentorship, which will be used to develop and scale her skincare business.
Keep an eye on Instagram for updates on Ofome’s journey.
£20,000 + MENTORSHIP
The Runners-Up
Danielle Reid
Emmanuela Mbazuigwe
Eleven candidates made it to the final and each pitched their ground-breaking beauty ideas, including textured hair products, make up, facial mists and skin treatments for melasma and hyperpigmentation, to a judging panel of the industry’s best and brightest talent.
The judges selected two runners-up, Danielle Reid and Emmanuela Mbazuigwe, who will be awarded support and mentorship by some of Avon’s leading beauty experts, to provide them with the tools they will need to grow their ideas.
Danielle pitched an idea for affordable, quality haircare specifically for women of colour to enable them to wear their hair with confidence.
Emmanuela, a budding cosmetics scientist had an idea for a skincare regime to address hyperpigmentation and provide protection from UV damage, addressing the need for more education and access for consumers of colour in the marketplace.
SUPPORT + MENTORSHIP
Meet the Judges
To help us pick a deserving winner, we teamed up with some of the beauty industry’s leading women.
Dr Ateh Jewel
Award winning Journalist and Diversity Advocate
Dr Ateh Jewel is a multi award winning journalist, producer, director, & influencer. She’s also a diversity advocate within the beauty industry, writing on the subject for the likes of Vogue, Grazia and Glamour.
Millie Kendall MBE
Founder and CEO of British Beauty Council
Business owner, brand specialist and co-founder of the British Beauty Council, Millie has worked across the industry – from start-ups to PR - and is now using her knowledge to support other up-and-coming businesses.
Nilam Holmes
Skin expert and ‘Eyebrow Queen’
Eyebrow Queen, beauty expert to Hollywood stars and business owner, Nilam is one of the most recognised and trusted names in the beauty and cosmetics industry.
Hannah Lally
Head of Beauty, Avon UK
Hannah has a wealth of experience in bringing new products to market and a passion to champion women in beauty.
Nicole Scott
Beauty in Colour Lead, Avon UK
Nicole is a seasoned marketeer and lends her experiences to lead inclusivity at Avon and create positive change in the beauty industry.