Lawyer-turned skincare expert, Jennifer Nnoli, in this interview with Naomi Salami and Anita Chinedu, lifts the lid on the secret to achieving and maintaining a glowing skin, particularly the role of diet in achieving skincare objectives. 

Who is Jennifer Nnoli?

Jenifer Nnoli is a lawyer and entrepreneur and I also have a background in travel and tourism.

What informed the Omaricode Beauty concept?

I practiced law for a few years, but I have always been passionate about beauty, having grown with elder sisters. As the years went by, I started being intentional about my skincare routine and the products that go on my skin. Having spoken to several women as well, I discovered that complaints like, “I don’t like to wear a lot of make-up or make-up makes me break out”, and many other objections, were always mentioned. But, I enjoy make-up and I normally like to wear it. But as the trend started changing, I thought how I could keep using the products I love  without having a feeling of fear that these products might be causing harm to my skin. Then I realised that it would be great to combine skincare and makeup.

 What does Omaricode do differently that makes it a darling to skincare lovers?

Omaricode is a skincare and makeup brand. What do we do differently? First, I have a degree in cosmetic science. So, I am well versed when it comes to the various ingredients that are helpful to the skin and product formulation. I understand the anatomy of the skin, what products go, and what ingredients combine to have the most effective formula. From our ingredients, to our packaging and performance, we make sure that everything we use are non-comedogenic, which means they are safe, they are hypoallergenic; they won’t cause any breakouts or give you any extra cause for concern because for us, ‘skin health is very key.’

All wipes are a no. This is because some of them contain certain chemicals and ingredients, which are not always listed on the packaging. Some of these wipes are meant to disinfect the private area of a baby. I believe in the concept of double cleansing, and what that means is pre-cleansing with either oil cleanser or you have water-based pre-cleansers like micellar water.

How can people differentiate the Omaricode Beauty products from those of its competitions?

Product performance! That’s all you need. Sometimes, it’s a question of pricing, and the marketing gimmick that surrounds a lot of products. “Do those products really work?”, “What are their functions?”

For us, transparency is key. We communicate what our products do and the key ingredients used in their formulation. Whatever we use to manufacture a product, is always communicated on our packaging, that way, you can do your own research and you’re well informed on what’s going on here and what exactly you are putting on your skin.

Do you think skincare routine should be as important as looking after your health?

Absolutely! From a personal point of view, when I was younger, I was one of those people who got frightened and would say something like, “I use pears baby lotion,” I used it on my face, I also used shea butter. Of course, I love shea butter because it’s all natural. However, with the way everything is going and also what our environment looks like, this includes the nature of our weather, as you begin to get older, you’ll find out you definitely need them more, because when you are young, your hormones haven’t necessarily kicked in, you might have clear, smooth skin, but as you are getting older, you begin to deal with stress and hormonal changes. It’s very vital that you take care of your skin with what you eat as well. What you don’t want to do is to age faster than necessary.

There are people who believe that skincare is strictly for ladies. How true is this?

No! It’s not! Skincare is for everybody. I always say skincare is self-care and you should be able to prioritise that because at the end of the day, we are all still human and skin is skin, it doesn’t really matter if it’s male or female. For example, I have a teenage son. Last year, I started him on his skincare regime because going into teenagehood, and he’s already having issues like teenage acne, hyperpigmentation from going to school and playing football under the sun. Skin care is for everybody. There are males that are very much into skincare and there are also brands that are focused on male grooming. So, skincare is for everybody.

What is the best way to treat dark spots and acne, and what products should one use to achieve a clear skin?

Well, for acne, first, the main thing that causes acne is the androgen hormones and both male and female have it. So, a lot of the time, when it’s over-performing, that’s when you have acne breakouts, of course, there are other things that contribute as well, like stress and poor diet.

When it comes to treating acne, I always tell people to use exfoliating products. It could come in the form of shock contact therapy like face wash, and it could come as serums like Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Beta Hydroxy Acids, depending on your skin type. Dark spots are post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which happen most times when the acne is gone. What remains are the dark spots, but you can use skin brightening agents that contain kojic acid, alpha arbutin, and hydroquinone. I know that many people think this is bad for the skin, but when used correctly and in good control, it will go a long way.

When you take a lot of sugar and a lot of processed foods like canned foods, it really affects the skin. It’s not just about the products you apply on your face, what you eat contributes, so you have to make little adjustments to your lifestyle.

Can someone’s diet really affect the condition of one’s skin?

It does, because it’s almost like saying what you put in is what you get out. When you take a lot of sugar and a lot of processed foods like canned foods, it really affects the skin. It’s not just about the products you apply on your face, what you eat contributes, so you have to make little adjustments to your lifestyle.

What is your take on the influx of counterfeit products that have flooded the market and what role are people playing to salvage the situation?

If a product doesn’t have its ingredients listed on its package, then that is a red flag. This is because I don’t know why I would go into a store to buy something and I can’t read what it contains. It doesn’t make any sense to me. I try to do my bit by educating people via social media and my personal page.

What are the procedures the regular lady must undergo when wiping off make up?

First, all wipes are a no. This is because some of them contain certain chemicals and ingredients, which are not always listed on the packaging. Some of these wipes are meant to disinfect the private area of a baby. I believe in the concept of double cleansing, and what that means is pre-cleansing with either oil cleanser or you have water-based pre-cleansers like micellar water. So, all you need is a cotton pad with the micellar water to take off your makeup. You could also use a cleaning balm before proceeding to use water based cleansers.

Any plans to go global with the Omaricode beauty brand?

That’s a very good question. Absolutely! The vision for the company is to become a staple to consumers and makeup artists. It’s one step at a time and our end goal is to go global.

Ayodele Johnson

Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.