How Hilda Kabushenga Kragha Found and Fell in Love With Ayurveda!

In this chat with Satisfashion UG Beauty, Hilda Kabushenga Kragha, CEO of Jobberman Nigeria, shares her favourite products and why when it comes to beauty, she only does luxury.

What’s your daily beauty routine?

My beauty routine is heavily centered around caring for my skin using high quality natural ingredients. In the last 18 months I have gone 100% Ayurvedic when it comes to my skin. Ayurveda highlights that facial care beauty products made of living substances such as plants or its extracts are balanced by nature and contain the vibratory energy that constitutes life and I really buy into that.

Typically, I will cleanse my face with an Ubtan – which is a powdered mix of Ayurvedic herbs and natural ingredients. If my skin is feeling extra dry, I mix the powder with Milk and if its feeling oily, I use aloe vera gel (I have combination skin). My favorite Ubtan is Narangi and Nagkesar from Forest essentials which combines hand pounded orange peel (narangi), nagkesar seed, fenugreek seed and pistachios. However Forest essentials wasn’t able to deliver during lock down, so I am currently using my second favorite which is the deeply clarifying neem charcoal cleanser from Uma oils which has  Aloe Vera Leaf Extract, Honey, Charcoal, Camphor, Neem, Powders of Coconut and Oat, Clays of Kaolin and Bentonite, Extracts of Tomato, Cucumber, Turmeric, Tea Tree and Cinnamon. I love it because it can be used as both a scrub and a mask.

Post cleanse I use a pure rose water toner, also from Forest essentials, then I begin to really pamper my face. First with a tea tree oil based anti-blemish oil from Uma, then the Soundarya radiance cream with Saffron to give the skin a warm, glowing complexion, pure ghee, (minus the smell,) and liquorice root which is highly moisturizing and  is naturally a gentle sunscreen (SPF 25), on top of all those goodies, is also infused with 24 carat gold. Gold has the property of penetrating to the deepest layer of skin, thereby providing radiance and increased elasticity. I then use an SPF 50 sunscreen made of coconut water, turmeric and basil – also from Forest essentials whether or not I am leaving the house, because that sun you see out there is NOT your friend

My evening routine is pretty similar although I have a completely different set of products (still from FE and UMA). The only difference is that I double cleanse at night I will use a Rose Powder Ubtan from UMA and then a delicate facial cleanser with honey, lemon and rosewater from FE. Lemon Essential Oil,  is refreshing and uplifting, Honey absorbs impurities from the skin, making it an ideal cleansing agent that hydrates and softens the skin and Steam Distilled Rose Water is a natural astringent that tones and rehydrates the skin. I still tone with Rose water before applying the Ojas glow replenishing Balm from FE, which is the ultimate skin quencher and activates/ prepares my skin for my night creams and serums. Next I apply the Advanced Eternal Youth Formula Date & Litchi which I love because it really improves skin elasticity and leaves my face super supple

 I have two serums, first is the UMA Total rejuvenation night oil which is frankincense and chamomile oil based and soothes the skin. I finish with FE’s Soundarya night serum which also has 24 carat gold and sends me to bed feeling like a queen.

I also have an eye cream from FE, made from star of Anise. It is super cooling and also firms and tones the eye area, but I don’t always remember to use it.

Yes, I know, it’s a lot, but the entire process takes about 15 minutes which is not a lot considering this is one of the ways I love myself everyday

What kind of makeup (or none)  do you wear to work?

Unless I have a photoshoot or something, I don’t wear much make up. Typically I will wear a lipstick and have a powder (double wear matte powder from Estee Lauder) in my back pocket incase my skin gets too oily during the day

When and how did you fall in love with beauty and wellness? 

When I was pregnant I grew a yeast infection on my face (quite common), and after I gave birth my OB recommended a dermatologist in down town Los Angeles who turned out to be an amazing Indian lady that introduced me to Ayurvedic skin care and pointed me to UMA oils, then I took a trip to India and discovered forest essentials. With both brands, it was love at first sight. Thanks to globalization, I have been able to get my deliveries steadily for the last two years.

What 3 products do you always have in your stash?

Would be Mac’s retromatte relentlessly red lipstick – No matter how I am feeling, I can slap it on and walk confidently into a meeting or a restaurant or anywhere really.

UMA oils anti-aging lip oil, because the supple lips hustle is so real and I would really rather not have to deal with chapped lips.

Rituals – Ritual of Hammam hand lotion and body spray, the smell heavenly without being as intense as perfume and make it easy to freshen up on the go.

Do you have a favourite beauty or make up hack?

Yes! Navel therapy. According to Ayurveda, the navel is the powerhouse of the body. Oiling the belly-button with different types of oil has a variety of health benefits. The navel is connected to every part of the body since the beginning of life when nutrition reaches a baby inside the mother’s womb. And because the belly button presents an abundance of blood vessels and pathways to the body’s extremities, the absorption of oils through the navel pathways is strong. I use the beauty boosting and body balancing oils from UMA but really any warm essential oils will do

What products give you the biggest confidence boost?

Definitely Forest Essentials Soundarya range, there is no bigger confidence boost than walking around with 24 carat gold on your face all day long

What’s been your biggest beauty disaster?

I haven’t really had any disasters to be honest except the occasional bad make up situation

What’s the best piece of beauty/skincare advice you’ve ever been given and by who?

Maya of Maya’s gallery introduced me to the concept of double cleansing which I incorporated into my end of day routine and the benefits have been immense.  The first cleanser will break down any makeup, remove dirt and excess oils from the day and clean your skin. The second cleanser will address your particular skin type or concern and should have ingredients to hydrate, smooth or exfoliate and treat acne if need be.

Has beauty been an empowering tool for you? How? 

Yes it has. I am really geeky, the kind of person who sat in front of class and answered all questions, and I also grew up in a family of strong women. I remember I once won a beauty queen award (because you got points for answering questions, not modelling etc) and the response I got from my most respected aunt at the time was “well done, but in this family we praise brains, not beauty”. This stayed with me for over a decade. I prioritized my intellectual, academic and eventually career pursuits, leaving beauty as an “other”. Sure I thought I was cute but I never deliberately paused to think about beauty as a concept that related to me because I was terrified of being thought of as a beautiful empty head (as if!). Around 3 years ago, while speaking to my cousin and best friend, I recounted the conversation with my Aunt and my cousins response was “why cant you have both?” that was such a turning point for me mentally. I realized that my beauty is not a detractor from my intelligence or any other good character traits I possess but rather it enhances them. Now as a CEO, when my skin is glowing, and I know I look good I feel invincible which is a game changer given that I am a 32 year old millennial woman in a foreign country who constantly has to establish credibility with different stakeholders.

What does your self-care routine consist of?

Self care for me is 50% mental and 50% physical. On the mental side, I invest a lot in affirmations and positive thinking. We African women are socialized through our upbringing to mute themselves in so many subtle ways, this digs deep into our subconscious and establishes roots of negative/ detractor thinking. A huge portion of my self-care routine boils down to affirming myself and my achievements, my strengths my victories and my hope for the future.

On the physical side, pre lock down, I was a spa junkie. Every Friday I either had a massage (typically hot stone) or went to the salon to get my hair and nails down. With physical distancing, I have started a ritual of lighting candles, scrubbing my body and rubbing UMA oil’s pure calm wellness body oil all over myself on the weekends as a way to destress. I also get massages from my hubby because he is a champ like that.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of wellness/beauty?

I am sure readers already think that navel routine is crazy – it isn’t lol. The craziest thing I “nearly” did was get a chemical peel facial post-partum. my skin had become dull and pregnancy can change your skin tone. However the consultant at the med spa asked me to consult with my husband first (because the peel is messy) and he said no, I was perfect just as I was, at the time I didn’t agree but I listened anyway. Now I know he was right because I got back the best version of my skin without a peel.

Are you a fan of luxury beauty? What products have you splurged the most money on before? 

I only do luxury. Some people spend on shoes and bags, I do skincare. It is important for me that it is luxurious. I tried an AMAZING local Ayurveda brand last year (which I still recommend), and even though my skin was popping, the confidence boost wasn’t the same.

What beauty trend you’ve never been able to get on board with/a technique you’ll never master?

This whole eyebrow thing is a mess for me, and I will never ever master it. But I am a problem solver so I got my brows micro bladed so that I can achieve a constant face shape without spending hours in the mirror or hiring a professional.

beauty@satisfashionug.com