Move over pricey skincare! Enter turmeric, goat milk
By Cynthia Atuo, March 12, 2025Have you ever picked a skin care product, looked up its price tag and thought – Wueeeeh!
Oh yes. I can bet a million-dollar that once you give this common Kenyan sigh, things aren’t boiling nicely.
Many of us have experienced this, and if you’ve ever been in this situation, you definitely know that the next thing is putting back the product and swearing “let me go look for money, I’ll be back when I can afford it.”
In a world of influencers where luxury is everything, expensive skincare products and 12-step skin routines have always reigned supreme since everybody wants to be associated with luxury.
With a thriving billion shilling beauty industry, Kenya for instance has seen the entrance of many luxurious international skin care luxury products and franchises such as Estee Lauder, Fenty Beauty, L’oreal, and Cera Ve just to mention a few.
And despite costing an arm and leg, luxury brands have proven their ability to thrive amid tough economic times that has affected many economies.
Expensive skin care products and brands often come with promises of high-quality formulations, textures, and ingredients, hence the perception that they offer superior results.
However, while popular and high-end brands may have taken over the beauty industry for a long time, there seems to be a change of attitude – a new trend that could in-fact change the skin care game – Skinimalism with a touch of natural and organic beauty products.
Also called the new glow-up, skinimalism is a new trend that entails non-complicated routines which only focus on four key essentials which include cleansing, moisturising, treatment product and cleansing.
And while it focuses on a minimalist approach, more people, especially the ladies, are leaning more towards pocket-friendly and natural skincare products.
Turmeric, tamarind, goat milk, qasil, aloe vera, milk, and honey among many others are some of the most used natural home ingredients for beauty purposes. Goat milk and turmeric soaps are also on the rise with many people selling them everywhere on social media. Some are even resorting to skin care juices to achieve a skin glow up.
Youthful skin
“Do you know with just Sh100 you can get clear skin and a healthy gut? Just two bunches of spinach to repair your skin, one cucumber top detoxify and hydrate, one orange to brighten and remove toxins, and one small ginger to reduce toxins and inflammation, and one piece of pineapple as a sweetener and to boost hydration then blend and drink in the morning and evening,” says Rina Muthoni on her platform which has attracted many users that are interested in natural skin care regimens.
Natural beauty products which harness the power of botanical ingredients are becoming the cornerstone of beauty and skincare routines.
A report by Statista also shows that in Kenya, consumers are increasingly embracing natural and organic beauty products, driven by a growing awareness of sustainability and health-consciousness.
Vanessa Fridah, a natural skin care enthusiast and renowned skinfluencer swears by homemade kitchen ingredients. For over six years now, she has been making her own beauty masks and products which she learnt from her mother and shares the regimens with a wider audience on TikTok.
Having tried over the counter beauty products for her skin which proved expensive but with no results, she resorted to natural remedies that have since seen her skin brighten up and look youthful.
Dry skin and allergy challenges
“When I was growing up, my mom used to make those masks, so I picked it from her. So, I would say I’ve used them for about six to seven years, ever since I learned that there is something called skincare,” says the skinfluencer.
She explains that whenever she gets breakouts or feels her skin is drying up, she only resorts to natural remedies, which have worked wonders for her.
Her key ingredients are the most affordable things you could ever think of – lemon, honey, milk, turmeric.
“Most of the time I use ingredients that contain Vitamin C and lemon is my go-to. It nourishes the skin and makes it glow. I then mix it with turmeric which is effective in brightening the skin and it also adds collagen to the skin, making it more vibrant,” she shares.
Fridah further points out that she adds honey to her DIY face mask which works as a great antiseptic by cleaning all the dirt from the skin in a natural way.
“Milk is good for the skin because it has lactose. If a person is struggling with dry skin, once they add milk to their everyday routine, the lactose ensures the skin get more moisture and more oil, and that’s where the milk comes in,” she observes noting these are key ingredients to a natural glowing skin especially for people suffering from acne, dark marks, and hyperpigmentation.
She emphasises that unlike over the counter skin care products which usually have chemicals that can be harsh on the skin, natural and homemade ingredients are friendly to all skin types and can cost around Sh150.
“I normally tell people that instead of breaking the bank getting expensive products, with only Sh150 you can source your products from home or your local market and you make nice face masks that work for your skin type,” she shares.
Unlike luxurious products which often promise instant results, the skin enthusiast notes that natural beauty remedies can take up to two or three weeks to show visible changes.
“You have to really put in the work. If you are a beginner and maybe you’re struggling with consistency, you need to find a routine that works for you, then do that routine maybe three times a week. But if you have the time, you can even do it every day,” says Fridah.
Dr. KC Dharam Kumar, a dermatologist, cosmetologist and hair transplant surgeon from Bangalore insists that while many people believe skin care products are safe, not all of them are.
“Some of these products such as onions, turmeric, and aloe vera gel can cause allergies. So, make sure you test and see if it is allergic to your skin and then only use it,” says the dermatologist on his YouTube channel.