Business Tips: She inspires others, especially women to invest in and build businesses rooted in African heritage.
July 18, 2026
AI Summary
5 min read"What we have to maintain the authenticity and the integrity of who we are," says Valerie Obazi, founder of R&R Skincare. "We don't intend to hide that in any way. We just wanted to make our raw materials sexy." That line captures the tension at the heart of this conversation: how do you take centuries-old African ingredients, strip away the stereotypes, and build a modern brand that sits on the same shelf as anything from Europe or America?
Obazi, a Ghanaian-born entrepreneur who moved from London to Lagos in 2009, found her answer not in a business plan but in a personal need. After giving birth to her first daughter, she wanted something natural for the baby's skin but didn't want to wrestle with raw shea butter on a stove while tending a crying infant. She discovered shea in liquid form—shea oil, the liquid component separated from the solid—and realized it wasn't widely available in Nigeria. She ordered plastic bottles online, had a mock-up logo made, and shared samples with friends and family. "I just said if you like it come back and buy it," she recalls. "And that's how it started."
From kitchen to garage to three stores
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What you'll learn
- 1 (02:47) **Guest Introduction: Valerie Obazei of R&R Skincare** - Host Rashad McDonald introduces Valerie Obazei, founder of a premier woman-owned beauty brand in Nigeria that creates cruelty-free skincare using Africa's natural resources.
- 2 (03:13) **Confronting Stereotypes About Africa** - Rashad shares his personal experience visiting South Africa and realizing his own misconceptions about technology and development, while Valerie explains that negative narratives are intentional and that experiencing Africa firsthand breaks down barriers.
- 3 (06:30) **Africa's Cultural Renaissance: Music, Film, and Fashion** - Valerie describes moving from London to Lagos in 2009 and witnessing the dynamic growth in Nigeria's music, film, and fashion industries, which are now gaining global recognition on platforms like Netflix.
- 4 (07:35) **The Birth of R&R Skincare: From Personal Need to Business** - Valerie explains that the brand started from a natural need: after having her first baby, she wanted a natural product for her skin and discovered shea oil, a liquid form of shea butter that was a game-changer.
- 5 (09:38) **The Problem of Raw Material Export** - Valerie highlights that Africa has been the world's sourcing capital for centuries, with raw materials like shea butter and cocoa leaving the continent to be finished elsewhere (e.g., chocolate from Switzerland), and her goal is to create finished African brands.
- 6 (10:46) **Brick-and-Mortar Stores and the Customer Experience** - R&R Skincare has three physical stores: one in Lagos and two in Accra, Ghana (including one at the airport). Valerie's frustration with inconsistent inventory of imported goods drove her to produce locally so products are always available.
- 7 (11:56) **Branding Evolution: From "R Luxury" to "R&R Skincare"** - The company rebranded from "R Luxury" because the name alienated people who assumed high prices. The new logo is clear and approachable, signaling exactly what the business does.
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Show Notes
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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Valerie Obaze.
Founder of R&R Skincare.
🎯 Purpose of the Interview
The interview aims to:
- Highlight Valerie Obaze’s entrepreneurial journey in founding R&R Skincare.
- Challenge stereotypes about Africa’s capabilities and resources.
- Promote African-made beauty products and their global relevance.
- Inspire others, especially women and diaspora Africans, to invest in and build businesses rooted in African heritage.
🧠 Key Takeaways 1. Breaking African Stereotypes
- Valerie and Rushion discuss how Africa is often misrepresented in Western media.
- Valerie emphasizes that ignorance is not always malicious, but it’s time to reframe the narrative through firsthand experience and platforms like social media.
“Ignorance doesn’t always have to be an insult. If you don’t know, you just don’t know better.” – Valerie Obaze
2. The Birth of R&R Skincare
- Inspired by the birth of her daughter, Valerie sought natural skincare solutions.
- She discovered liquid shea oil, which became her first product.
- The brand name “R&R” stands for Rebecca Rose (her daughter’s name) and also Rest & Relaxation.
“I wanted to create a product that makes using these raw materials from the continent enjoyable.” – Valerie Obaze
3. From Garage to Global
- Valerie started in her mother-in-law’s garage, turning it into a compliant mini factory.
- She had no formal business p
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