GLAMSQUAD MAGAZINE JULY 2017

INTERVIEW
M
ukaosolu Nwokedi is a
wife, proud mother of
three, motivational speaker
and entrepreneur. Like her
sister, she attended the Strayer
University, Richmond Virginia
USA. She also holds a degree
in Business Administration.
With a keen eye for beauty
and wellness, Muka strives
alongside her sister to build
their mother’s dream for the
Charisma brand, above all to
make it a noteworthy business
on a global scale.
What was growing up like for you
as a twin?
We had a very wonderful
upbringing in the sense that we
grew up in an environment where
both parents were very loving to
themselves and worked together.
In Fact, if there was a marriage
made in Heaven it was that of my
dad and mum. Unfortunately, she
didn’t leave very long she died at
the age 44 at the time we were in
college in the United States, we
were opportune to travel all over
the world because our father was
the chief pilot Nigeria airways so as
kids we had been to every route my
dad flew.
What would you say physically
differentiates you from your
sister?
I think people typically decide
what they feel is different. We
both have the similarities, and
differences like other siblings do
have, I think her eyes a wider, she
has a bigger upper body I mean
her boobs and I are ampler shaped
laughs, but all the same, I just
feel we are built a bit structurally
different.
Did you know you would
eventually take over your
mother’s business or did
you always want to be in the
skincare/ beauty industry?
I never really had a chance to
explore my dreams I would say,
I remember when I was growing
up my mother was always cooking
something up in the kitchen, or in
her little factory, trying all sorts
of creams and travelling a lot. I
remember when we were in the
University my mother wanted me
to study pharmacy, and I didn’t
understand it then but eventually,
I studied Business Administration
and after graduating, she was not
there and unfortunately died very
young, so there wasn’t a choice to
make then. I initially wanted to go
into clothing design which I am still
part of my plan but this came first,
and it’s on our plate right now.
As children who were you drawn
to most between your parents
and why?
Oh, my mother was very strict.
At some point, I thought I hated her
(Laughs) she was so strict so much
so that I remember her cutting our
hair once for going out without
her permission as teenagers. We
cried for weeks on end, and this
was a contemporary woman who
went to school in England and
Switzerland, and my father was
upset by it, but my mother coming
from the old school background
despite her intelligence felt that
this was the way to raise children.
She was showing us that she would
go to any lengths to teach us not
to be disobedient or to misbehave.
So instead we were drawn more
to our father having the fatherdaughter
phenomenon, always
crying on his shoulders and he
would always fight for us.
Tell us about your role as Co-CEO
of Charisma Cosmetics.
I work on overseeing all
activities regarding management,
one on one consultations with
clients. Ensuring internal matters
such as Customer services
relations. Making sure that we
are on target with delivery and
sales in the four Charisma Spas
in Ikeja, Surulere, Dolphin, and
Lekki and outlets in Lagos and
outside logos. Our business
progress is dependent on customer
interaction, so we are constantly on
the phone communicating, talking
answering Questions, sending
messages with our team.
How do you think you have
impacted the company since you
took over from your mother?
The cosmetics industry
is evolving, there is always
something new in the works just
like the fashion industry, from the
ingredients to the cosmetology and
aesthetics. We are more advanced
now than in our mother’s time,
we have been trained in a more
modern sphere and have learnt
more advanced techniques and
technologies. There are so many
new ingredients, formulation
and techniques coming out every
day that we have imbibed in our
cosmetics. So we have been able
to make differences and set new
standards.
What’s your take on the new
trend of bleaching?
I think it’s gone overboard
and has become abused. It’s like
abusing painkillers, sleeping aids
or any pharmaceutical product.
The meaning of toning or bleaching
needs to be understood here; they
need to understand that they are
baring their skin and it is very
damaging. It can age you, cause
cancer, and there’s always a very
harsh look that women who bleach
tend to have, the process of taking
away acne and skin pigmentation
lightens one and could take you
away from your natural skin hue.
What is bound to happen to those
who bleached in their youth when
they get older?
When you bleach, most times it
burns the skin even to the second
degree. The over exposure to UV
Rays can cause cancer, and several
kinds of skin decrease that are why
you see people with patches and
high pigmentation, sagging, etc.
and worst is accelerated ageing.
I highly recommend Charisma
Dermal Repair high in vitamin and
Antioxidants to rejuvenate and heal
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