By Christy Anyanwu
Sandra Thomas, founder of Makari Lagos, is a prominent figure in the beauty industry, who is celebrated for her radiant and flawless skin.
As a beauty expert and entrepreneur, she advises against skin bleaching, emphasizing its negative effects.
“Bleaching makes people smell,” Sandra asserts, warning against the use of harsh creams and concoctions. Instead, she advocates for using the right products to achieve healthy, glowing skin.
Sandra’s brand has gained popularity among trendy individuals and university students, who admire her vibrant complexion.
In an interview with Sunday Sun, Sandra shares her journey to success, highlighting her commitment to promoting natural beauty and skin health.
With your background academically, how did you end up with selling beauty brand?
I had some skin issues after my last baby. I was looking for something safe to use that is devoid of chemicals, especially hydroquinone. Hydroquinone was the chemical people were using then and I was looking for something without hydroquinone and my dermatologist in the United States introduced me to Makari. She said it works well and that I should give it a trial. I did and it worked for me.
Do you mean a dermatologist recommended Makari to you, some people said it bleaches the skin?
It doesn’t bleach. It brightens. If you have a troubled skin, I don’t like calling it dirty skin, but some skin actually looks dirty, what it does, is cleanse your skin the blemishes and imperfections. It doesn’t bleach. If you want a skin product that will take your skin from zero to 100, you can try Makari.
So what is your advice to women who bleach their skin?
I advise women not to subscribe to skin bleaching. The truth is, bleaching can make people smell. When you remove layers of skin that are meant to protect you, you’re exposing yourself to damage from the sun and other environmental factors.
Bleaching can lead to skin problems, including body odour, as the skin’s natural protective barrier is compromised. I encourage women to prioritize skin health and avoid bleaching, because the long-term consequences will ultimately become apparent.
Bleaching isn’t worth the risk. Instead of bleaching, you can tone and care for your skin with gentle, safe products. If your skin looks dull due to neglect, using a good moisturizer can help.
The problem with bleaching is that it may look good initially, but the long-term effects can be damaging. Chemicals used for bleaching can lead to severe side effects over time. It’s essential to prioritize skin health and be cautious when it comes to beauty treatments.
Tell us a bit about your growing up
Life growing up has been good, I am from a family where everyone wanted to be a doctor, or a lawyer.
But I have to say, I’m the only one in the family that wants to go to school.
My mother always said, “Sandra, you know you’re the only one in my family that is doing buying and selling.” It’s not that I didn’t go to school, I went to University of Lagos and later to a secretarial school. I loved buying and selling right from childhood. I was doing it while I was in primary school, assisting my friends to hawk for their parents. I will take a tray from the house and some few oranges.
I never planned to sell Makari. I never planned. I sent my pictures to them and they recommended what I needed to do. When my skin became very good and I sent my pictures back to them, they screamed, why don’t you begin to sell our products in Nigeria. I told them I was not living in Nigeria but in South Africa. They I could start selling it. I started selling in Cape Town. I sold in Cape Town, South Africa for four years. A lot of people knew me in Cape Town as Makari retailer. When I moved to Nigeria, I opened the beauty line.
What lessons have you learnt about life?
I’ve been in this business for years now and I can tell you that honesty and consistency is key. Whatever you know how to do, keep doing it. It will surely pay. You might not feel it now, you might not see it now, but one day, when people know you for being honest, and can be trusted, when you tell them that A is A and they believe you, they will surely come back to you.
So, we tell them that A plus A is something and they come back to see that it’s something else, they can never trust you, especially for those that sell skin care products.
You have been in this business for several years and opening new branches. What is your survival strategy?
Consistency and honesty are the key words, especially for people that sell skin care products. Whenever you are tagged as selling fake or adulterated products, they are not going to come back. Nigerians don’t give people second chance. Once they don’t trust you, you have lost the client.
In this business, you have to be consistent, honest and love your clients. Like I tell my clients to look at my skin. If I’m going to buy a cloth from you and you are wearing rag, I will not try it. I use what I sell and my skin is the first thing you see when you come to my company. I’m the face of my brand. If my skin is not good how would you buy my products? I don’t have knuckles I don’t have leg burn, stretch marks, or anything damaging on my skin. It’s not something you want to attend party tomorrow and come for Makari, you have to be patient, keep using for you to see the efficiency.
A lot of people come to you for beauty advice. What do you give out?
My skin is the first thing you see when you come to my office. I’m the face of my brand. So, when you call me, you have to see my skin. If my skin is not good, how will you buy my product? So, I show my skin to people. I let them see my products. Like, look at my knuckles. I don’t have knuckles. I don’t have leg bones. I don’t have stretch marks. I don’t have anything that is damaging on my skin. I can show my skin to my clients so they see can what they are buying.
You are widely called Olori. Is it a nickname?
No. The name emanates from being the wife of a prince. It is not nickname at all.
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