Thu | Mar 28, 2024

Shevielle’s natural hair & skin journey

Published:Monday | July 8, 2019 | 12:25 AMNatovia Shand - Lifestyle Intern
Shevielle product line includes natural hair oils and face soaps.
Shevielle product line includes natural hair oils and face soaps.

“Me always used to always sell things enuh,” exclaimed Candice Gordon, founder of Shevielle, who was inspired by her interest to grow her hair. As such, with help from her sister, they began research on natural products for hair and skincare. With an entrepreneurial eye, Gordon bounced ideas off her sister. The brand has expanded to carry a range of quality lifestyle handmade products and provide protective tips.

In fact, Gordon’s journey as a young entrepreneur began at the secondary level of education, where she sold little trinkets and even hand-sewn items. She explained that she had two separate businesses back in high school. Her first business, since it was illegal to be selling at the school, was stopped. However, in her later years, an opportunity opened up at the school that allowed young entrepreneurs to conduct their businesses. With this, she sold a number of hair bows and headbands. Thus, her love for business and marketing grew.

Now, Candice Gordon is a final-year student at The UWI, Mona, and will receive a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and Management Studies, graduating in November. Gordon claims that she always held a steadfast belief in her passions, and after leaving high school ahead of her graduating class, entered university in 2016.

Shevielle is now three years old and expanded because of advice from a mentor. In Shevielle’s first year of operations she sold castor oil and coconut oil, then the founder was encouraged to make soaps and other skincare products. “Go check out ‘Youchube’. Check it nuh, ‘Youchube’. You nuh know it,” Gordon’s mentor expressed. Jokingly, she questioned her mentor, who was far from tech savvy, and asked what he meant by ‘Youchube’. YouTube, he explained, could teach Gordon to make soaps and the business, Shevielle, could eventually offer authentic organic soaps.

THE BUSINESS

“Business has been booming for Shevielle, since there is a change in consumer preference in favour of natural organic hair and skin products.” The Shevielle brand, as considered by Gordon, is not just about the products, however, it is about the lifestyle aspect. The business is based online and utilises their Instagram page to share natural remedies and tips for the whole body, more specifically on hair and skin. “It is a holistic brand.”

The business offers deals, discounts, and sales, especially for their seasonal products. Gordon’s line of products are rather ingenious, featuring creative blends. The face soaps include aloe vera cucumber, honey cinnamon and mango charcoal soap. Hair oils are dual purpose and include coco-lemon, coco-rose, castor oil, coconut oil, coco-neem, and castor oil with peppermint. Body butters are seasonal and include mango carrot and cucum-delion, which is a mixture of cucumber and dandelion.

Shevielle has been a part of wellness fairs, beauty pageants and campus orientation events. “Anything I find appropriate to get on board with,” she added. Recently, Shevielle was a contestant in the Pizza and Pitch event held by Coworking Jamaica. Gordon had only two minutes to pitch her business ideas and received immediate feedback from the panel of judges – Gary Matalon, William Mahfood, and Christopher Barnes. Surprisingly, Shevielle’s business pitch won, and this has aided the business in its exposure and network.

Shevielle products are available in the campus stores of The UWI, Mona, and UCC. The business offers deliveries mainly in St Catherine, Kingston and St Andrew. Costs for delivery varies, based on the distance from the metropolitan area. Since the business is already registered, Gordon hopes to venture further into e-commerce and expand regionally and globally as a wholesale brand.

For more information on the brand Shevielle you can check out the instagram page @shevielle.