Shantol Vassell’s journey to creating MelanFlexx Beauty
Published:Wednesday | November 6, 2024 | 12:05 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
They say beautiful skin requires commitment, not a miracle. For Shantol Vassell, it took a bit of both. Battling acne and struggling with self-esteem, she decided to be the change she wanted to see, creating her own skincare line, MelanFlexx Beauty.
“Acne and dark spots can have such a significant impact on your mental health, causing self-esteem issues, body image issues, insecurity, social anxiety and depression. No one can relate to that more than me,” Vassell told Lifestyle.
Vassell, who was born and raised in Kingston, recalled struggling with skin issues growing up, especially as a teenager. At the sight of any pimple, she would add Ultrabrite soap or the popular “cake” soap to her skin care routine.
When she got older, she migrated to the United States and realised that her acne had only gotten worse. “I realised that my face started breaking out even more and the bleaching products didn’t seem to work anymore. If the product removed the bumps, they would be replaced by blackheads. Once I squeezed those, the dark spots would come and I would have to bleach them out.”
Vassell visited a dermatologist who recommended a cleanser and a brightening serum. She discovered she had oily skin and began using a specialised moisturiser. She also learned that sunscreen was essential for skin care.
Although she was placed on an official skin care routine to help her acne, she experienced adverse effects. “My face was so horrible that not even makeup could hide the bumps and spots. I felt so out of place. I lacked confidence and had low self-esteem. One time, I was applying for a job, and after looking in the mirror, I took off my clothes and didn’t bother to show up for the interview,” she confessed.
Much like the affected external appearance, Vassell was facing tremendous difficulty as she transitioned from one country to another. Hailing from McKoy Lane in the area of Kingston 11, she left the island, looking for a breakthrough. The entrepreneur who sold clothes for a living, had previously sent herself to school and obtained her degree in accounting from Northern Caribbean University.
Risking her life to seek better job opportunities overseas, she was challenged to restart her life from scratch, “I learned early that I could not depend on my family. I am grateful for my friend who offered her couch for me and my son to rest our heads on.”
Living in a garage in Queens, New York, Vassell’s life changed when a customer at her restaurant job saw her potential and offered her a new opportunity. With a job in accounting, she could finally choose her own home and buy her first car.
100 per cent natural
With her improved circumstances, Vassell pursued her dream of creating skincare products. She researched natural ingredients, opting for an organic approach, and began making masks at home. Working with a lab, her team refined the formula, which proved effective in repairing and hydrating skin.
Today, the mother of one is the proud owner of MelanFlexx Beauty, a proactive skin care line which features the clear and confidence cleanser, renew and refresh niacinamide serum, revive and reveal moisturiser and the purify and glow brightening cream. All of these products, she says, are 100 per cent natural and are currently available for purchase on Amazon.
“I don’t know of any niacinamide product that is boosted with neem, a bush normally consumed as tea in Jamaica. I don’t know of any moisturiser made with calendula flowers. Calendula flower brightens and rejuvenates the skin, easing and smoothing irritation. I don’t know of any serum that is boosted with neem and menthol. The gentle cleanser is water based, as opposed to foam or cream based. And it is for all skin types, even sensitive skin,” she shared.
Formulating these products, she said, was far from easy. Good textures were important and it was her desire to have bottles that stood out. Reflectively paying homage to the land of her birth, the meaning behind the signature hues on display is far from skin deep.
“The colours were reflective of what I was going through. The black represents the dark times, the depression, anxiety and frustration. The green represents hope. And the yellow is a representation of vibrancy, smiling and regaining my self confidence,” she highlighted.