Christine Gittens is one of a continually emerging group of Guyanese women whose entrepreneurial instincts are pushing them to investigate the science of plants that can be found across the far reaches of Guyana with a view to pressing these into service as what, these days, are described as ‘natural products,’ but which, not many moons ago were referred to as ‘bush cures’ or ‘bush remedies’.
This amounts to what, in many instances, has been a gradual turning away from the bewildering array of imported cosmetics by a local market that often struggles to meet the prices fetched by the exhaustively marketed brands; that, as well as the claims, real or imagined, that are sometimes made about the ‘side effects’ of those imported options.
Beyond these considerations, however, what is in effect, the transformation of ‘bush remedies’ into brands of health care and beauty products derives from actual ‘experiments’, albeit home-made ones, that vindicate the virtues of the role which these indigenous options play in fostering good health and good looks. Frankly, the available contemporary evidence suggests that the mainstream ‘good looks’ is beginning to pay increased attention to what is being accomplished in the cosmetics and nature cure sectors arising out of a combination of inquisitiveness and entrepreneurial bent demonstrated by many Guyanese women.
Christine Gittens’ Naturally Beautiful brand originated, she says, from her search for ‘safe’ beauty and skin care products. It arose out of research into the chemicals contained in many of the imported options. “Initially, I wanted to create skincare products for myself and my daughter that were truly made from natural ingredients that did not have any negative lasting effects on the body unlike the chemically filled products on the market today.”
Her first project was what she describes as a “repairing body butter,” manufactured from “raw mango butter and sweet almond and designed to moisturise the skin and help to fade the appearance of stretch marks.” After continuous use and positive results she arrived at the realisation that her creation “was a powerful one which yielded favourable results and was worthy of being shared with others.” It was at that point that, conceptually, Naturally Beautiful was born.
Newcomers to the world of contemporary business find out sooner rather than later that, as the old adage goes, ambition is made of sterner stuff. Confidence in product quality offers no assurances of marketability unless backed by an understanding of the fundamental tenets of doing business, including marketing, branding, and product presentation. Indeed, there are many creators of ‘miracle products’ who hold the view, mistakenly, that at the point of production those products “have arrived.”
Christine opted to pursue the creation of a multi-product enterprise, creating a brown sugar, turmeric, and honey-based body scrub which she marketed as a product “that helps to fade dark areas about the body.” It was the reviews she received from the distribution of this product, she says, that “motivated me to expand my product line.” Eight new products are scheduled for launch in January next year.
The challenge that enterprises like Naturally Beautiful now face is that increasing numbers of young Guyanese women are venturing into what, these days, is a highly competitive international beauty care industry where each new enterprise must face demanding competition from both locally made and imported products.
Currently, the advantage appears to lie with the enterprises that do best at packaging and marketing and the determination to grow in an environment where business support mechanisms, not least financing, are difficult to come by. In a sense, the proliferation of young Guyanese entrepreneurs who are prepared to invest limited resources in business start-ups in a highly competitive industry ought to serve as a challenge to lending agencies as well as to a government which, even now, is gearing itself to attract external investors in various sectors, into the country. For Christine, there are still hurdles to be crossed.
As for her future Christine says that she is hoping to sustain “the courage which I needed to take the leap that I have taken. It is her confidence, she says, that encourages her to soldier on.
When the scope of her ambitions are taken into account, Christine, by her own admission, is still at what one might call the ‘creeping stage’. “We currently supply The Guyana Marketing Corporation [GMC] with our products. Additionally, we have a customer base outside of Georgetown, in Berbice, Linden and the West Coast and West Bank, Demerara. Marketing is also done through the various social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.”
Naturally Beautiful products are manufactured at home in a makeshift laboratory. There are, Christine concedes, still more hurdles to cross. “My biggest challenge is still face-to-face communication with people,” Christine concedes. “I am a reserved person. That, I know, will have to change.” Her primary strength? She says that she is not afraid to dream.
Enquiries about Naturally Beautiful products can be made by contacting Christine at:
Christine.gittens@yahoo.com or Phone: 6589475
