Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-01-31 07:00:00
Miriam Mukami began her college journey in 2012, pursuing training as a cabin crew. However, she shifted her passion midway and decided to drop out of the program. Following her newfound interest in self-employment, she enrolled in a business management course.
Hailing from Nairobi, Mukami spent her early years in Korogocho before moving to Dandora, where her family owned a house. Growing up, she was exposed to her mother’s entrepreneurial spirit as she helped her with making and selling baby jelly, beauty soaps, and powdered soaps to local shops. This experience sparked Mukami’s interest in entrepreneurship.
After her mother passed away while she was in grade eight, Mukami and her sister were taken in by their aunt, who supported them by selling liquid soap to neighbors and local markets. Mukami actively engaged in the process and found fulfillment in creating products from scratch.
Upon completing college, Mukami followed in her mother’s footsteps by founding Touché Cosmetics, a company that manufactures beauty products from plant-based oils and overripe fruits and vegetables. She draws inspiration from her mother’s manufacturing concepts and has continued to expand her knowledge through research and learning.
Touché Cosmetics supports local farmers and the circular economy by utilizing overripe fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste. Mukami has partnerships with individuals at Marikiti Market who help connect her with farmers and resellers of overripe fruits.
The company uses fruits like avocados, coconuts, pineapples, and plans to incorporate carrots, pawpaw, and onions for products like onion hair oil. Mukami aims to use natural ingredients for maximum skin benefits and is working towards setting up a plant to process overripe fruits and vegetables into raw oils to manage waste effectively.
Ultimately, Mukami’s vision for Touché Cosmetics includes becoming a leading supplier of raw oils and cosmetics products in Africa, expanding across other countries, and providing affordable, locally-made cosmetics products to professionals in the beauty industry.
She has also ventured into manufacturing baby oil, a product often overlooked by many companies. Her focus is on creating mild and friendly baby products using locally available raw oils. The product range of Touché Cosmetics includes massage oils, body splash, body scrub, polish remover, baby oils, baby sunscreen cream, baby shower gel, after-shave cream for men, and shower gel for both men and women.
As a beneficiary of the Google Hustle Academy, Mukami continues to grow her business and contribute to the local economy through her innovative and sustainable approach to cosmetics manufacturing.
