Elizabeth Ola is changing the face of cosmetics
Written by Marianne Olaleye, JAIKU
At just 18, the business student had already laid the foundations for her brand, TRU SKN. Six months later, she won BGF and Glossier’s Black Beauty Grant and she’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Elizabeth Ola is defying the odds with her cosmetics line, TRU SKN. At just 18 years old, while in her first year of university at Westminster, she had a clear vision for what her brand should be and ran with it.
Photographed by Krystal Nuevill
“It was the first thing on my mind in the morning and the last thing on my mind before I went to bed,” she says.
As one of the few dark-skinned pupils at her boarding school, she recalls the ritual of going to Boots or Superdrug to buy makeup ahead of a night out, and struggling to find anything that matched her skin tone. “I never felt included in that process,” she adds. “There would never be any options for someone of my skin complexion.”
Personal experience became the catalyst for her business vision. Launching TRU SKN in 2022, Ola ensured that the line was designed with quality, inclusivity, and sustainability at its core.
“It shouldn't be a USP. It should be the standard,” she says.
Ola had the drive and forward thinking nature to apply her educational learnings to her company, tentatively juggling both passions.
“I studied entrepreneurship and was applying what I learned in real time,” she says “My business became the centre of my degree.”
And her lecturers started to take notice. Through Westminster’s programmes and grant schemes, Ola started to gain funding to help elevate her business. It was one of these lecturers who also floated the idea of her applying for BGF and Glossier’s Black Beauty Grant Programme in 2023.
“I didn’t think I stood a chance,” she says, “But I had absolutely nothing to lose.” While on a trip back from Singapore, Ola diligently filled in the form, “No Wi-Fi, just screenshots of the questions.” Her hard work paid off. “Winning that grant allowed me to launch our best-selling product, the Luminous Skin Finish Cream Blush.” In the brand’s infancy, TRU SKN was able to move ahead of time, into a space where bigger brands operate.
With huge plans for the future, the 22-year-old is now looking towards fundraising, increasing production, and retail expansion. “We’re looking to raise £300-400k, move our labs to Japan or South Korea, and expand to the US,” she says. That’s no small feat.
In the UK, she’s set her sights on the brand being stocked in Space NK, Sephora, Selfridges, and Boots, with a vision of being a premium brand from day one. “That means investing in quality from the start.”
To gain visibility, she’s currently investing her time in pop-ups at central locations like London’s Oxford Street. “Pop-ups are what motivate me the most,” she continues, “I get to meet the people who love our products.” Seeing people walk up and interact with her brand gave her such a visceral reaction. “I cried the first time I saw real people walk in. That was more than a sale. It was someone feeling represented.”
Besides seeing a real demand for inclusion within the beauty space, it’s Ola’s faith and personal values that keep her motivated.
“I'm doing this for the younger version of myself, the one who didn’t feel seen. That’s the best feeling ever.”
Thank you so much to Elizabeth for sharing her journey with us.
Connect with Elizabeth or read more about the Black Beauty Grant programme here.
We’re eager to learn, collaborate, and share knowledge, so if you’re interested in working with us, say hello@blackgirlfest.com
BGF x
