Oré Mi is the powerful home and fragrance brand creating lasting impact
Written by Marianne Olaleye, JAIKU
Founder Karen Olla is using her beauty business for good, offering a percentage of her proceeds to mental health charities across the country.
Photographed by Krystal Nuevill
Karen Olla’s beauty brand isn’t just about products, it’s a mission rooted in community, creativity, and mental health awareness. Launching Oré Mi – meaning “my friend” in Yoruba – in 2019, the importance of giving back and staying true to her values has always been a key part of the company’s ethos. "I run a business all about giving back to mental health charities and making everyone aware that they're not alone in their mental health journey," she says.
Why is this matter so important to her? Olla started her career working in marketing for beauty titans including Estée Lauder, MAC Cosmetics, Dior and Origins. While she loved it, she was undeniably stressed. And it was fragrance, specifically candles, that enabled her to mentally reset.
“I would come home after a hard day, clean my room, and light a candle,” she recalls.
It wasn’t long before she started experimenting with formulating her own products, receiving honest critiques from her family members.
With just £800 set aside and the pandemic in full force, 2020 gave Olla the headspace and opportunity to take her venture from a DIY project to a real money earner. For her, launching the brand wasn’t just a hobby but a chance to show up in an industry that is not racially diverse. “I wanted to be the drop of diversity fragrance lacks,” she says.
Thinking of applying for BGF and Glossier’s Black Beauty Grant Programme? Olla’s advice is to come prepared! After applying in 2023, she didn’t win the opportunity, but it was a blessing in disguise as it gave her time to reflect on how she would realistically utilise the grant money to grow her business. In 2024, she won.
“I needed the grant not only to launch a sustainable product but without it, I might never have made [my dream of creating a fragrance] come true – it’s just too expensive.”
Now, Olla has launched her first signature scent called ìfẹ́ which means love. Created during her stint at perfume school, she describes the fragrance as a “warm hug” with key notes of vetiver and labdanum.
Oré Mi’s first signature scent - ìfẹ́
And it’s already proving a hit. Oré Mi recently collaborated with a boutique hotel in Westbourne Park called Mason & Fifth. “I walked in and [smelt my fragrance] through the lobby, and they were going around spritzing everyone's room with the scent," she says. “It was just such a proud moment.”
Her second proudest achievement to date is having the capability to donate 2.5% of each sale to charities like Black Minds Matter UK and the Oremi Centre – both of which offer mental health support to Black and Brown people.
After a brief stint of being stocked in Whole Foods, Olla is now on the hunt for retailers that are the right fit. “If I'm approached by Space NK or Sephora, I'm not going to say yes [just] because it looks good,” she says.
“Over six years, I’ve realised that no matter your sales, it’s better to exist than not. Amazing opportunities come your way just by existing.”
Thank you so much to Karen for sharing such inspiring words with us.
Connect with Karen 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
