Let’s talk about beauty! Beauty used to be in the eyes of the beholder but now it starts with the holder. What am I trying to say? Looking good is good business and everyone wants to feel beautiful. The motivation to look good comes mostly from within oneself than outside self as self esteem for some people is tied to how they feel about their looks.
The African woman is naturally beautiful but the modern African woman won’t settle for just beautiful; she wants more! This is where beauty enhancement and care comes in. The need to look in a particular way, be addressed in a particular way, be perceived in a particular way, or be known for a particular feature all constitute valid motivations to look good.
However, Hajarah Wuraola Jibril- CEO Bella Nucci Therapy- in an exclusive interview with blueink.ng said the misconception some people have about skin therapy has made it nearly impossible for some others to yield to their beauty desires without being tagged in a negative way. In this interview, she explains the difference between skin therapy and skin bleaching among other things.
Things you need to know about Hajarah Wuraola Jibril
“I lost my dad at a very young age and I grew up with my mum and siblings in FCT. I am the last of five children and a graduate of law from the University of Abuja. I am a serial entrepreneur who has acquired skills in catering, fashion design, make up, interior design and beauty. I own Nucci Global Enterprises, which is a group of companies ranging from salon, spa, to boutique and very soon other chains of related companies. Bella Nucci Therapy is a part of Nucci Global Enterprises.”

The story of Bella Nucci Therapy
“Well, the story began with me as a child staring at models on billboards, magazine covers, newspapers and TV. I was always fascinated by how beautiful they looked, from their hair, to their skin, nails; in fact, everything about them screamed beautiful to my young mind. As a young adult, the first opportunity I got to travel out, I went on a shopping spree for beauty products. After sometime, I ventured into buying and selling of beauty products on a small scale. Before I knew it, I was handling skincare problems and then one day I decided to it was time to step it up. First, I took a crash course on beauty in South Korea after which, Bella Nucci Therapy was born into existence. Therefore, in a nutshell, Bella Nuchi Therapy was the end product of my childhood passion.”
Shedding light on what Bella Nucci Therapy is really all about
At Bella Nucci Therapy, we treat real life issues. We help people to be their best self from helping them care for their skin, reach their weight goals to dealing with health issues. All these things actually affect people’s perception of themselves and determine their self esteem.
Bella Nucci bestselling and most underrated products
Our best seller is our Diamond glow face cream. It was originally designed to help get a younger looking skin and promote the natural glow of the skin but subsequently a lot of people reported that the products cleared major blemishes on their skin and never bleached their face or caused sensitivity plus it’s incredibly large in size so people naturally gravitated towards it a lot.
The most underrated product unfortunately will be the anti aging products! Most Nigerians women think you have to be old to start using anti aging products which is not true. It’s harder to reverse the effect of aging once it’s already there than actually managing it from an early stage. Any woman past the age of 25 To 30 should start paying attention to anti aging products and lifestyle that delay signs of aging”
Biggest challenges facing the Nigerian beauty industry
As of now, the biggest challenge faced by the industry would be the misconception Nigerians have about skin therapy. A lot of people consider skin therapy to be the same as skin bleaching which is totally false. Unfortunately, this has put a stigma on the industry which is very sad! The industry is as serious as any other industry. You see, a lot of players in the industry just like Bella Nucci Therapy are adopting the organic approach as we understand that everything needed for a healthy living has been provided for by nature from time immemorial. People need to be sensitized on the difference between skin therapy and skin bleaching in order to clear this confusion and set the beauty industry on the glorious path it deserves.”

Let us talk about you… what is your beauty routine?
“Like I said earlier, I have always been a great fan of skincare right from a young age, so I’ve been doing basically the same things from before I became a therapist up till now… The only thing that makes the difference is the fact that I kept improving on my products and I am not about to stop.
I cleanse my skin a lot! I pay attention to exfoliation a lot, my soap has to be very cleansing, not surface alone but deep pores cleansing. A lot of dirt gets into the skin daily and is an underlying factor for so many skin problems; if the skin is really clean then most issues won’t arise!
Something else I pay a lot of attention to is moisturizing. Drinking water or taking in a lot of fruit is hardly enough to give the skin all the hydration it needs to look younger, glow and be healthier. Therefore, I moisturize and hydrate my skin by using our beauty elixir and also Bella Nucci deeply moisturizing lotions. I also never go to bed without cleansing my face no matter how tired I am. The fastest way to get an aged and damaged skin is by going to bed with beauty products on or sleeping on sheets with oil residue from the hair or environmental dirt!”
What is that one beauty product you can’t do without?
“I can’t do without my Bella Nucci Lemon citrus herbal blend soap! I was going to say Bella Nucci face deep exfoliation cleanser but then this soap is so good it serves as a face deep exfoliator. It’s so good you practically see all the dirt in your skin coming off visibly! It’s super cleansing and is a two time award winning best selling product”
Which country have you been to so far that you can was your best and why?
“I will say London because the people there are super nice. There is so much shopping locations and designer brands are everywhere and most importantly, there so much social life and fun.”
As a foodie have you ever considered food blogging?
“I will love to blog about food some day because I like to try new things and I am a huge fan of well presented meals! So why not?”
How will you describe your style?
“Hmm, first of all, comfort is key for me. Also, I love popping, stylish and rare pieces. I love unique outfits and designs! I wear what I want, when and how I want. But I love to make a statement and in most cases turn heads lol.”
Where do you like to shop?
“This is a very tricky question. When in Nigeria, I shop online by ordering from international brands like ASOS, River islands, Mui Mui, Micheal kors. If I need traditional pieces I sit with my stylist and we draft unique pieces and she makes them in no time. If I need emergency English pieces I visit or order for pieces at shop Lureino Bent, and for shoes I do De footmall.
When I travel though, I buy what I like and if I’m loaded, I visit top brands and see what I can get. I am a perfume freak so I buy my perfumes usually at duty free (lol) because I get the best prices and best brands.”
Do you have a favorite Nigerian designer?
‘Though we fight and makeup a lot, my favorite is house of Zicheal because she gets my unique style and love for popping designs. Their finishing is really nice too.’
What fashion item do you spend the most on?
“My jewelry, some of which I never wear. I just buy them, take pictures and admire from afar.”
What do you like about Abuja?
Abuja is one of the calmest, coolest places to live in Nigeria. I’m an introvert so the quietness is everything to me.
Name your favorite spots and places in Abuja
My favorite places will be the cool restaurants to eat good food and Bella Nucci place.
What should we expect from Bella Nucci Skin Therapy in the nearest future?
“Well, not immediately but for future projections, I personally aim for that Killie Jenner billion dollars. In order to save clients high cost of shipping, Bella Nucci is looking into setting up shops in London, United States and Italy.”
Credits
Interview by Ejike Emmanuel (@ejikeManny)
Edited by Ikeagwuonu Nana (@ikeagwuonunana)
Photography by Samson Shobanke (@sampixels)
Photo editor Dakshak (@dakshaks.ng)
Graphics by Mr Manny (@mr.mannyy)
Outfits by House of Zicheal (@houseofzichael) and Zara (@zara)
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