St Lucian entrepreneur Nydia Norville started her skincare line Choiselle (pronounced Shwa-zelle) when she was living in the US.

Nydia was having problems with dry skin, and most of the ‘natural’ products she tried did not give her any relief. She started researching ingredients and, inspired by her Caribbean roots, began creating unique formulations for her own brand.

Now living back in St Lucia, Nydia is planning to expand her product range, and further utilise the diverse tropical flora grown throughout the island.

Yello asked Nydia to share her story.

Please tell us a bit about your background.

Both of my parents are St Lucian. I lived on the island throughout my early childhood until the age of seven, when I moved with my Dad to southern New Jersey.

I went to school and college in northern New Jersey. Then I moved to New York City and lived there for about 11 years and then back to New Jersey for five years.

I’d come back to St Lucia every year on vacation to see lots of family. I decided to come back to live in July 2019.

What were your plans for a career when you were younger?

I did well in school, but I didn’t have much of a clue what I wanted to do in terms of a career.

I remember in high school thinking to myself ‘what’s the base for almost everything in life?’ and I chose business because, to me, whether you want to be an artist or a basket weaver, you need to know how to sustain yourself doing it.

So that’s kind of how I stumbled upon business, and the more I studied it in college, the more interesting and intriguing it became to me.

Did you plan to become an entrepreneur?

I remember, at some point, probably midway through my schooling, deciding that I wanted to work for myself and not follow the typical career path.

During high school and college, I dabbled with modelling, so after college, I did that for about four years.

I knew then that whatever money or contacts I made through modelling, would go towards my future business, although I still didn’t know what kind of business yet.

How / why did you launch your skincare brand ‘Choiselle’?

When I lived in the US, I suffered from dry skin a lot, especially in the fall and winter. Nothing really alleviated it.

One day I started looking at the ingredients on a bottle of lotion. I Googled some of them and was quite shocked to find they were far from ‘natural’, and some can even be found in anti-freeze and brake fluid!

Then on a whim one night I thought ‘maybe I can make my own moisturiser?’ You read articles about people making facial scrubs from oatmeal and stuff from the kitchen, so I thought maybe I could do it.

I was also reflecting on life in the Caribbean, and how I grew up with my grandmother, watching her make coconut oil from scratch. Everything we needed, we found in the backyard.

I created my first product which was a body butter. I used it, and it worked well for me. I packaged it and gave it to some friends, they liked it and asked me to make some more, and it grew from there.

How did you come up with the name Choiselle?

My brand was initially called Luxe Essentials, but after I realised the product was selling in the stores and doing well, I decided to rebrand.

So, I was thinking of a name, and I looked at the map of St Lucia, and there’s an area called Choiseul which is known for arts and crafts, basket weaving and furniture making. I also remembered watching a documentary on the artisans there, and how they used everything that naturally came from that region, and it was inspirational.

I wasn’t sure about whether I could legally use the actual name of the area, so I decided to play off it.

The name Choiselle reflects St Lucia, the artisans, and my inspiration around the brand, so it was a nice match.

What was the biggest challenge you faced starting the business? How did you overcome it?

I would say finance. Finding the money to get it going and keep it going.

You learn to be savvy with your finances. You learn how to make things work on a smaller budget, and it makes you creative and resourceful.

Initially, I bootstrapped the business with the money I made from modelling, and I started with $1,500 (US). Then as we made money, I reinvested.

Now, I feel like I’ve developed ways to get things done without large amounts of cash. I’ve also never let lack of finances stop me because there are lots of resources out there.

How do you go about choosing the ingredients to create the formulas?

Initially, I did a lot of research on ingredients and formulations.

I don’t have a traditional chemist background, but because of all the research I did, I was able to pinpoint ingredients that I don’t want to use and ones that I can use.

A lot of the time, harmful ingredients are used in skincare because they are cheap, and they make the product smell, look and feel good. But what I’ve been able to do is find a natural replacement for those products.

When I first started my brand, the cosmetic industry was not interested in finding alternatives to chemicals. But now, as the thinking has started to shift and the demand has risen, even more, natural replacement ingredients have become available, and you can find some that are great for exfoliating, acne or mature skin.

Once I have an idea of what I want to create, I’ll begin the process of trial and error. I do a lot of testing on myself, and I have a couple of friends who don’t mind being guinea pigs as well.

When I have settled on a formula, I’ll send it off to the laboratory for further testing. Once I get the OK, I can start producing it for the public.

It sounds like quite a long and complicated process?

Yes, it takes a while before a product can be released. I’m also particular about the ingredients that I use, and I don’t compromise.

I’d rather delay launching something until I find a natural alternative because if it’s not right, I’m not going to put it out there. I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to that, even if it means I may not launch anything for a year or two.

I like to take my time and make sure my product is the best that it can possibly be.

What products do you offer?

Neroli Oil Face Elixir which uses soursop seed oil, papaya seed oil, and hibiscus seed oil; all ingredients associated with the Caribbean.

Coconut wax candles in three scents – lavender, lemongrass and ylang-ylang. We have bath and body oils in those three scents as well.

How can people find your products?

My North American and international customers can go to the website – https://choiselle.com/.

In St Lucia, we are in several stores in the north of the island – The Landing Spa and Hotel in Rodney Bay; Artfully Crafted at JQ Mall; Duty Free Shoppers in Baywalk Mall and Ahava Spa in Rodney Bay.

Saint Lucians can also order at Cibigi.online for delivery to their door.

How is your line different from other natural brands?

We’re a small company, so I make everything in small batches which ensures freshness. When a person purchases our products, they are getting the best in terms of quality and ingredients.

We don’t compromise on anything.

How are you hoping to expand the business?

Now we are based in St Lucia I want to transition so that most, if not all, of our ingredients are grown and sourced locally or regionally.

I plan to add more products such as lotions, shampoos and conditioners.

I want this brand to be in hotels, spas and boutiques across the Caribbean and North America. I want to be a St Lucian brand that is known throughout the Caribbean.

What advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs?

Take your time, think about the business from all angles, so that it is sustainable.

Be prepared to work really hard with long hours, all types of trials and tribulations, and to be tested in ways you can’t imagine; emotionally, physically and financially.

If, after considering everything, you still want to go down this route, then do it to the best of your ability.

Be passionate about what you’re doing. If you are just doing something for fame or money and you don’t have a love for it, then it’s not going to be worth anything.

Also, make sure to take care of you. Entrepreneurs are always going, but you can’t pour from an empty cup, so find balance and take care of your mind, body and spirit.

Don’t be discouraged. Not everyone is going to see your vision, but if you know in your heart that this is what you want to do, then stay true to yourself, regardless of whatever else is going on.

What do you love about St Lucia?

It’s a picturesque island with a lot of natural beauty. I like the warm weather and the warmth of the people. It has a community feel as opposed to city life which can be cold and standoffish.

I’m a nature person. I need to be around nature, so living here provides that for me.

I’ve spent most of my life overseas, but St Lucia always has and still does, feel like home.

What do you do to relax?

I like to spend time at the beach. Sometimes I go alone, to unwind and take a deep breath. The water is calming and relaxing.

The southern part of the island is a lot slower than the north. It’s quieter and less developed, so I like to go down there to explore. St Lucia has a lot of hidden gems.

What is your motto/philosophy in life?

“With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.”

You can find all the Choiselle products online at https://choiselle.com/

Or contact Nydia via Instagram or Facebook.