Ana García, Erlys Pennycook Ramos and Sheila Beatriz Núñez share the same passion. From their hands come formulas made from plants, flower extracts, essential oils and minerals which are then transformed into cosmetics. Necessity, circumstances and the skills each possessed to venture into the natural beauty sector have been responsible for this convergence, although their approaches to facing challenges have marked some differences in their individual trajectories.
In a market increasingly focused on synthetic and mass-produced goods, these three Cuban entrepreneurs are dedicated to handcrafted products that benefit health and protect the environment while also being practical for consumers.
These ventures are a result of the economic resilience forced by the COVID-19 pandemic. In that context, many Cuban women lost their jobs. Some sought new ways to make a living and found in natural cosmetics a path to economic independence and self-realization.
“During the pandemic, my husband decided to convert areas of the house into gardens, with a variety of medicinal, aromatic and edible plants. That’s how the idea of creating cosmetic products from them was born.” And so, in March 2021, in Santiago de Cuba, La Hoja Verde emerged, a personal care business that, according to Sheila Beatriz Núñez Castro, opened new doors for her in a demanding market. “Success and acceptance come from knowing how to take advantage of circumstances where there was nothing, and suddenly a unique, high-quality product appears,” she says.
At the same time, Verda was founded in Holguín. Ana García Ramos — also a poet — initially took it on as a hobby until it grew and became a business. “You have to study; it’s difficult to find and keep suppliers, but it’s beautiful because I’ve learned and taught so much,” she told OnCuba.
On her social media posts, Ana shared the alchemical processes that led her to obtain something wonderful after several tests and formulas. Her products could be viewed in a catalog and orders placed via WhatsApp, at a time when these were beginning to become scarce. In handcrafted paper bags, along with a book (almost always poetry), the wonder of Verda would arrive in your hands.
On the other hand, Erlys Pennycook Ramos’s journey to natural, handcrafted cosmetics was different. As a child, her curly Afro hair endured countless hardships, and many treatments resulted in alopecia. As an adult, she lived in Italy for 11 years, where she studied natural cosmetics and learned how to apply them to her hair. However, upon returning to Cuba, she felt that putting everything she had learned into practice wouldn’t make much sense, because the tropical flora was different. She arrived on the island carrying the hairpieces she had used for 16 years, which had damaged her hair, and she felt the need to leave them behind.
“I started experimenting at home using flowers from the garden. I expanded on plants from organic gardens and invented the first formula, which worked quite well for my hair.” In a country where many women prefer extensions, wigs and hair straighteners, Erlys thought it would be difficult for her project to succeed.
“I set out to bring this formula to people with limited resources. Seeing that many of the products used were expensive, I decided to turn it into a sustainable business: that’s how Qué Negra! was born in 2018,” in Ciego de Ávila, as the first Cuban brand dedicated solely to the care of curly Afro hair.
Investing in a culture of wellness in today’s Cuba
Natural artisanal cosmetics have become a growing sector on the island, primarily driven by women seeking alliances with one another. They share challenges, markets and the need for access to raw materials and supplies, while trying to build a network of suppliers and acquire imported products. Currently, some 200 initiatives are interconnected in this field.
These projects are trying to grow while navigating difficulties in accessing financing, larger-scale production schemes or legal and financial support networks, in addition to technological shortcomings and legal and institutional obstacles. The country also lacks a center to certify artisanal natural cosmetics and specific regulations for their production and marketing.
Maintaining this type of business in the eastern part of the country presents constant challenges, Sheila emphasizes, as access to essential resources for establishing a serious business is difficult. The distance from Havana, where the main events that could enrich her project with information and experience are held, also plays a role.
“In Santiago, there isn’t a market dedicated to the sale of cosmetic supplies, so we prefer not to take risks and buy raw materials elsewhere. All of this translates into more money and time to achieve our goal,” she explains.
Buying packaging for their products is difficult, Sheila, Ana and Erlys agree. When Sheila achieved some financial stability, she began purchasing materials in the United States, such as essential and vegetable oils, fragrances, bottles and molds. This increases production costs but guarantees the quality of their service and their continued presence in the market. Although they use local ingredients like coconut oil, cocoa butter, beeswax and honey, most of their plants come from their own garden and are completely organic.
Ana, for her part, decided to settle in Havana a few years ago. There, she continues with Verda, navigating the challenges of a fluctuating economy while remaining determined to sustain the project. She seeks partnerships with individual suppliers and local farmers, relying on “a lot of imagination and perseverance.”
“Keeping anything functional in this country is a challenge, but with effort I’ve achieved perseverance. I try to make my business organic and ensure that suppliers follow sustainable and responsible practices; moreover, 80% of the packaging I use is recycled,” she insists.
“Our suppliers are 100% from the private sector. We have no partnerships or collaborations with state-owned companies,” Erlys emphasizes. She comments that part of her stability is due to the fact that her suppliers are still in the country: “We’ve been able to survive thanks to that; they are loyal customers and prioritize us over others because we’ve spent years cultivating this trust and we offer payment guarantees.”
How to offer a functional service portfolio for the Cuban public?
La Hoja Verde offers more than 120 products, including natural cosmetics and handicrafts: soaps, balms, serums, masks and candles. Sheila explains that her line is based on the principles of Ayurveda, which promotes the use of plants, flowers, oils, honey and other elements for personal care.
“We offer our customers products of the highest quality in terms of formulations. It’s important to understand the needs of the environment and the public in order to meet them. Knowing what has worked for us and what hasn’t, allows us to perfect the products we design and sell,” she adds.
The business has two fundamental premises: to produce and sell in a welcoming space, under conditions of kindness, transparency and respect; and to connect with the community through effective communication. “The shop is a small oasis in the hustle and bustle of a bustling, hot city like Santiago. We create an extraordinary amount of social media content to reach the community and our customers,” says Sheila. They also understand that developing a transparent sales strategy must be part of their core values.
Verda’s offering, meanwhile, includes 70 products: soaps, natural oils, hair waxes, scented candles and ointments. All are “handmade without preservatives, emulsifiers or artificial fragrances,” Ana points out. The base of their cosmetics includes beeswax, cocoa butter, beef tallow and coconut oil. Through their business, they also educate their clientele about the importance of choosing natural and sustainable products.
At Qué Negra!, products must have at least two functions, Erlys explains: “We can’t have a product for each thing, because we know that Cubans have less purchasing power.” Therefore, their product line includes only six multifunctional products, in addition to specialized services in several provinces. Among the most requested items are hair creams and gels.
Personal care in women’s territory
These three entrepreneurs in the artisanal natural cosmetics industry in Cuba navigate between a passion for local products and the barriers of an economic environment that still doesn’t fully recognize their value. Amidst certain misgivings, a shortage of supplies and a vague legal framework for entrepreneurship in this sector, these women are building a business model focused on sustainability and empowerment.
At La Hoja Verde, Sheila is in charge, but three other women collaborate with her. “I believe that the feminine spirit can transform our local economy. More and more women are embarking on this path; we must unite, because an integrated community can facilitate many processes.”
Erlys also leads a group focused on personal care: “In the last decade, women have taken the reins of the cosmetics industry, and this has allowed for an increase in the number of skilled formulators.”
“Many of us have found in natural cosmetics a space to develop our own businesses, thanks to the possibility of working from small workshops or under cooperative and microenterprise models,” Ana points out.
Although there is still much to be done, since 2022, in partnership with institutions and entrepreneurs, the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) Eco Rizos, directed by María Carla Figuerola, has been organizing the Artisanal Natural Cosmetics Meeting — now in its third edition — and co-managing the Introduction to Natural Cosmetics and Ayurveda Workshop, together with professors from the Cuban Society of Cosmetic Sciences at the University of Havana. These meetings bring together women entrepreneurs with the purpose of sharing processes that promote the value chain, gender equality and environmental responsibility.
“I owe it all to my people, because Cuba is where Qué Negra! was born. Here, I received so much support after facing numerous rejections. I’ve participated in events and conferences, and I’ve traveled all over Cuba with and for Qué Negra! I can’t leave all those people behind, nor abandon my team and the entire community that we created with so much sacrifice,” emphasizes Erlys.
Sheila sums it up like this: “We emerged in the midst of the pandemic: there was no soap or medicine; we were born out of necessity, but we discovered that we contribute much more. We’ve created a community of customers from whom we receive feedback. It’s not just about making a quality product that improves skin or hydrates hair, but about generating an impact on lifestyle and culture. Our purpose is to make people a little happier.”
