‘I was a Milton Keynes mum trying to take my son’s pain away’

When Shalom Lloyd’s twins Joshua and Amara were born in March 2014, her son had severe eczema that left him bleeding and looking like he had snakeskin.

Having trained as a pharmacist, the British-Nigerian, who said she was a “scientist thorough and through”, could not justifying giving him steroids so decided to look for an alternative, natural solution.

“I was a desperate mum who’d just been given this precious gift and was trying to find a way to take my son’s pain away – it’s really that simple,” she said.

She left her high paying job, remortgaged her home in Milton Keynes and launched a business. Six years later, her skincare company won a national award for sustainability.

Mrs Lloyd said the business began on her kitchen table. Drawing on her science background, she used raw shea butter and added other ingredients to create her own recipe.

Within three days she had her “eureka formulation”.

“Josh’s skin started to drastically change and improve and eventually became what it should have been from birth,” she said.

She then decided to remortgage her home to start Naturally Tiwa Skincare.

The company was registered in June 2016, started trading in March 2018 and is now based in Stony Stratford.

It grew to employ about 70 women at two shea processing plants in Nigeria.

“It’s not philanthropy, it’s not aid, it’s trade,” the 51-year-old said.

“Yes, I am empowering women but they’re working for their living.”

After processing, the raw material was sent to the UK where it was manufactured, tested and packaged. It was then stored in a Milton Keynes warehouse.

Once an online order was approved, members of MK Snap – a charity that helps adults with learning difficulties to thrive – were paid to pick, pack and ship the produce.

“Starting my business was a fluke – I’d love to say it was all part of my master plan, but I had an incredible job in the pharma industry, I had a six figure salary, I had my children in private school, holidays every year, and I left it,” Mrs Lloyd told the BBC.

“I gave that up because I believe in what I’m doing.

“Having a business that is founded by women, made by women, led by women, but used by all is a special thing.

“Sometimes people say to me – ‘is it difficult being a black female business owner?’

“I went to university in Ukraine in the 80s, you could count the black people with half your finger, I don’t care. I just want to go out there and do what I need to do – do the right thing – make the world a better place and make money doing it – simple.”

She added: “We have found our niche and we’re staying in our niche and that is for people with skin conditions or cancer patients who are going through chemotherapy, radiotherapy or menopausal women, we’re positioning ourselves as a solutions driven organization.

“We’re small but mighty.”

Mrs Lloyd’s company won the sustainable business category at the Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAs).

The judges said its “dedication to sustainability is unwavering”.

Coral Horn, the founder of the EVAs, said the winners “showcased remarkable passion, dedication, and a clear vision for a more sustainable future”.