NAIROBI, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Before Joan Wambui's worktop lays an array of skincare products, she picks each one presenting its relevance to her client's needs.

The client keenly listens while acknowledging Wambui's advice with a nod, and thereafter a purchase is made.

The scenes were repeated early this week inside Wambui's beauty and skincare establishment domiciled in Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD).

As the curtains fall on the year, the savvy businesswoman can sigh with relief after her enterprise remains open despite the prevailing economic challenges occasioned by COVID-19.

"It was assumed that this industry would experience a major downturn perhaps because skincare and make-up is a secondary need but far from that perception, the need to look and feel beautiful has not waned among our clients even during a global pandemic," said Wambui.

While different sectors of the Kenyan economy have endured a downturn, the beauty industry has managed to weather the COVID-19 storm and maintained a steady revenue stream.

Industry players have attributed this to prompt business adaptability and a renewed appreciation for beauty and skincare regimes in the wider populace.

"The face is the first feature you are likely to notice when you encounter anyone and as such women, in particular, want to leave a memorable memory, hence the desire to wear make-up and care for the skin. This inherent need is what has kept me and others in business," said Wambui.

Further, Wambui said that her business's ability to respond to the changing consumer needs was one of the factors that cushioned it from the pandemic's shocks.

"After observing a trend in which women have developed a high affinity for skincare products while hunkering down at home, I consulted a dermatologist and curated a regimen that addressed all skin problems. Consequently, I slowed down on make-up importations," said Wambui.

She said the strategic move coupled with rigorous marketing has seen her sales increase up to 50 percent in the last four months.

The cosmetic industry in Kenya has been on a growth trajectory over the years with multinational brands such as L'Oreal East Africa setting their offices in the country.

Other high-end cosmetic companies like MAC have opened shops in different malls across the capital, Nairobi.

Judith Kawira, a distributor of cosmetic products in Nairobi, affirmed that the entry of skincare products formulated for her skin type which falls on the dark spectrum piqued her interest in makeup.

She added that since she started using make-up, her confidence which was eroded by acute acne has been restored.

"Staying at home for months has not prompted a make-up brake for me. Even if my movement is limited I still have to apply minimal makeup. I feel more confident when my acne scars are covered up," said Karwira.

Karwira, however, concedes that sustaining her love for cosmetics is not cheap as her preferred products retail expensively.

Asha Hussein, an authorized distributor of body sprays, perfumes among other premium self-care products, admits that her business nearly collapsed when COVID-19 struck.

"I was caught flat-footed, I did not have time to be innovative. It was after I recorded zero sales for two weeks that I moved online where I offered brief tutorials on make-up to prospective users and the more experienced consumers," said Hussein.

The move by the beauty enthusiast proved to be the shot in the arm that her business needed urgently.

Presently, Hussein's headache is the high foreign exchange rates occasioned by the weakening of the Kenyan shilling against the U.S. dollar that has made importation an expensive venture.

The shilling has been enduring pressure under the U.S. dollar since the start of the pandemic with a dip in the dollar as a result of a distressed Tourism industry.

Maryanne Usha Ahmed, an economist and trained skincare expert admitted that value chain players are still reeling from the effects of the pandemic even as economies open up, but reiterated the importance of agility in business.

"Businesses that want to come out on the other side better ought to change a few things to remain relevant, paying attention to consumer needs is integral when it comes to business sustainability, it is important not to overlook product pricing as well," said Ahmed. Enditem

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