By Nyasha Chuma
Songbird Plaxedes Wenyika has diversified into the production of skin care with the launch of the Ini Skincare by Plaxedes Wenyika, a product she believes will awaken the Phoenix in every Queen.
One of the pioneers of the Urban Grooves music genre, Wenyika hopes her new line will touch the hearts of many.
Wenyika said her post-divorce experience pushed her to step out of her comfort zone.
“Life happens and it happens to all of us. I found myself filing for divorce in June of 2018 and got it granted one week after l turned 38. I had decided to live my truth, after facing the fact that l had lost myself, was miserable and it was time to take my power back and happiness into my own hands,” Wenyika told Zim Morning Post.
“A new life path decision came with facing a lot of stereo types and misguided judgements about my worth as a woman in the public space and a public figure. I found my divorce in newspaper articles written in an unflattering light. l was never asked or interviewed for my side of story by the publications. It didn’t help that I was already going through mental, emotional and financial stress and felt like a failure and walked around with shame.”
“As time would have it l found the Queen in me and no outside influence would dissuade me from the life choice l had made. I began working on myself and got back to my daily self-care routine love language, which is soaking and skin care and through it mastered the art of self-love. My daily bathing ritual became the act of having me-time to rejuvenate myself and spoiling my body with soaps and oils reaffirmed my worth. This created a desire for me to get back to beauty care products l once created in 2014 and sold in my shop Munhanga which l had opened back then to be a feel good haven for women to shop for beauty and lingerie products.”
“I don’t believe in the word “kupera” which in my mother tongue means one’s worth or value has depreciated. Such talk and mind set has disempowered and disenfranchised women and has resulted in ageism especially towards women. I wanted to awaken the Phoenix in every Queen. To empower and share this knowledge with every Queen, that they can come back from anything. What l know for sure is this, skin is something that can be worked on and woman can glow at any age. I am not selling miracles, l am selling tangible, science based, realistic results driven products that work overtime,” Wenyika continued.
The songbird said she found the secret to be in a Queen’s bathing ritual and skincare routine.
“It falls on the products she uses and the knowledge she has. I got tired of going into shops with tonnes of products that never really delivered their promise and shop assistants that don’t know what in the world they are selling. I also got tired of women that don’t honestly share what they are using on their faces and in some cases women were using questionable products that ended up causing more harm than good,” she said.
“Taking matters into my own hands l sought to marry science and beauty to give women back their confidence. I wanted a product range that would be proudly Zimbabwean made from the best quality ingredients that are effective, safe and would be a daily luxury treat.”
Wenyika said her range “was made with love from a Queen who found herself and is focused on encouraging and reminding other Queens that they matter every single day. That they are worth investing in, that each time they have their me-time they deserve it and must take care of themselves as such.”
“That’s the heart of Ini Skin Care and l believe it shows. For us bathing and skin care are more than just an act, they are a critical part of the daily self-care ritual essential for a Queen’s wellbeing. Our products are made to awaken the Queen in every woman.”
The songwriter broke onto the scene at the turn of the millennium with ‘Tisaparadzane’ and later ‘Kamumanzi’.
The R n B singer made history by becoming one of the few women to venture into the male-dominated music industry at that time.
