ENTREPRENEUR: Theo Mothoa-Frendo, founder of Uso — African Dermal Science
With the launch of skin-care products that target women with dark skin, this entrepreneur has tapped into a market that could take her brand all over the continent
The woman known as the doctor of melanin-rich skin, Theo Mothoa-Frendo, is in constant pursuit of the perfect glow. "I’ve always been obsessed about skin care and healthy skin. I’ve used most of the brands on the market," she says. One morning, Mothoa-Frendo looked at her bathroom shelf and thought: "How is it possible that one person can own so many skin-care brands, and how is it that so many of my skin-care brands are foreign?" After a series of disappointments with international brands, Mothoa-Frendo took matters into her own hands, founding Uso — African Dermal Science, a luxe skin-care brand developed specifically for darker skin tones. Mothoa-Frendo, who had spent 10 years as a medical director for sub-Saharan Africa for pharmaceutical firm Roche, developed Uso while studying towards an MBA at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Johannesburg. Uso, a word that translates loosely to "face" in Swahili, was launched last November, but it is the outcome of three years of r...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.