Sagal Jama Skincare – Ingredients and Inspiration Rooted in Somaliland

The inspiration for Sagal Jama’s cruelty-free skincare range was first born during Sagal’s childhood in Somaliland. Influenced greatly by her family of strong, inspired women Sagal was passionate about botanicals and clays even as a child – and today her vegan skincare products still use traditional Somali ingredients like the qasil leaf.

With the Sagal Jama range newly stocked at TheVeganKind Supermarket, we reached out to Sagal Jama herself, Founder and namesake of the company! Keep reading to find out how she was inspired as a young girl, how she’s striving to make the range completely plastic-free, how the qasil leaf as become an essential ingredient and more. 

It seems that your upbringing was a very important influence in developing your passion for skincare - can you tell our readers how your family and heritage influenced your brand and the decisions you make as a business?

I come from a family that's always had, strong-minded females. My grandmother was incredible in being able to make something from anything she was the original reuse and recycle queen! So for me using products that were in my family was a no brainer. This ability to look at a product a see its true potential is something I bring to my business too.

Which Sagal Jamal product is your favourite, and what makes it stand out from the rest of your range?

The Somali Mask is my go-to product, I started my company based on it! It’s a multitasking mask, not just for the face but also for the back and chest! It works wonder for acne and dull skin.

What values are most important to you when manufacturing your skincare products?

I knew for certain from the beginning that I didn't want to add to the huge problem of plastic in the skincare world, so I decided to use paper packaging for my products. Although my oil bottles do have a dropper which is made of plastic, I am working on offering a screw top for my oils instead to eliminate this.

I also decided to use organic ingredients in all my products because I think my customer deserves the very best without breaking the bank! My heritage also plays a huge role, as I source my main ingredient from Somalia in East Africa where it is still traditionally picked. I source from farmers directly and offer them fair prices for their goods

What has been the biggest challenge Sagal Jama has faced so far? What about the biggest achievement?

I launched in January 2020 and when Covid hit the UK I was concerned about all the plans I had and also how this would be affecting me, uncertainty was hard to deal with! But with this in mind, I managed to look find ways to still be selling online and reaching more and more customer all over the world. 

On your website you mention the qasil leaf several times - can you tell us a bit more about what makes this ingredient so special? Has it featured in many of your skincare products?

Qasil is my go-to product for everything – it's a plant that grows in Somaliland where I was born. This plant has been passed down in the family for generations. The qasil leaf is sun-dried and crushed to powder. This powder is then used for skin as a mask, helping to treat dandruff and also heal wounds. I use it in all my clays as it adds a boss of antioxidants and botanical goodness!

How has the pandemic affected Sagal Jama as a business, and do you have any new products or exciting milestones coming up as we face this ‘new normal’?

I'm a mum so when the pandemic hit all of sudden I had to become a teacher on top of everything else, which has made me appreciate teachers so much more! I had to look at what customers were using and take onboard their feedback. I'm excited to bring out the mini clay collection which six beautiful clays from around the world to suit all skin types – I'm also working on creams, candles and many other things so please keep an eye on the website!

Sagal Jama Skincare is available to buy at TheVeganKind Supermarket! You can find out more about the range on @sagaljamaskin on Instagram.