We had the opportunity to talk to Danika Woods, the founder of Exentrique. Danika talks about her brand’s ethos and the entire atmosphere she wishes to create around it. Exentrique is an all-inclusive beauty brand, taking into account all types of skin and including everyone within it.

To find out more about Danika and Exentrique, keep reading!

Can you tell us a little more about Exentrique’s background and the story behind choosing its name?

I knew I wanted to do something in the beauty space that was built on expression and diversity. When I started the company, the words that resonated with mindset of the brand were ‘unique’ and ‘eccentric’. We started using the word Exentrique as a personality trait and it became the name. Exentrique is whatever you need it to be. A safe space for you to express yourself and build self-confidence. I felt the beauty industry, more specifically, skincare needed a fairy godmother of some sorts that was just saying it’s okay to not conform to these socially constructed beauty standards and be yourself. That translated into a skincare range and here we are!

You have suffered with skin problems yourself; how does Exentrique cater to all skin types and skin conditions?

Yes, I suffered with severe eczema as a child and I found that as my skin improved with age, my mind is still impacted by the psychologic effect of having a skin condition. The formulations are scientifically developed for all skin types. They prioritise barrier protection which is a key factor for all skin. We then put the products through a HRIPT test which allows us to claim ‘hypoallergenic’. We tested the finished products on a range of skin types, including on skin conditions and have seen great results. I will always say that everyone is different and people can have reactions to multiple ‘safe’ ingredients for multiple different reasons so always listen to your skin!

Could you tell us a little more about the products themselves; was it a challenge to make them cruelty free and vegan?

The incentive was to create products that worked, regardless of their position in the market (cruelty free, vegan etc). I had such a hard time finding products/brands that I loved and that worked on my skin and I was sick of having to compromise in an area that’s supposed to be full of options. It was easy to formulate the products cruelty free & vegan. We have great alternatives to animal derivatives and I don’t believe animal testing is necessary. I worked with an amazing formulation house who understood the criteria and we went from there. I read the reviews of best-selling products and made notes of what people liked/didn’t like. I prioritised all the feedback and made sure the formulations ticked those boxes without compromising our values. It became about high performing, effective products that happen to be cruelty free & vegan.

What product would you say is the most popular at the moment?

How do you envision your brand in the future? Do you have short and/or long-term plans?

In the next few years, we will expand the range to include more categories of skincare. We also have plans to make the range more inclusive, offering fragrance free and also reducing plastic. Long term, I hope to turn Exentrique into a platform that embodies what I believe the beauty industry should look like. Expressive, empowering, supportive, kind and inclusive. We want to become an unproblematic household name.

Your website has a “Beauty Break Room” – how exactly can customers use this?

The beauty break room is a facebook group we have started. Anyone can join and contribute to it. It is there to act as a timeline that’s empowering to scroll through. The beauty industry has often used social media to push a constructed idea of beauty that’s unrealistic and quite damaging for self esteem/body image and with the rise in influencer marketing, it’s allowed attention to become currency. With social media being a powerhouse for brands/influencers to leverage, it’s quite full of distorted ideals that I think everyone deserves a break from. The beauty break room is judgement free zone where we can start redefining what ‘beauty’ is and taking some of that control back.

And finally, who or what is your biggest inspiration?

I feel most inspired around my friends and family! We get into deep chats around Exentrique, the potential it has, where it could go and what it could do and I always come away feeling elevated. I have had so much to unlearn when it comes to my own relationship with my skin/body, Exentrique has been a journey for me too and the opportunity to share that with everyone inspires me to keep going.

I do admire Emily Weiss. Glossier was birthed from frustration with traditional brands letting her and her fans down. There was a community there and the brand has grown with purpose, inspired by real life. It’s more than just a beauty brand, Emily has built a platform and I admire that a lot!