More and more people are conscious not only about what they put into their bodies for good health but also what they put on to their skin.  Consumers are trying to get away from sulfates traditionally found in shampoos that have gained notoriety for being very harsh on the skin & scalps of persons with skin conditions such as: psoriasis, eczema or sensitive skin.  Skin conditions such as psoriasis affect 7.8 million adults in Europe and approximately 1-3% of adults in Europe suffer from eczema.  Also, many consumers are now seeking to avoid parabens a key component used to restrict bacterial growth in many popular international hair care lines which has been linked in recent times by many medical studies to the development of breast cancer.

Across the Caribbean you’ll find naturally made soaps, shampoo’s and personal care products that are devoid of such dangerous chemicals.  At the upcoming 4^th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum in Frankfurt, Germany a collection of some of the finest natural products from the Caribbean will be presented such as, Curealoe from Curacao; Caribbean Blue Naturals from Saint Lucia; BahamaSpa from the Bahamas and Sugar Town Organics from St. Kitts and Nevis.  Another such company which is quickly becoming a company to look out for is Herboo Corporation Ltd.

Herboo Corporation Ltd., a Jamaican company which produces a range of hair and skin products using locally grown plants, spices and herbs.  According to Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Javin Williams, the idea was birthed out of his personal experience with dandruff. A few years ago I had really bad dandruff and while I tried the popular brands they just would not work so in my frustration I went to my grandmother and she recommended some herbs to me like rosemary and peppermint and trust me when I tell you that when I used them, in less than two weeks my dandruff was gone.

After that experience he decided to utilize locally grown herbs and spices on a commercial scale as a way to help others treat their hair and skin.  He explained that coming from a poor background meant that he did not have the money needed to produce the products on the scale he wanted so his sister came to the rescue.

She took samples of the products to her university and asked for donations in exchange for a sample of the products.  The money collected was the seed money used to create products on a commercial sale which were then sold and the proceeds used to develop new products.  Javin also entered a number of business competitions and the proceeds from those also assisted.

In addition to local financial assistance, Javin also received support in a number of areas including the chemical composition of the product, investment advice and marketing.

The 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum is a 3-day event taking place from 26-28th September 2019.  Over 60 Caribbean suppliers across 4 industry sectors will be at the event organized by the Caribbean Export Development Agency in collaboration with the European Union and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) aims to improve trade between the Caribbean and Europe.