From Pharmacy to Beeswax: How Joan Muthui Built a Thriving Organic Skincare Brand

Entrepreneurial Journey: Transforming Beehive By-Products into Skincare Gold

Joan Muthui, a pharmacist with a passion for holistic skin health, has turned an everyday by-product of beekeeping into a successful business. In 2024, she enrolled at the Lenana Institute of Beekeeping and discovered that beeswax—the leftover substance after honey extraction—could be used to create natural skincare products.

With guidance from a former lecturer who was producing his own organic soap, Joan dove into research and experimentation. Her first attempts, however, weren’t smooth. Feedback from her sisters and pharmacy colleagues suggested the products were too harsh and irritating. Instead of giving up, Joan collaborated with her lecturer to refine the formulas, eventually creating safe and effective lip balms, soaps, and moisturizers using four core ingredients: beeswax, shea butter, honey, and essential oils.

Using Mount Kenya University’s Thika campus laboratory for sterile production, Joan ensured her products met high standards. She then navigated the regulatory process, securing licences from both the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, a step crucial for commercial success.

In January 2025, Joan showcased her products at a Rotary fair. By the end of the day, her organic moisturizers had earned her Ksh 9,600—a clear sign that her venture was working. Her breakthrough moment came when a pregnant woman visiting her pharmacy couldn’t afford commercial skincare products. Joan offered her own body butter as an alternative, and the woman returned confirming that it relieved her persistent itchiness. This validation from real users marked the turning point for Joan.

Today, Joan is the brains behind Beesplash Limited, a company specializing in organic skincare products made from beeswax. Her products are now recommended by dermatologists, and she receives daily orders, proving that determination, research, and a willingness to learn from feedback can turn a humble idea into a thriving business.