{"id":2644,"date":"2019-12-14T01:00:43","date_gmt":"2019-12-13T22:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yemeniamerican.com\/en\/?p=2644"},"modified":"2019-12-23T22:09:02","modified_gmt":"2019-12-23T19:09:02","slug":"boubi-bangladeshi-businesswoman-creates-vegan-skincare-line-to-help-build-confidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yemeniamerican.com\/en\/boubi-bangladeshi-businesswoman-creates-vegan-skincare-line-to-help-build-confidence\/","title":{"rendered":"Boub\u00ed: Bangladeshi Businesswoman Creates Vegan Skincare Line to Help Build Confidence"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Irum

Irum Ibrahim Boub\u00ed is made for all skin types<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Nargis Rahman<\/strong><\/p>\n

This story is part of a series by The Yemeni American News to profile Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs who grew up in Hamtramck and attended Hamtramck Public Schools. Read more at\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/yemeniamerican.com\/en\/<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s Friday afternoon. Humayra Bobby is driving home from Ann Arbor, Mich. where she works as an ophthalmic scribe trainer and educator at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center. We caught up over the phone about her latest skincare line,\u00a0Boub\u00ed, which launched online June 2019 on boubiskin.com. It\u2019s named after her nickname, Bobby. \u201cI wanted my products to be true to me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The skincare line captures her love of the Bangladeshi culture, science, skincare, and aesthetically-pleasing products. \u00a0\u201cI love being Bengali and Bangladeshi. It\u2019s important to have the differentiating factor,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Boub\u00ed launched with an exfoliating toner in June. Later the Roz-Afza rose mist (named after the\u00a0Rooh Afza<\/a><\/u>\u00a0flavored syrup commonly used in South Asian households to make sharbat), a lavender overnight facial oil, and a lavender hydrating facial mist called Shanti (meaning peace) was added to the skincare line.<\/p>\n

The products are made with organic, vegan, alcohol-free, and cruelty-free ingredients, for all skin types. Boub\u00ed has become a local sensation and a well-known household item, especially in the Bangladeshi community.\u00a0\u201cI am happy I found something I am super passionate about,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Humayra says she used the Boub\u00ed toner for six years prior to putting it on the market. She noticed many products had chemicals in them. \u201cI had bad acne and couldn’t afford high-end products,\u201d she says. She gave out samples to her sisters and cousins, who encouraged her to start selling it to others. \u201cI feel so confident. That\u2019s a great feeling to me. That\u2019s how I want people to feel,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Bangladeshi at heart<\/strong><\/p>\n

Humayra was born in Sylhet, Bangladesh and came to the U.S. with her family when she was 3-years-old. She has two older sisters and one younger sister. Humayra grew up in Hamtramck, Mich. with her family. She attended Holbrook Elementary, Bridge Academy for middle school and Cass Technical High School.<\/p>\n

She says growing up in Hamtramck was a great experience. She grew up with people who had similar backgrounds, socioeconomic status, and a strong sense of community. She appreciates having friends who she could relate to in school and growing up with a masjid community. \u201cEveryone looks like you, shares the same religion, and\/or culture for the most part. It\u2019s easier to fit in. When I went to college it was a huge culture shock.\u201d<\/p>\n

Humayra graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor\u2019s degree in health science and Spanish. During that time she worked in research labs for three years. She uses that skill in researching products for her line, by pouring through PubMed journals and experimentation.<\/p>\n

Her other love is language. \u201cI\u2019m fascinated by languages,\u201d she says. After graduation, she worked in different clinics in Costa Rica, where she combined her love of Spanish and science. She can speak five languages – Bangla, English, Spanish, and a little bit of Italian and Catalan.<\/p>\n

Entrepreneurship runs in the family<\/strong><\/p>\n

Humayra never saw herself as an entrepreneur. Her biggest dream is to become a physician. \u201cI wouldn’t be fulfilled if I didn’t do it,\u201d she says. However, she grew up watching her family open one business after another. Humayra says her father encouraged entrepreneurship since she was a child. \u201cHe always told us from the beginning, \u2018You should be your own boss,\u2019\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Her father\u00a0Rezaul Karim\u00a0owns the Everyday Super Discounts store on\u00a03501 Caniff St. in Hamtramck.\u00a0Prior to moving to the U.S in 1996, Rezaul owned a business and worked at a bank in Bangladesh. He moved to the U.S. to pursue further education and provide a better life for his family. He attended college during the day and worked night shifts to provide for his family. Humayra\u2019s mother Jahirun Khanam was the primary caretaker, often running from one school to another with her sisters.<\/p>\n

Humayra\u2019s oldest sister Tahura Holly sells customized jewelry from India for her business Festive Essentials. Her second eldest sister Jahura Hobby is a make-up artist who owns JHobby Makeup Studio in Pleasant Ridge, Mich. Her youngest sister Shakira Khanam works there. The sisters often collaborate their work. She says she\u2019s inspired by them. \u201cMy sisters are bosses doing amazing things,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Remember where you came from<\/strong><\/p>\n

Part of Humayra\u2019s mission is to provide quality products and keep them affordable for the people who use them most – high school students from Hamtramck. \u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to keep my products at a low price point. My customers cannot purchase something for $30-40.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the U.S. Census data, the household median in Hamtramck is $24,369 with about 50 percent of the population living in poverty, based on data from 2013-2017.<\/p>\n

Humayra says, it\u2019s important to know where you came from.\u00a0\u201cPeople have said to increase the price but I would feel wrong to myself for doing that,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

For Humayra, her products are more about providing the tools for clear skin which can help build confidence. She believes educating people about hygiene and skincare is a part of the process. She shares skincare tips on Tuesdays via Instagram @boubi.skin and hopes to do educational workshops in the future for her customer base.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, you may catch her at a local pop-up in Detroit or online. Humayra says it\u2019s an exciting time to have a business when many talented women are growing their passions into businesses. \u201cIt\u2019s about time [female entrepreneurship] is normalized,\u201d she says. She works with female entrepreneurs for her product\u2019s graphic arts designs, photography, marketing, and events. \u201cWe don’t need to go outside of our community to find talent,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

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