Holiday Melanin Magic! Self-Taught Skincare CEO Britni Ricard Shares 5 Tips for A Smooth Winter Glow

It took Britni Ricard under two years to turn her skincare company into a booming multimillionaire business.

Now as the successful CEO of Cota Skin, Ricard is giving back this holiday season by sharing a few tips on how to keep our melanated skin looking fully moisturized no matter the temperature.

The self-taught CEO who once resorted to library computers to conduct her business research is now bringing in $1.8 million every quarter in just two years of being in operation. Ricard took a leap of faith when quitting her job as a server to follow her passion.

She had little money and no laptop, but the former Dillard University Psychology major taught herself how to create her own LLC at the local New Orleans library. Through her passion, persistence, and grit Ricard made her make her first million and has been doing so consistently every quarter.

While she has found fast success, it didn’t come without its own challenges and uncomfortable choices. Now, with her being able to take care of her family, Ricard can only be proud of her newfound financial freedom.

“When I think of my journey of entrepreneurship I get so emotional,” Ricard told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “So many things lead me to having to leave my job. But what breaks me every time is how it’s given me the freedom to be able to take care of my mom.”

With a flourishing skincare company named after her late brother, Ricard recalls how her past bouts with depression would cause her breakouts, leading to her interest in skincare.

“After struggling as a server I found myself feeling stuck, depressed and stressed out. Which we all know stress can cause breakouts,” she recalled. “My skin started going through it. So I decided to start taking better care of my skin, but the problem was I could not find the perfect regimen for me.”

“I experienced many challenges with finding a credible dermatologist who specialized in brown skin. Which made me remember all the things my late brother would tell me about how he kept his skin so clean and clear. With that, I began to do research to develop my own products.”

“At the time I didn’t have nor could I afford a computer or laptop. So I would drive to the local library every day to do research on product development. I even applied for my company LLC on the library computer. I remember the day the email came in approving/ confirming my LLC, I was at work on lunch and broke down crying. I hadn’t even received or sold any products but at that moment I felt like my life had changed with just one simple email. I was so excited about the journey. I knew NOTHING would stop me.”

Ricard has modeled COTA around a commitment to providing the perfect skincare regimen that targets all skin types. Ricard has successfully positioned herself in the beauty industry as an indie brand for women of color. With the wintertime coming just around the corner and climate conditions rapidly changing, it’s important now more than ever to make sure that you are protecting and caring for your skin.

Because of this Britni blessed us with 5 skincare tips that we can take with us this holiday season.

1. Do not wash your face with higher water temperatures. This will dry out your skin. Use cooler water and our COTA Cleanser which removes dead skin cells, unclog pores, and helps with certain skin conditions such as acne and eczema.
2. Use a gentle face cream. Our skin will start to feel dry and tight due to the decreased amount of moisture in the air. Our COTA Cream moisturizer is filled with key ingredients that help to heal damaged skin reducing the appearance of wrinkles and preventing dry skin.
3. Use a toner. With the cooler temps, our skin tends to look dull and dry, somewhat ashy. Using a toner corrects the skin’s pH balance, and controls acne by helping to clean and close pores, which is why our Rose Petal Toner is so popular.
4. Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize! Our skin always needs more of a lock in moisture and our 24K Nano Gold Serum is a feather-light waterless solution designed to give skin a plump, moisturized feel, which will give you an ALL DAY GLOW!
5. Pamper your skin. We don’t want the fall and winter to give our skin the beating it doesn’t deserve. You have to take the time to pamper your skin, drink lots of water, use a steamer at night. Our Hydration Bundle is perfect for the holiday weather. I’ve learned to love and treat myself and you should too!