A line of natural skincare products influenced by the organic richness of Samoa have launched their own website with their online presence already boosting sales of their products.

The Lupe Skincare website was launched last Tuesday according to Fanaafi Sooaemalelagi, the eldest of the five siblings and spokesperson of the skincare products company which they all own.

Fanaafi told the Samoa Observer that they were fortunate to have a professional web developer, Western Australia-based web developer, Roweena Timson involved in the website’s development.

She said websites are serious and costly investments especially for any new business trying to establish itself.

Ms Timson told the Samoa Observer that she met Fanaafi – also known as Nafi – who introduced her to their turmeric sticks which healed her eczema. 

"Nafi dropped off a little care package to my home – the turmeric stick and healing balm – after hearing about my persistent and painful eczema on my eyes,” she said. “I applied the stick a few times and miraculously my eczema was gone.”

Impressed with the medicinal value of the skincare products, Ms Timson suggested for Lupe Skincare to have a website. 

"I said she must get these products online as soon as possible as this is a brand worth sharing.

“I’m confident she will make more sales once she has a professional storefront as the Fina and Stivi (her siblings) were doing an incredible job growing their following over on Tiktok and there was a lot of interest in the brand.”

According to the web developer, social media is a powerful way to spread the word.

“But you need some kind of online presence to encourage consumer confidence,” she added.

Ms Timson said she is of the view that the brand will take off and be a success as more customers get to hear of it.

"I am so passionate about this brand and know it will be a huge success and I’m thrilled I was part of that," she said. "I really adore Lupe and the entire family. 

“They all have big, kind hearts. I'm so happy I met them.”

Since the launching of the website last Tuesday, there has been 6,500 views with the numbers continuing to rise. The company’s online presence now gives customers around the world the opportunity to place orders, unlike previously when the process was long and tedious without an online presence.

The company also gives customers the option of paying instalments, according to Fanaafi. 

"We give people the option to pay in instalments if they cannot afford a product and we also have Paypal, credit card, after pay and more," she said.

And for those without the luxury of credit cards, Fanaafi indicated that there is the option of using money transfers like Western Union. Nevertheless the siblings try to ensure that the needs of all types of customers are met within their resources available on the website or through email.

As for the local customers currently in Samoa, Fanaafi said she is on island and happy to supply the product, knowing that most local customers will find it easier to pay in cash. She is expecting their next shipment in April.

"When our products are sent from Australia, it can take from three weeks to three months,” she added. “According to customs, pandemics have been the main cause of delays and this is unfortunate however we try our best to work within these restrictions.”

She said thanks to their new website, "Customers no longer have to wait for answers to their queries as these are now available on the website.”

Fanaafi is a pilot with Samoa Airways and with the pandemic grounding all aircraft globally, she opted for a back-up income generation project to help fill the gap and cope with the unpredictability of the coronavirus.

The Lupe Skincare line is owned by five siblings including an infant, Lupe who is the inspiration behind the traditional focused line of skin ailments. Lupe was named after her mother’s sister, Tafaogalupe, a believer in natural healing and very much a tauleasea (traditional healer) herself. The siblings are of mixed heritage and were raised in a multigenerational home with parents, Funealii Lumaava and Tupaemanaia Dr Steve Brown and their very influential Samoan grandmother who passed away at 92 years of age.