Natural cosmetics with native andean Products

The products contain 100% natural organic extracts: the oils of Peruvian jungle plants, as well as the antioxidant pigments of organically grown purple potato. Also the products have a very low level of preservatives.

Yana Cosmetic’s creams are sold under the Mishki brand, a name inspired by a word in Quechua (the remnant Incan language) that means “sweet”. It is a word that has a pleasant, even poetic, sound. Yana means “black”, in reference to the purple potato, the source of the base extract for one of our creams.

MISHKI for day: for normal to oily skin: this is a hydrating and antioxidant cream which contains an extract of a potato unique to the Peruvian Andes, cultivated and harvested by indigenous Andeans. Its texture is very smooth and penetrates almost immediately without leaving a lingering oily feel. The color is creamy and this product is scent free.

MISHKI for night: this cream comes in two types, all skin types or normal to dry.

MISHKI for night: for all skin types, contains an essential oil (muña or Satureja or Minthostachys mollis) an Andean plant which is harvested direct from nature by Andean people. Thanks to the muña oil this cream contains an antioxidant and thymol, an effective natural preservative. It also produces a relaxing sense of wellbeing at bedtime. The texture is slightly oilier than MISHKI for daytime but it still penetrates very quickly and gives the skin a smooth texture.

MISHKI for night: normal to dry is made with oil from the jungle plant ungurahui (Oenocarpus bataua L.), harvested from the jungle by indigenous people. Ungurahui oil contains Omega 3 and 6 amino acids and actively regenerates the cells of the skin for rapid healing of dry or cracked skin.

The strategy is to select good channels of distribution before addressing the public through media features on the creams, the plants involved and the story of Valerie Barbier, then moving on to promotions at the sales points, before exploiting other means of publicity.

The channels of distribution are shops specialized in selling natural products, chains of pharmacies and Spa for Peru. We are already present in those channels of distribution. We have used the curiosity of the media about the product, especially the properties of the purple potato, to generate appearances on different TV channels and features in newspapers and magazines. Later we are going to participate in two popular television shows for women and also to seek to address newspapers that target business people.

We have been running training programmes for the different people who will be selling the product for them to better understand the products. We are currently working on developing the skills of the group of people who will be in charge of promoting the products within pharmacy chain and organizing incentives for the various shops selling natural products.

In the future we will be developing a wider network of sellers to target more of the Peruvian market. For the rest of the world, distributors will take responsibility for advertising and promotion, except in France.

The products have a real organic extract obtained by means of a natural process from ungurahui and muña oils (steam distillation), as well as organic potatoes. Additionally, the products have a very low level of preservatives.
Finally, we TRULY help all the people who cultivate, harvest and process the plants and their fruit.

She has experience in marketing/communication in the international pharmaceutical sector including questionnaire design, scheduling studies with external suppliers, consolidation of final results, increased savings in the category thanks to the efficient selection of European suppliers, and increased sales by developing, coordinating and managing a wide variety of developmental training sessions for pharmacists, improved internal communication.

Education
She has obtained a number of different qualifications during her professional life:
- Certificate in Management of Medicinal Plants – University of San Marcos, Peru (2005-2006)
- Executive MBA (specialization in Marketing & Strategy and Europe) - Solvay Business School – Brussels (2003-2004)
- Degree in Prospective and Strategy of Management - CNAM – Paris (2002)
- Communication and Marketing degree (graduate studies in marketing) with dissertation on Purchasing marketing - CNAM – Paris (2001)
- Degree in sales and Marketing and Sales - CNAM (Master in marketing) – Paris (1996-1998)

Languages
French (mother tongue), English (fluent), Spanish (fluent), Russian (knowledge)

We are currently helping different communities through this project, not to a great extent so far, but its effect should increase.
In the case of the muña plant, we are supporting a community in Puquio which is now ready to cultivate the plants. This has been achieved with respect for the environment, as we do not destroy other plants in the area.
We are currently working with Iquitos and Pucallpa to obtain ungurahui . By buying the fruits or the oil, depending on the process of extraction, we provide the local people with a source of income that helps them to diversify their food.
The potatoes we use are grown in the Andean sierra/highlands, especially in Huanuco.
For the fabrication of the creams in Lima , we are working with different suppliers such as the manufacturer of the final product, the manufacturer of the tubes used for the creams and a printing company.