In the heart of Kampala, Uganda, Clarissa Natkwasa Kawumi is quietly reshaping how natural skincare is made and sold. She is the founder of Risa Naturals, a homegrown skincare brand built not on hype or trends, but on science, listening, and intentional growth.
Founded between 2015 and 2016, Risa Naturals emerged from Clarissa’s understanding of both chemistry and local realities. Over 70% of the ingredients are sourced locally, and every product is handmade in Uganda. From the beginning, the business reflected a commitment to function, ethics, and deep respect for the customer.
Clarissa’s journey has been anything but overnight success. It is a story of patience, iteration, and humility. She did not copy existing brands or chase aesthetics. Instead, she invested time in understanding the science of soap making and allowed customer feedback to shape the business.
“Our bland-looking soap outsells the fancy ones,” she says with a laugh. Many of her best-selling products are fragrance-free, simple, and functional—designed to heal rather than impress. Customers responded, not to packaging, but to results.
She started without major funding, relying instead on small, trust-based cash flow support from friends. For years, the business grew organically and became self-sustaining. Only recently, as the market has become more saturated, has she begun preparing for scale.
Clarissa’s strategy is grounded in listening—both to the market and to her team.
Every employee at Risa Naturals is required to interact with customers. Even those in production attend markets and visit the shop. “We all need to understand who we’re serving,” she explains. Product ideas, packaging decisions, and improvements are shaped collectively.
The business is now formalizing its operations with the guidance of a board of advisors. Processes are being documented, financials prepared for audit, and compliance systems put in place. As Clarissa puts it, “Serious money needs structure.”
Technology plays a key role. Digital accounting tools support decision-making, while social media—especially TikTok—helps Risa Naturals stay connected to customers and trends. Research is non-negotiable. Clarissa constantly reads, experiments, and tests new formulations, believing even negative feedback is a gift.
Success, for Clarissa, is deeply personal and fluid.
“If I define success as paying school fees, that’s success,” she says. “If next year it’s opening a new shop, that’s success too.”
Risa Naturals has grown from kitchen experiments to a physical storefront and a recognizable brand in Uganda’s wellness space. Staff members who joined as assistants have grown into supervisors. Responsibility increases alongside pay, and employees are encouraged to see themselves as part of a long-term journey, not just a job.
Clarissa has also learned to redefine balance. Rather than chasing an ideal work-life split, she prioritizes what matters most in the moment—family when needed, business when opportunity calls—without guilt or second-guessing.
Clarissa’s advice to entrepreneurs is grounded in lived experience:
- Listen deeply to your customers, especially when the feedback hurts.
- Don’t confuse registration with formalization—compliance and structure matter.
- Collaboration beats competition. There is room for many players to thrive.
- Grow at your own pace. Your definition of success doesn’t need to match anyone else’s.
- Build systems early. Growth capital follows structure.
She also believes the future lies in collective advocacy. By organizing as an industry, small producers can influence regulation, reduce compliance burdens, and widen access to opportunity instead of squeezing those who try to formalize.
Clarissa Kawumi’s story is not just about skincare. It is a powerful reminder that sustainable businesses are built slowly—through listening, learning, and the courage to evolve.