Ruqayya Tofa Basheer, founder of RAW suffered from eczema as a child which affected her confidence. All prescriptions from Dermatologists did not work and a prescription from an Aesthetician was too harsh for her sensitive skin and ended up damaging her skin and making it extra dry.

In 2010, after returning to Nigeria from studying and working in the U.K, she found it hard to access the right skincare products to suit her skin condition and that’s when she started sampling and testing African plant ingredients and took some skincare production courses. After giving birth to her first daughter and finding out she also had similar skin conditions, she was prompted to take her knowledge and skills and turn them in to a business to help others.

It all began from her kitchenette in Kano, Nigeria, where the first batch of  Moringa cold process soaps were made. RAW was officially launched on 17^th of November 2017 when she introduced her first batch of soaps as 100% natural and good for sensitive skin. Now 5 years later, RAW not only caters for the local market but is available across Nigeria and the UK, with plans of growing and expanding in the UK, USA, Middle east and rest of Africa.