Skincare · United Kingdom / France (Congolese heritage)
KOBA Skincare
Founded by Thérèse M'Boungoubaya
KOBA is a French-British, African-inspired skincare brand built around safou oil, an antioxidant-rich pulp from the Central/West African 'butter fruit.' Founded by Thérèse M'Boungoubaya, KOBA champions simple, effective ingredients and results-driven products; its name is the Lingala word for 'turtle,' a nod to her Congolese heritage and a symbol of protection. After identifying an untapped niche in 'neglected skincare categories' like foot care, M'Boungoubaya, drawing on stints at L'Oréal and Clarins, created a premium foot cream and expanded from there. Safou oil works to soothe, seal in moisture, even skin tone, boost collagen and stimulate the skin's natural oil barrier. Its 2024-2025 expansion is the qualifying news: KOBA unveiled its first face-care line, the Ezali collection, introducing the Safou Sorbet Cleansing Balm and Light It Up Face Cream. In October 2025 it launched a tinted product, its first step into color cosmetics. A genuine hidden gem foregrounding evenness and texture for deeper skin. Caveat: premium pricing.
Who it matches
- Depth range
- Deep, Deepest
- Undertone
- Any undertone
- Skin type
- All skin types
- Price
- Prestige
Hero products
- Safou Sorbet Cleansing Balm
- Light It Up Hydrating Face Cream
- Gold Drip Body & Hair Oil
- premium foot cream
What it targets
- safou oil
- antioxidant-rich
- collagen
- moisture
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