In Cambodia, a woman’s place is traditionally in the home, where she is expected to take care of her husband and children. Despite a fast growing economy that has seen many women entering the workforce, many still struggle with being accepted as an equal to men, and some find themselves unable to rise above the glass ceiling. For some women, the best path to success is to start their own business.
Sa Lyka, founder of Ravy Salyka Cosmetics based in Phnom Penh, is one such woman. Sa Lyka started her business with $300 when she was seventeen years-old. Though she was on a traditional path of going to school, her family was having financial problems at the time, and she decided to try to make it on her own to help them. Through a combination of hard work and business savvy, Sa Lyka was able to develop skin care products that became very popular with Cambodian men and women.
The products are based on natural ingredients using herbal remedies such as ginseng root and reishi mushroom. Unlike many skin care products in Cambodia and Southeast Asia that are homemade and often contain dangerous chemicals, Ravy Salyka products are formulated in South Korea and manufactured in a regulated laboratory in Thailand. Customers can be assured that the products are healthy and safe to use everyday, and the company is registered with the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce.
Sa Lyka has won numerous business awards in Cambodia and Thailand. Some the company’s most popular products include the Korean Ginseng Cleansing Mask and the Reishi Mushroom Sleeping Serum & Eye Mask.
Sa Lyka’s success doesn’t only benefit herself, as many other Cambodian women are able to make a living and become independent by selling her products. Thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and the rising use of social media in the country, some of these women are able to make all of their sales online, with a small initial investment and virtually no overhead. The company also allows busy housewives and mothers to make money by selling the products out of their home.
Sa Lyka not only takes pride in creating healthy products that people love, but also in helping other Cambodian women support themselves and giving them a sense of self-worth. Perhaps some of them will go on to start their own successful businesses.
Ravy Salyka Cosmetics products are available to purchase at KZ Cambodia Skin Care Shop.
