Stefan:
Like many young South Africans, Ameerah Mahomed followed a practical path—studying health sciences, completing her qualifications, and expecting to enter a stable profession.
Based in Durban today, she runs a beauty studio and co-owns a growing skincare brand with her husband. The business didn’t begin with a master plan. It evolved gradually through listening closely to clients, adapting when circumstances changed, and committing to doing things properly—even when that meant growing slowly.
Stefan le Roux sat down with Ameerah Mahomed to trace the quiet, disciplined path behind AM Beauty—from a health sciences degree and a one-room lash studio built around a single treatment bed to a growing skincare brand built without shortcuts.
The Good Business Journal: Ameera, where did your journey begin?
Ameerah:
I’m originally from Middelburg. I grew up there and lived there until I was 18, then moved to Johannesburg to study at Wits. I qualified as a speech therapist and audiologist in 2018, which is obviously very different from what I’m doing now.
At school, the message was always very clear: go to varsity, get a “proper” degree. Beauty wasn’t really considered a serious option, even though that’s what I was passionate about. Looking back, it probably is what I should have studied, but at the time it didn’t feel like a realistic choice.
After varsity, I got married and moved to Durban. With health sciences degrees you have to do a year of community service, and I was placed in Tongaat. Then COVID hit, and everything slowed down.
Stefan: Many people decided to start their own businesses as a result of COVID, was that the case with you?
Ameerah:
Yes. After my community service ended, there were no jobs. I sat at home for about four months looking for work, locums—anything—but no one was hiring. That’s when I really started thinking seriously about beauty.
I had already done makeup courses, lash courses, and skincare courses. I’d always loved it, but I’d never committed fully. In 2021, I got a small space in a medical centre and decided to open a lash studio. That was the start of everything.
Stefan: And then things didn’t exactly go smoothly.
Ameerah:
Not at all. I opened in April 2021, and then the Durban riots happened. I had to close again, just as the business was starting. I even got COVID during that time.
But what surprised me was that clients kept coming back. They started asking for more services—brows, lash lifts, skincare. So I listened. I added treatments based on what people actually wanted, not what I thought would sell.
Stefan: How did the idea to formulate your own products come about?
Ameerah:
Clients were always complaining about how expensive skincare was. They had pigmentation concerns, acne, and couldn’t afford what was available. My husband is in the pharmacy space, so he has a lot of knowledge on that side.
We decided to start small, literally just one product. We tested it on ourselves for six months before launching it in my studio. Only after that did we open an online store. At first, everything was sold directly through us.
Eventually, we listed on Takealot, then formulated more products—cleanser, moisturiser, SPF—and got picked up by a pharmacy wholesaler. That completely changed the game.
Our product range is vegan-friendly, cruelty-free and most of our products are locally manufactured. We also donate 1% of annual sales to charity.
Stefan: What’s been the strongest product so far?
Ameerah:
Our SPF 40 spray. It leaves no white cast, can be reapplied over makeup, and has hyaluronic acid in it. That was a big thing for clients—they wanted convenience without compromising their routine.
Stefan: How big is the operation today?
Ameerah:
It’s still very small. It’s me and my husband, plus our cosmetic chemist team. We do everything ourselves—packing, quality control, checking every product before it goes out. Even pharmacy orders—we open every box to make sure nothing is defective.
People don’t realise how much work goes into running a business at this stage.
Stefan: You’ve reinvested everything back into the business. Why was that important?
Ameerah:
We started with our own money. My husband took an overdraft to fund the first investment. Five years later, we still haven’t taken a cent out of AM Beauty. Everything goes back into the business—better packaging, more products, better systems.
That’s why we still have our day jobs. It’s the only way to grow properly without cutting corners.
Stefan: Social media has become unavoidable for founders, even reluctant ones. How was that for you?
Ameerah:
It was the hardest part. I’m not naturally comfortable being on camera. I froze at first. But after taking time off when my son was born, I had to rebuild from scratch. People forget you quickly.
In December, my husband and I decided to just do it—speak on camera, be visible. One TikTok collaboration alone got 250,000 views and directly translated into sales. That’s when I realised: people want to see who’s behind the brand.
Stefan: You run the business with your husband. How important has that partnership been?
Ameerah:
I wouldn’t have managed alone. I deal with formulations, training, and the studio. He handles finances, wholesalers, reps. We play to our strengths.
During my pregnancy and maternity leave, he carried the business whilst still doing his day job. That kind of support makes all the difference.
Stefan: What advice would you give someone starting out in beauty?
Ameerah:
Practice constantly. Use friends and family as models. Invest in proper training. Beauty isn’t regulated enough in South Africa, so it’s your responsibility to do things ethically and professionally.
Even if you only have one client that day, show up and do your best. Word of mouth is the most important thing in the beginning.
It’s difficult in the beginning. I won’t lie. But once you build trust and consistency, it’s worth it.
Stefan: Looking ahead, what does growth look like for you?
Ameerah:
We’re already in over 100 pharmacies nationwide, with a strong base in KZN, and we’re continuing to expand. Our focus is on continuing to grow organically — deepening our relationships with independent pharmacies, expanding our online store, and strengthening the systems behind the business.
But we’re not rushing. We want sustainable growth, done properly.
Stefan:
Ameerah Mahomed’s story is about staying disciplined, reinvesting when it’s tempting not to, and building something that earns trust over time. In a landscape obsessed with scale, AM Beauty is a reminder that slow, careful growth still counts—and often lasts longer.
