In Dili, the capital of East Timor, approximately 70% of local women struggle with skin problems. The main culprits are oily and spicy traditional foods and the hot tropical climate. To put this in perspective, it's as if 7 out of 10 people in Korea were avoiding mirrors due to acne and skin issues.
Joaninha Mota was one of them during her high school years. As her busy schedule left her with less rest time, her skin health took a backseat, and severe breakouts began appearing on her face. People around her often said, "Your face doesn't look as good as before," and these comments quickly eroded her confidence.
Then Joaninha came to work in Korea, where she first encountered skincare products that genuinely helped her skin. Through this experience, she realized that healthy skin goes beyond just looking beautiful—it can transform one's confidence, relationships, and choices in daily life. At the same time, she remembered that back home in Dili, many young women shared her struggles.
"I was afraid to stand in front of people. Every time I looked in the mirror, my confidence crumbled. Many women around me, including myself, didn't know proper skincare methods. I believed that if we just had the opportunity to learn, our lives could change."
– Joaninha Mota
When she first arrived in Korea, she was still struggling with skin problems. One day, while traveling alone in Seoul, she noticed that people on the streets had remarkably healthy-looking skin. The question "How can I have healthy skin like theirs?" prompted her to start researching on her own.
During this process, she discovered Olive Young and frequently visited stores to get recommendations and purchase products. As she repurchased her favorite products monthly, her skincare habits naturally improved. Through these experiences, one thought gradually turned into conviction:
By bringing authentic products with clear and proper explanations back to Dili, she could help many people.
In Dili, many people suffer from skin problems due to factors like dietary culture. However, the bigger problem is accessibility. Many people must rely on overseas online orders to purchase products suitable for their skin type, often waiting 1-2 months to receive them. Additionally, many people purchase products based only on what they have heard, without having enough information about the ingredients or how to use them properly.
K-Beauty Skin Dili aims to solve these problems in two ways. First, by importing authentic skincare products directly from Korea to make them more accessible in Dili. Second, Joaninha, with her 6 years of K-skincare experience in Korea, personally recommends products and guides customers on usage. This business provides customers with opportunities to choose safer, more suitable products while creating job opportunities for Dili's youth through store operations.
