MIkka Roque promises to make your bath time a treat. (CDN photo/Xavier Solis)
GREAT ideas happen in the shower. No wonder Mikka Roque thought of creating brightly colored and scrumptious looking bath products that feature sweet scents
and come in awesome shapes—to make her favorite time of the day a real treat. She has turned her bedroom into a factory-office in November last year to start a venture— Raw by Roque.
Is it a cupcake? It truly smells like cupcake, you’d want to lick it. And there are also soaps that at first glance look like cookies. And doughnuts. “Food for your skin,” as 24-year-old Mikka puts it. The soaps and scrubs linger on the skin after use and leavea yummy scent in the bathroom.”
Most of the ingredients are imported, like her salt scrub, which has salt particles all the way from the Dead Sea. For the line of body products, she puts in shea butter, cocoa butter, grapeseed oil, olive oil, and Vitamin E extract. Shea butter lessens the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Cocoa butter helps heal scars. Grapeseed oil and olive oil has
antibacterial elements. Vitamin E is a natural preservative and acts as a water softener. We chatted with Mikka at the Pop District Bazaar in Oakridge Pavilion…
Why did you decide to come up with your own bath products? “I got bored with the choices in the market. Also, since going vegan, I didn’t find cute vegan products for me… only generic, basic stuff. My favorite part of the day is time in the shower. It’s where I find peace to daydream and to get squeaky clean.”
Your soaps are adorable. But why the edible-like designs and scents? “Doughnut was my favorite back when I was very young. Like I could eat a whole box all by myself. But growing up, you realize that you have to stop eating so much. I used to really like sweets, even just looking at them makes me happy. I hope girls who will use my products will have the same sugar-high feeling.”
Are you still a sweet tooth? “I’ve stopped eating cupcakes and doughnuts since they have egg and milk in them. My beauty products are inspired by the sweets I don’t eat anymore.”
Do you have personal favorites in the collection? “The Pixie Dream, which smells like a doughnut, and the Birthday Cake scrub.”
Tell us about your scent inspirations? “They’re important people and events in my life. For example, I thought of my future husband Bobby for Bob’s Your Uncle. The smell has a hint of musk for manliness, and there’s talc as he is like my baby, and warm vanilla and cream since that’s how he makes me feel. There is a bit of jasmine, which is like a breath of fresh air, and some coconut oil so you get the feeling of relaxing by the shore.
“Monkey ball is also special since it reminds me of our
kiss back in America while playing an arcade game.”
How much are the products? “The pieces range from P130 to P380.”
What other lifestyle changes have you made since becoming a vegan? “Apart from the diet, I only use products that do no animal-testing. I have a Shih Tzu named Muffin. You could say that my love for animals extends to pigs, chicken, cows… all these creatures.”
Do you intend to expand your line? “I want to. Since I’m migrating to the United States next year, I have to figure things out—for the products to still be in Cebu, even if I continue making them in the States. I’m finishing my Master of Education in UP Cebu this year.”
Will this be last year you’re selling these bath products to Cebuanos? “Some people have expressed interest in the business, but I don’t want to sell it. It’s my
baby. I don’t know.”
What are your other pursuits? “I have this project—’Raw for Paw’ soaps. Customers can buy selected products and 25 percent of the proceeds will go to the IRO or Island
Rescue Organization (a non-profit organization composed of volunteers dedicated to helping the plight of animals in the region through rescue, education and advocacy).