About Ixora Botanical Beauty
Grown skin. Real routines. Barrier-first results.
Ixora Botanical Beauty is a Black-owned, woman-led skin care company founded by Chemical Engineer, Licensed Esthetician, Product Formulator and Skin Care Educator Mercedes Edney, better known as The Skin Care Bully.
Founded in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, in January 2012 and now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Ixora was created to help people care for complicated skin without turning their routines into chemistry experiments gone rogue.
We develop thoughtful, science-backed skin care for adults dealing with concerns such as dryness, sensitivity, adult acne, hyperpigmentation, melasma, barrier damage, shaving irritation, body discoloration, and irritation caused by overusing active ingredients.
Our philosophy is simple:
Before you aggressively treat the problem, you have to support the skin underneath it.
That barrier-first approach shapes everything we create, from our customer-favorite donkey milk products to targeted brightening treatments, calming hydrators, body care, acne-support products, and routines designed to work with retinoids and professional treatments.
The Story Behind Ixora
Mercedes created Ixora after years of dealing with chronically dry, eczema-prone skin and struggling to find products that were both effective and affordable.
She began with body butters, creams, and scrubs inspired by generations of Caribbean beauty knowledge. But Mercedes was not interested in relying on tradition alone.
Armed with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Science in Occupational Health and Safety with a concentration in Environmental Management, she combined formulation knowledge, ingredient research, personal experience, and cultural wisdom to build something more intentional.
What began as a small skin care company in St. Croix has grown into a global community of customers who turn to Ixora for honest education, practical routines, and products made with sensitive and melanated skin in mind.
Over the years, Ixora has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in product sales, served thousands of customers and their families, supported community events, collaborated with brands and creators, and earned features across blogs, media platforms, and beauty publications.
Meet Mercedes Edney
Mercedes is the founder, formulator, educator, and personality behind Ixora Botanical Beauty.
As a Chemical Engineer and Licensed Esthetician, she brings both laboratory knowledge and hands-on skin experience to the brand. She is known online as The Skin Care Bully, where she breaks down ingredients, calls out unnecessary skin care nonsense, reviews products, and teaches people how to build routines that make sense for their actual skin.
Her approach is direct but never dismissive. She believes customers deserve to understand why they are using a product, how it fits into their routine, and when it may be time to leave their skin alone.
In addition to developing Ixora products, Mercedes provides professional esthetic services in Charlotte, virtual skin care consultations, personalized routine guidance, and educational workshops for adults, teens, aspiring beauty entrepreneurs, and community organizations.
More Than a Product Line
Ixora is not built around chasing every new ingredient trend.
We focus on helping customers understand their skin, protect their barriers, use active ingredients responsibly, and stay consistent long enough to see meaningful results.
Whether you are trying to manage adult breakouts, fade the appearance of stubborn dark spots, recover from an irritated routine, support dry or sensitive skin, or finally figure out what belongs on your bathroom counter, Ixora is here to help you create a routine with purpose.
Because good skin care should not make you feel confused, ashamed, or bullied by a 12-step routine.
That is our job.
Press, Partnerships and Product Inquiries
For media and PR inquiries, event sponsorships, educational workshops, product reviews, brand partnerships, or formulation opportunities, contact:
Mercedes Edney
Founder, Ixora Botanical Beauty
mercedes@ixorabb.com