If a brand launch can have a mood, Ayoosh’s was unmistakably “sunny afternoon done right”.
The brand’s Joburg launch unfolded at a private Hyde Park home on one of those highveld days that does all the work for you.
Sunshine, flowers, fresh juices and non-alcoholic cocktails set the scene, while guests drifted between a generous harvest table by Vicky Crease and the pool, where a floating Ayoosh logo bobbed gently, as if it, too, was enjoying the afternoon.
Yellow and cream details were everywhere, from striped loungers to small faux-leather Ayoosh cases dotted around the space.
“We have been blessed with the most gorgeous weather,” founder Aisha Joosub said, welcoming guests. “And I can tell you that it’s been a journey.”
Officially launched on January 31, the beauty and lifestyle brand introduced a focused sunscreen offering, but the conversation quickly moved beyond the product. Joosub, born and raised in South Africa and now based between South Africa and Dubai, spoke openly about the experiences that shaped the brand.
She has built businesses before, raised three children as a single mother, and knows what it means to be on the other side of stability.
“I know the feeling of not having,” she said. “Sometimes people don’t see the pain you’re going through, and you don’t want to lose your dignity, so you just push through. I remember wishing someone could see my need without me having to explain it. That feeling never left me, and it became the foundation for everything Ayoosh stands for.”
That reality is central to why Ayoosh exists. Long before the brand, Joosub had been running feeding schemes privately for more than a decade.
“For 12 years we’ve been running feeding schemes,” she explained. “The foundation came first.”
The Ayoosh Foundation is now formally structured, with a percentage of every purchase going directly toward community support. But the emphasis, she said, is not on handouts.
“I believe in giving the fishing rod, not the fish,” she told guests. “You can’t always monetise. Sometimes you need a psychologist. You need legal. You need someone to guide you.”
Her vision is practical and deeply personal: mentorship, professional support, and a buddy system that helps women rebuild in tangible ways.
“Some people haven’t paid an electricity bill before. Some people don’t know how to bank,” she said. “Everything has to be practical in life. You still have to pay your rent the next day.”
In the beauty space itself, Ayoosh takes a similarly pared-back approach. Inspired by Korean skincare and manufactured in Korea, the formulations are designed for global skin, including African and Middle Eastern skin tones.
Clean beauty is a priority, with a focus on healing rather than harsh ingredients. “There’s no perfume in my sunscreen,” Joosub noted. “We used natural oils, and we’re going to improve it and get even better as we go. For me, it’s the journey.”
That word came up more than once. “One day at a time, one moment at a time,” she said, reflecting on the last few years. “Every breath counts.”
As the sun dipped lower, Joosub shared the meaning behind the name.
“Ayoosh means ‘alive’,” she said. “This brand exists to remind people that the power they’re looking for has always been within them.”
Ayoosh is available online, with each purchase contributing to the work of the Ayoosh Foundation.
