The good oil: Eva’s new move
SportsCafe star Eva the Bulgarian launches new skincare product
She made a name for herself as roaming reporter Eva The Bulgarian on madcap TV show SportsCafe, now Eva Evguenieva is back with a skincare oil she hopes will change lives.
With business partner Natasha MacLeod, the mother-of-two has just launched Rayna Skincare, after creating an anti-ageing super-oil that she says has transformed her skin.
Skin breakouts after the birth of her two daughters, now 9 and 12, prompted Evguenieva to look into triggers for acne and dermatitis.
Research into skincare was quite the departure for the former presenter on the popular TVNZ 2 show alongside Marc Ellis, Lana Cocroft and Ric Salizzo.
“I did my journalism degree and I loved researching so I started looking at what worked and what was backed by science,” Evguenieva said.
“I wanted to create something that was results-based, had no toxins, was anti-ageing and wouldn’t create problems.”
Evguenieva got chatting to fellow North Shore mum MacLeod who sampled the product and “fell in love”.
“It was amazing, it really improved my skin and I said to her, I want to work with you on this,” MacLeod said.
Arana Skincare was born and the pair have been promoting the product at the recent Women in Business gala event and signing up five boutique stockists.
Evguenieva said Rayna was manufactured in one of the best facilities in New Zealand from the best-quality retinoids and naturally derived stem cells, lipids, vitamins, omega acids and antioxidants.
Everything from the bottle to the packaging is made in New Zealand.
The pair are also about to launch a body product but have to wait for an ingredient to arrive from France.
The pair said the retail price of $165 for the oil, which lasts up to four months, was good compared to what it cost to make.
“Everything in Rayna is the best quality and most expensive but we wanted to make the best product for women so they felt good about their skin and were empowered.”
“I’m very particular with what goes into it. I want natural, I don’t want toxic, I want this to stabilise this, I want this — I want to make sure what I am doing is going to make a difference for women.”
Even the name of the company is about strong women and girl power.
“Rayna was a Bulgarian revolutionary, she was an amazing and powerful woman who made a flag for the uprising against Ottoman rule.”
MacLeod said the company was dedicated to not only improving skin, but helping improve women and girls.
“We both agreed that right from the start Arayna Skincare would give back,” MacLeod said. “We have already given to the Look Good Feel Better charity and have just partnered with the Tania Dalton Foundation.” Evguenieva had fond memories of Dalton from her days at SportsCafe and interviewed the former Silver Fern for the show.
Dalton died last February at the age of 45, after collapsing from a brain aneurysm during a social game of touch rugby.
After a meeting with Tania’s husband Dwayne Dalton this month, a partnership was formed.
“Both are about empowering women and empowering girls, it’s a similar thing. Helping them achieve their dreams,” Evguenieva said. the lives of