From Passion to Press: LIHA Beauty’s Successful Pro Bono Journey 

Each year, we open the doors to our Pro Bono PR programme.  

This offers a chance for one emerging, purpose-led brand to receive a year of free PR and communications support from our team here at b. 

In 2022, LIHA Beauty was selected from a vast number of entries. With a story deeply rooted in heritage, sustainability, and wellness, they were the perfect brand to amplify. Across the next 12 months, we worked closely with the LIHA team to grow their visibility, elevate their message, and connect them with global audiences. 

“This isn’t just about PR. It’s about giving someone the space to grow, to be seen, and to connect with the people who need them most.”- Sally-Anne Stevens, Founder & CEO, b. the agency 

About LIHA 

Founded by two best friends, Liha Okunniwa and Abi Oyepitan, LIHA Beauty blends West African tradition with British aromatherapy, creating clean, luxurious skincare rooted in culture and ritual. LIHA Beauty had already built a passionate community, but they were ready to scale their message and be seen by a wider audience. 

The Challenge 

 LIHA needed: 

• A clearly defined PR and communications strategy 

• Increased media exposure in both mainstream and niche titles 

• A stronger founder-led narrative to humanise and differentiate the brand 

• Support navigating a growing global customer base 

Our Approach 

We built a bespoke, PR strategy around LIHA Beauty’s core values – authenticity, heritage, and slow beauty. The goal was to tell their story in a way that resonates widely while staying deeply personal. This included press office management, proactive pitching, and strategic introductions.  

Activity highlights included: 

• Alignment of PR strategy with LIHA Beauty’s brand updated and long-term calendar 

• Managing award entries and submissions 

• Proactive pitching of LIHA Beauty and its founders to journalists and influencers 

• Continued outreach to new media targets 

The Results 

Our partnership with LIHA Beauty delivered measurable impact, strengthening visibility, awareness, and community connections. 

“For us, this is more than just a project, it’s a commitment to real change. We want to create opportunities for Black-owned brands to be seen and heard on a larger scale, because their stories matter. Continuing this initiative year after year is our way of standing with those shaping the future and using our platform to lift them up. – Holly Brunskill, Co-Owner, b. the agency 

Media Coverage Highlights 

• 53 pieces of coverage across print, online, broadcast, and social 

• A combined reach of 278.5M+ 

• Coverage in Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Stylist, Harper’s Bazaar, GQ, Grazia, and YOU 

• Major features on MSN (202M reach) and Yahoo! (43.7M reach) 

Visibility & Awareness 

• Print coverage in Platinum Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, and German Grazia with a total circulation of 691K+ 

• Online coverage across 22 outlets with 276M+ reach 

• Social coverage through 25 influencer posts and stories, delivering 1.3M+ reach 

• Broadcast profiling via the Beauty Muse Podcast 

Community & Connection 

• Inbound opportunities from subscription boxes (Latest in Beauty, The Natural Beauty Box) and retail collaborators 

• Founder-led profiling in Konfekt Magazine, Woo, and on WIRED panels 

• A strong pipeline of forthcoming coverage confirmed in VOGUE, ELLE, Glamour, and Metro 

Our pro bono work with LIHA Beauty was about more than press placements. It was about creating space for a purpose-driven brand to grow into the next chapter of its story, with clarity, connection, and confidence. 

Be Our Next Success Story 

This year, we are inviting Black-founded fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands to apply for our 2026 Pro Bono PR programme. The selected brand will receive: 

• A full year of PR and influencer marketing consultancy 

• UK press and influencer outreach 

• Comms toolkits and strategic support along the way 

To be in with the chance of winning: 

• Your brand must be Black founded, owned and run 

• Be a fashion, beauty or lifestyle brand 

• Your company must be registered 

• Have a product/service, branding and website ready to go by January 2026 

• Have a business plan in place 

• Revenue must be under £1,000,000 

Are you a brand that’s ready for the next level? Apply to our 2026 Pro Bono PR programme here:
Application Form
 

Entries close on the 31st of October.