LSU alumna Rachel Laymoun noticed a need for simple and effective skincare in the beauty industry, so she decided to fill it.
The idea of creating her own skincare came from Laymoun’s personal experience and skincare struggles during her pregnancy with her daughter, Arya. She couldn’t afford many of the gentler and simpler skincare products sold in stores, so she created something that worked for her.
When her friends and family began falling in love with her products, she knew she was onto something big. An affordable way to keep her skin clear turned into a business that had the potential to help people with the same problems.
“I didn’t come out planning to start a business,” Laymoun said. “I was just trying to support a hobby and the deeper I got into it, the more passionate I got about it. I just saw that there was kind of a hole of simple gentle skincare that was also affordable, so I wanted to make something.”
Her passion grew into So Yaya skincare, an ode to her daughter Arya’s nickname, Yaya. Throughout her brand, Laymoun is passionate about being transparent with her products and branding. She feels as though it’s important for her to be a real face behind her brand.
“I want people to feel like they do know me and that I’m being honest,” Laymoun said. “I don’t have perfect skin, I have far from perfect skin but it’s the best that my skin has ever looked.”
Laymoun is committed to using simple and natural ingredients in her skincare. Her LemonAid line features products made with jojoba oil and hemp oil—lighter oils that are very similar to skin’s natural oils. Her Quench line is designed for drier skin and features heavier oils such as evening primrose oil and argan oil.
Laymoun wants her customers to feel beautiful in the best version of themselves and at every stage of their skincare journey.
“I put self-care and self-love at the top of my list for So Yaya. When they’re looking at this brand, they’re using the facial oils and the facial cleansers not to change yourself but to help you feel better about yourself.”
So Yaya Skincare can be found at Wanderlust by Abby and online at Etsy. Laymoun often can be found selling her merchandise at pop-up events in and around Baton Rouge.

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Katie Joy Bonham Photography

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