Gail Mabalane, from actress to businesswoman

“Acting is a passion of mine and it’s something I hope to be able to do for a long time to come. I took a short break to focus on other areas of interests of mine and develop my Body Language business. I look forward to being back on screen though,” she says.

When her time with gone, but not forgotten soap The Wild ended, Mabalane had an interesting trick up her sleeve, something that happened to come quite naturally: she started her skincare line.

“My mom always said to take care of my skin from a young age because it’s the only skin I’ll ever have. So making time for skincare is something I don’t compromise on, no matter what time I get back home or what time my day starts every morning. I always wanted to have my own skincare range, but it wasn’t until after The Wild that I was able to shape those thoughts properly and develop what is known today as Body Language.”

And there haven’t been too many reservations about broadening her income. In fact, being a mom of two and a wife, it is encouraging to know she still made time to build a business.

“With the birth of Body Language, I simply enlarged my sphere of business. I’m in the acting business and in the beauty and personal care business. I didn’t have any reservations. I just took the time to do it right.”

But there is no skimping in her business model.

“I never compromise on quality, so if something is going to cost me more in the long run as I have to buy it again because the one I had bought the last time did not last, I’d rather pay full price for quality,” she says.

She is constantly employing new salespeople for the brand, and in a country where unemployment is a matter of national importance, she is making the beauty of business clear.