IN many Jamaican homes a cup of tea is more than comfort… It’s medicine. That belief sits at the heart of Siani Creates, a small beauty brand blending herbal wisdom with modern luxury and founded on the simple idea that, as Grandma always knew, the cure is often in the herbs.

“Siani Creates is all because Grandma is right,” CEO and founder, Shauna Douglas told the Jamaica Observer. “She cures everything. So, what you’re looking at is the soothing effect of the tea, plus the herb would have drawn in that water.”

Douglas said the idea came from observing how herbs were traditionally prepared in Jamaican households, often through heat and infusion, a method she later encountered more formally. After attending herbal medicine-making workshops she began learning how to extract nutrients from herbs using controlled heat and suitable mediums. It was during that period that she started experimenting with how to translate those methods into modern personal care products.

That process led to the brand’s flagship product, the cuticle oil pen, which Douglas developed by slow-infusing herbs into oil and combining them with other ingredients before packaging them in a pen-style applicator. The concept came together during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the business officially launching in 2022. Today, the line includes 10 cuticle oil variations, nine for daily care and one intensive option called Nail Elixir which contains additional essential oils traditionally associated with wound care and minor skin issues. Douglas explained that while the formulations are largely consistent, the distinction lies primarily in scent.

“All of the others all come with tea tree oil and vitamin E, and it really is your scent preference that decides which one you choose,” she told Sunday Finance.

She was quick to clarify that the products are not designed to target different health conditions.

“Hair, skin, and nails all have the same cells. See? I can get a little sciencey code, so I’m going to try my best,” she explained. “They all have a similar type of cell so they require similar moisturising and hydration. With our cuticle, we tend to wash our hands or use our hands a lot and then they dry out, which leads to cracks.”

Cracks in the skin can allow bacteria and germs to enter the skin. The cuticle oil, in general, will moisturise the cuticles, making them soft, and the infused tea tree oil acts as a barrier for any bacteria getting into the cuticles. But her motivation to manufacture, specifically, cuticle oil was also deeply personal.

“I kind of feel so much better when my nails are done. Okay, honestly? I remember once being just stunned as I was driving from a nail appointment, stopped at the stoplight and looked at my nails, and I felt so much better. Traffic is going on madness but I instantly felt better,” she shared.

The pen-style applicator was designed to maintain that freshly done look while avoiding waste, making it both efficient and portable. Siani Creates products are currently available at Things Jamaican and Fontana Waterloo, and the company also manufactures cuticle oils for nail salons that rebrand the product under their own labels. Although packaging has been one of the more challenging aspects of the business, particularly achieving the right balance between aesthetics and functionality, the business has now finally arrived at the current format that aligns closely with Douglas’s original vision. The brand also operates an online landing page for orders. The lychee pineapple cuticle oil pen remains the top seller, with product names inspired by Douglas’s personality.

“I have a little whimsy so some of the names will be very whimsical as well. Okay, what’s life without some whimsy?” said Douglas.

The herbal base of Siani Creates later inspired the expansion into body oils in 2024, followed by foot and bath soaks and, most recently, a lip gloss launched in 2025. Looking ahead, Douglas envisions a physical retail space where customers can experience the products first-hand.

“Offering people the ability to so individualise their care, their personal care, that a kit is specifically for you with the benefits that best fit your lifestyle, your skin or nail care requirements [is the aim],” she shared with Sunday Finance.

For now, however, Siani Creates continues to rely on select retail locations and pop-up markets, steadily building a brand rooted in tradition, infused with intention, and guided by the belief that some of the best solutions are still found in the herbs Grandma trusted.

Siani Creates cuticle oil pens all have unique fragrances and “whimsical” titles.

Additional products stemming from Siani Creates’s oil-based production are from its Bath Soak line.

Siani Creates Nail Elixir cuticle oil pen, the only pen that has healing properties infused.

Siani Creates Body Oil product.