Sabrina Dhowre Elba believes that most good ideas are born out of a place of frustration. That philosophy rings true in life, generally speaking, but especially in S’Able Labs, the skin-care brand she co-founded in 2022 with partner Idriss Elba. That frustration she speaks of was personal—influenced by skin troubles in her teens then again as an adult—but also related to the state of the beauty marketplace itself.
“Idriss and I always knew that we wanted to build something that was rooted in wellness and community,” the model, activist, and CEO tells me over Zoom from her go-to getting ready outpost The Whiteley London. “[But beyond that] there was this personal place of understanding myself as a Black woman in the industry, and as a consumer, and looking at brands for how they spoke to me.” Elba, a Canadian-born woman of Somali heritage, did not feel that brands were servicing either the needs of her skin clinically and efficaciously, or her emotional needs from a representation standpoint. Their answer, they soon realized, was close to home.
“S’Able Labs today is a celebration of heritage, innovation, and formulas that honor the wisdom of where we come from, while also honoring the skin we are in today,” she continues. To wit, the brand celebrates—and draws upon—ancestral traditions found throughout the continent of Africa via science-led, barrier-kind African botanicals without dilution and tokenism. In the three years since launch, the brand has introduced seven products formulated to address the concerns of melanated skin, hyperpigmentation being chief among them. In October, its Moringa Lip Salve became available in two tints—“Sister Wife” and “Jollof”—serving as the brand’s first extension into color cosmetics.
What she emphasizes, though, is that while S’Able Labs celebrates A-beauty, its formulas are for everyone. “I really want the world to know that just because it’s Black-founded or includes the needs of Black skin, that doesn’t mean it’s only for Black skin,” she says, nodding to the brand’s in-house tagline ‘for all HUE-mans.’ For Elba, S’Able Labs is as much a way to combine traditional botanicals with modern science to make them more effective in a way that better serves Black consumers, but also to introduce these African ingredients to a wider audience.
Elba has lofty expectations for her business, and bears much of the weight of what it means to represent African beauty at a global scale. That adds an extra layer of pressure beyond simply being a first-time entrepreneur. Over time, she’s found assurance in carving out her own lane. “I show up today in a place of more confidence and grounding than when I started this brand,” she says. “[I am] able to express myself more genuinely and authentically. I know the community that we’ve built over the past three years enough to know how to service them, but also how to engage them in a way that kind of cuts out outside noise.” Nowadays, A-beauty as a burgeoning cluster in the skin-care space, is more common than ever—and Elba is proud to be at the forefront of that. “I genuinely there is a space for a brand like ours, and I want to see it thrive.”
In rallying her team around her creative vision, she likens it to being a film director. “When I watch Idris work, everyone comes to him with questions and he might not know the answer, but he’s got to have the answer in that moment,” she explains. “You want to have that equal standing where people can ideate around a vision that you started, but that it is contagious and digestible enough for them to take it and run.” Through the trial-and-error of balancing these entrepreneurial demands, she’s learned that discipline is key. While she certainly will make herself available at 11 p.m. as necessary, Elba is firm with her boundaries: “I’m trying to teach myself to not feel that I have to do everything [while] taking on this massive responsibility for a brand that I do feel a massive responsibility for—that has been a really healthy way for myself to practice the right way to show up.”
Her mornings always start at 5:30 a.m. Between a quick workout, school drop-off, checking emails, and getting her family out the door, daybreak can be chaotic. “If I don’t take five quiet minutes, literally just even five to just breathe, check in with myself, set my intentions for the day, let my nervous system just reset—it’s going to affect my business, my work, my relationships, and my productivity,” she says.
You could say her morning getting-ready ritual is a way she shows up for herself, by leaning into the demands of being a visible founder—always presentable and camera-ready. It’s about showing herself consistency and care. While Elba has been reminded of the importance of self-care through her founder journey, it’s actually a principle instilled in her from her mother. “[She always taught me that] showing up for yourself is showing up for others,” Elba recalls. “My mom was always a self-care as community-care person. You are doing this for others as much as you are doing this for yourself.”
S’Able Steps
“My philosophy now is less about covering and more about protecting and letting my skin thrive,” Elba says. After a long journey with acne, she’s found skin balance in keeping things simple, protective, and respectful of her barrier. Now, her regimen is centered around what she calls her “S’Able steps.” She starts her day with her label’s micellar water. Rich in ceramides, fatty acids, panthenol, and rooibos extract, it’s formulated to be the only AM cleanser you need. Her next step is her skin texture-refining Black Seed Toner which also lends itself useful as a midday pick-me-up. “I literally just leave it on my office desk,” she says. “It’s antiseptic as well. You got to love something that’s just killing bacteria as you go.” Last is a bit of Baobab Moisturizer—designed to minimize hyperpigmentation—and always SPF.
Minimalist Makeup
Most days, Elba is comfortable going barefaced. “It took me a long time to feel confident without makeup, but I love letting my skin breathe,” she says. “If I do add anything, it’s usually very minimal: just a touch of concealer and a brow”—spot-correcting areas of concern with a Vieve formula popular in the UK. For more glam days, she’s obsessed with Fara Homidi’s face compact and bronzer. On lips, she’s quite hooked on the Sunnies Face Fluffmatte lipstick in shade Brunette—a hue close to her natural lip color, layered with her Moringa Lip Salve in ‘Sister Wife’. “I never leave the house with it.”
Conscious Wellness
Generally speaking, movement—from walking and stretching to yoga—is Elba’s trusted wellness principle. “I’ve also been loving Lagree,” she says, along with other grounding tools (think: infrared saunas or a grounding mat) which genuinely calm her. “It’s those small rituals, combined with good sleep, that really set the tone for my day.” Perfume is also essential. An intuitive fragrance wearer, she likes that choosing her scent du jour is a joyous, conscious decision. “I think that’s so important. It’s like, ’how are you starting your day? How do you think you’re going to feel?’ That’s a mindset check-in that we should have with ourself.”
Protective Hair Practices
Elba keeps her styling simple but protective in order to safeguard against frequent potential damage from blowouts and heat styling. “One of the best ways for me to do that has been to wash my hair less,” she says, refreshing instead with dry shampoo and her hair dryer. “I can’t live without the soft heat from the Dyson. Even the cool heat just to lay my hair flat for the morning has become a big part of my hair’s health routine.” That said, heat protectant is also a non-negotiable in her hair growth journey: “Every bit of length matters and breakage isn’t your friend. Sleeping with a silk pillowcase or scarf also helps, so my hair is healthier and ready to go with minimal effort.”
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Nourishing Firming Body-Care
Fresh out of the shower, Elba will dry brush and utilize a cellulite massager she picked up at an Aman hotel. “The combination of the both just gets actually your skin quite soft and even,” she says. “I’m sure it’s doing lots for my lymphatic [system], but I’m much more aesthetic-focused when I’m going into this. It helps.” Then, to lock in hydration, she turns to her ultimate favorite whipped body butter by Josie Maran, which gives her skin hydration via argan and avocado oils and shea butter—followed by Patrick Ta’s body oil for a radiant glow. “I sleep with heat on constantly, so I wake up with very dry skin,” Elba admits. “I’m always cold, so I’m always keeping my body butters nearby.”
Comfortable, Yet Playful Style
Elba admits that her office style is more traditional—centered around a good blazer and workwear essentials. “What I do love to do is accessorize that aesthetic with a more casual look,” she says—a baseball cap with my suit, sneakers with a trouser, or a pop of color that delivers elements of both comfort and play. “For me, style is about balance: it should be functional, but it should also spark joy.”
