Taking care of your skin has long been seen as one of the simple yet powerful ways to boost confidence. After all, when you look good, you feel good, right? It’s more than just a routine—it’s a form of self-love that can impact how you show up in the world.
Actor Thabiso Molokomme’s great-looking skin while growing up was part and parcel of his ever-growing confidence.
For Thabiso, skincare was never just about looking good—it was about showing up with confidence, even when life felt uncertain. That mindset, rooted in encouragement from his sister during his adolescent years, planted the seed for BA KENE. And it is that encouragement that would later grow into a bigger purpose—creating a brand that inspires young people to show up for themselves, boldly and consistently
BA KENE loosely means “show up”, the brand is a daily reminder to rise, face the world, and own your journey.
“I’ve always been a young man who shows up for anything I want, and I wanted that to be the cornerstone of the brand. I believe through this product and the different activations we do, I’m able to be a big brother who encourages others to show up—just like my sister was for me,” he said.
Leaving behind the comfort of his hometown Seshego in Polokwane, Thabiso took a leap of faith when he moved to Johannesburg—a move driven by nothing but a dream and the fire in his heart. It wasn’t easy, but every sacrifice brought him closer to the life he envisioned. From the bright lights of YoTV to his breakout role as Paxton on Skeem Saam, his journey has been a testament to what’s possible when you dare to dream out loud.
While still studying towards his Diploma in Operations Management, the idea for the brand began to brew within him.
“The idea behind the name—especially since the products are the first thing one would use in the morning—is to remind whoever uses them that the day is still fresh and can be conquered. To show up for that dream – making this more than just a skincare range,” he said.
Turning his dream into a tangible product meant working closely with scientists, months of testing, and countless revisions—because for Thabiso, it wasn’t just about launching skincare; it was about offering something real, tested, and worthy of the people he hoped to empower.
“These products are high quality, packed with everything healthy skin needs. The Power Powder is a cleanser in powder form—something many people haven’t seen before. We’re also excited to launch a moisturizer sunscreen soon,” he adds.
Desiring also to create an affordable, quality skincare range, entering into an industry that has long existed was not a scary thought for the budding entrepreneur, believing in his passion and what God within has deposited in him.
“After that entire process of making sure that our products are high quality, we launched it and further tested it on different types of skin from different parts of the country, held focus groups, and even took it to the SAPS for testing and approval,” he said.
“We want this brand to inspire dreaming because there are many kids who don’t know how to dream. Who don’t know how far they can dream, because I was that kid at some point. I just went to school and would come back home only to repeat the cycle without knowing that I could be something in life. And there are so many others like that, and I do hope that Ba Kene can aid in igniting dreams, from the point of looking good to engaging with the myriad of inspirations and teaching that we offer the public,” he said.