About Clare 

Dr Clare Anyiam-Osigwe BEM is a British filmmaker, screenwriter, actress, allergy practitioner, formulator and serial entrepreneur who was born Clare Eluka in North London in July 1985, and raised in [Islington], London.

Eluka was diagnosed with [Candida] as a child. Through self-medication she identified [alchemy] as a means to combat acidic skin disorders such as [Acne], [Eczema], [Dermatitis] and [Psoriasis]. 

This was a process she developed over several years, mixing and blending natural ingredients in her mother’s kitchen in a quest to resolve her own skin issues. Eluka started producing handmade products, which complimented her [phyto nutrient] lifestyle, a key component in tackling the problem of acidic skin disorders.

 Eluka also started testing formulations with [Allergy UK] in order to establish credible cosmetic solutions for an as-yet identified client group of customers with skin symptoms similar to hers.During that time, her knowledge of the scientific structure of [Alkaline] skincare was amassed having worked at [The Body Shop] as a skincare trainer in December 2002.In November 2011, Eluka was headhunted by [Oriflame] to work as an in-house formulator at their head laboratory in Dublin. Eluka declined the offer and established Premae Skincare as a retail business, launching online on 1st December 2011.

The products, formulated by Eluka, were advertised as 100% [vegan] in content, SLS free, fragrance free and free from all [parabens] and [petrochemicals] with none of the ingredients tested on animals.

In January 2012, Eluka opened a pop-up shop at the o2 centre in London’s Finchley Road. Within 6 months of launching Premae, Eluka won a multitude of awards for several of her products including Clemency Face Balm, Triumph Face Balm and Gallant Face Balm for men.

By the end of 2012, Premae’s manufacturing process was assessed, appraised and certified by PETA [(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)]. Premae was also approved by [The Vegan Society] and was [Allergy UK] awarded (also in 2012).Eluka opened a Premae pop-up shop in Kingly Court just off [Carnaby Street] in London’s [West End] in November 2013.The flagship shop was officially opened at [Whiteleys] Shopping Centre in [Bayswater], selling Premae’s products in-store and offering facials to clients in August 2014.

Eluka launched “Wonder Women Wednesdays” in October 2014 – a monthly networking event hosted at Whiteleys and latterly at the W Hotel in [Leicester Square] (in conjunction with DJ Nikki Beatnik). The event regularly showcased high-profile females from the worlds of Film, TV, Music, Beauty & Business. Various guests have included writer, presenter & broadcaster [Angie Le Mar], recording artist [Terri Walker] & Sarah Hilleary (award-winning founder of “B-Tempted” Gluten Free cakes).

Eluka’s formulations have been advocated by various high-profile individuals including Dame [Judi Dench], Sir William Neil Young, 10th Baronet, [Stevie Wonder], [Alexandra Burke], [Beverley Knight] (MBE), Dr Sally Hampton, [Janey Lee Grace], [Jimmy Akingbola], [Chucky Venn], [Michael Obiora], [Dappy], [Krept & Konan], Karen Bryson MBE and [Michaela Coel].

Between December 2014 and July 2016, Premae secured deals to sell its’ range of products and services with the online retailers [Wowcher], [Groupon] and [Amazon].

Eluka relocated her business premises to [Harley Street] in London’s West End, with Premae functioning as a private clinic in August 2015.Dr Clare Eluka was awarded a [British Empire Medal] (BEM) in the [2017 New Year’s Honours] for services to [dermatology]. 

Eluka married Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, founder and Chairman of the [British Urban Film Festival] in March 2016. 

She is now professionally known as Clare Anyiam-Osigwe.In February 2018, it was announced that Anyiam-Osigwe was to write and direct her debut feature film, No Shade, a race drama which centres on the problematic issue of [discrimination based on skin colour] (colourism). 

The screenplay was inspired by true events Anyiam-Osigwe recounted at Premae where several clients tried to persuade her to formulate, market and sell [skin whitening] creams due to growing customer demand for these types of products.

This was triggered in part by a press story which surfaced at the time involving the American singer-songwriter [Beyonce] (who has a light skin tone) and her father [Mathew Knowles] (who has a dark skin tone) who dated her mother thinking she was white. Knowles also stated that his daughter’s success in the music industry was easier because she’s relatively light-skinned.

Anyiam-Osigwe (who has a dark skin tone) maintains an anti-skin whitening stance on ethical grounds.

Anyiam-Osigwe graduated from the [London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art] (LAMDA) with a distinction certificate in acting in 2008 and chose to pursue a career in the film business 10 years on, encouraged by her husband’s track record as a film exhibitor, juror, programmer, columnist and radio presenter.

No Shade stars Adele Oni [(Years and Years TV series)], Kadeem Pearse [(Chewing Gum)], Sharea Samuels, Clare Anyiam-Osigwe, Algie Salmon-Fattahian and Jade Asha (The Intent). The cast also includes Shone Romulus [(Top Boy)] and [Judith Jacob] [(Eastenders)]. 

Oni plays the lead character, one of several Black British millenials in the storyline in pursuit of true love but who continually grapples with their self-identity.No Shade was executive produced by Clare’s husband, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, and was first screened in [Cannes] in May 2018. 

The film received its’ UK & world premiere at the British Urban Film Festival on June the 5th 2018. The film was released in selected [Odeon] cinemas across London and Birmingham on November the 2nd 2018. In doing so, Anyiam-Osigwe became only the 6th Black British female director to release a feature in UK cinemas. The other 5 were [Ngozi Onwurah] (‘Welcome to the Terradome’ – 1995), [Amma Asante] [(‘A Way of Life’] – 2004), [Destiny Ekaragha] [(‘Gone Too Far! (film)]’ – 2013), [debbie tucker green] (‘Second Coming’ – 2014) and [Rungano Nyoni] [(‘I Am Not a Witch’] – 2017).

No Shade was released in selected US cinemas in November 2018.