**I was not paid for the post but got items to try. The opinions are my own. I absolutely love the product.
After being inspired by her world travels, Krystyna, Natalia’s grandmother, was intrigued by different cultures and their beauty practices that later inspired their brand Herla.
Since Herla is one of my all-time favorite skincare products, I knew that I had to ask her some questions about skincare and also woman empowerment.
{Q} What countries and cultures intrigued you the most? Were there any skincare rituals that you thought were the most unique and what were they?
{A} I love the diversity of local ingredients and beauty techniques around the world. I think the ingredient that intrigued me the most personally is the Kakadu Plum and the culture of Aboriginal Australians. Kakadu Plum is a superfruit, the world’s richest natural source of vitamin C, which has been used as a sustenance food for centuries. This small, yellow-green plum can be found only in tropical regions of northern Australia, which makes it very unique. It has amazing antioxidant and brightening properties, helps even your skin tone, and revitalizes dull complexion.
{Q} You have said that you were surrounded by women in your family that took pride in taking care of their skin. At what age do you think it became important to you? How do you think young mothers can instill the importance of a good skincare routine with their kids?
{A} To be honest, I always knew that taking care of your skin is something you must do. It is my grandmother, my mom, and my sister who were my role models and who taught me that beauty starts with great skin. When I was a baby my mom was already using moisturizing and protective products on me and, of course, sunscreen. I remember from an early age when I was in elementary school, I always had a basic skincare routine – moisturizer + sunscreen.
Usually, when you become a teenager it’s the time when you start dealing with various skin problems (most commonly acne) and that’s when most people realize they should have some form of skincare regimen. I was lucky enough and didn’t have acne, but I always struggled with dry and sensitive skin. If you use the right products consistently, you can minimize or eliminate any skin concern that you’re struggling with.
For young mothers, it’s important to set an example for their kids and instill a certain skincare-focused mindset. Women in my family believe that you should first take the best care of your skin and not rely on makeup as a cure. I see so many teenagers camouflaging skin imperfections with tons of makeup instead of getting to the root of the problem. Taking care of your skin is much less difficult than applying makeup!
{Q} In a male-driven society, what has been your biggest hurdle to get past, and what advice do you have to give other women that are working on businesses and creating a difference?
{A} What I learned from my grandmother are determination, fearlessness, and an open mind. I believe these are the 3 key skills to have if you want to succeed in business and make a difference. In addition to that, whatever you do must be your passion. Two things I have in common with my grandmother are that we both love to work and we both like to win. We work and ideate on Herla 24h/day, and actually, we don’t consider it work. It’s something we also do in our free time, it’s something that keeps us going every day, it’s something that makes us excited every morning.
Also, keep in mind that it’s important to believe in yourself and it’s also normal to have moments of doubt. Once you’re above thoughts like that and know that they’ll pass – you’re good.
We all know our society is very much male-driven. Things are changing but they’re changing slowly and not across all industries at an equal pace. We, women, have to support each other and work towards making that difference. Truthfully, men and women are born to complement each other at work. Unfortunately, stereotypes and gender roles are still haunting us to this day.
{Q} The beauty industry has often been secretive about the ingredients that are putting in our makeup and skincare. What are a few ingredients or facts that people would be surprised to find in their make up or skincare? Why has it been important for you to produce a clean, vegan, and animal cruelty-free product?
{A} What many consumers don’t realize about the beauty industry is that the majority of brands use generic labs where formulas are basically outsourced with little control over ingredients and concentrations. Oftentimes, the formulas have already been created and the brands are simply purchasing them, adding custom packaging, and marketing them as their signature products. This is also how you end up with very similar products at different price points.
We made a decision from the beginning to invest in our own lab and hire a team of female chemists – full-time and part-time. We have a large innovation pipeline thanks to having our in-house team and we have full control over product formulations.
Another important aspect is harmful synthetic ingredients which can be found in many products coming from well-known, established brands. Our goal is to educate women about skincare and ingredients. Think about it, if you use a harmful ingredient like parabens for 10 years, even in small quantities, you can develop various health problems that you may not even attribute to the skin care product you’ve been using. We have customers who went through cancer treatment and transitioned to our skincare leaving luxury heritage brands behind. My grandmother and I were always very health conscious so it was extremely important for us to create clean products and contribute to ending animal testing.
{Q} We are headed into summer months… What are a few of the products you offer that you think are a must for these next few hot months?
{A} Our Gold Supreme Illuminating Body Oil is a perfect summer product. It delivers an instant dewy and golden finish that accentuates every skin tone. It’s super lightweight, fast-absorbing, rich in natural oils, and smells like Gold!
For the face, I recommend our Kakadu Plum collection with brightening scrub and hydrating antioxidant cream. These products will hydrate, protect, and repair your skin.
{Q} You have a collection of items with gold flakes in them. What is the benefit of the gold flakes and was there a certain culture that inspired this?
{A} You can trace the use of 24k gold as far as ancient Egypt. Cleopatra used to wear pure gold to make her complexion radiant. It’s a secret ingredient to youthful and bright skin. Gold helps combat the signs of loss of collagen and elastin. Gold is an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce hyperpigmentation, skin redness, and even acne. Aside from its benefits, 24k gold is an ingredient that makes you feel luxurious and confident. It’s the purest gold possible.
Finish the following:
If I am not on my phone I am on my laptop.
At 9 am I will most likely be feeding my baby.
I could live on this one food item shortbread cookies.
One quote that embodies who I am is “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken” by Oscar Wilde
