Beauty
As a woman, I have been
underestimated and misunderstood
on more than one occasion, but that
makes the successes all the more
satisfying. More women create their
own companies because of the lack of
truly infinite growth that can occur
for us in traditional business settings.
I am often questioned for my
decisions, and must explain myself on
an ongoing basis in a way I see men do
not. I tested this “theory” by bringing
in men to say the exact same things
and people just listen to them, no
questions asked. But what can you do
but continue to be successful? A life
well lived and all that...
LBM: Is there one aspect of
skincare that you feel is the
most important?
Suki: Exfoliation is extremely
important to me, to keep the skin
youthful, plump, clear and really
smooth, and that’s all over! The
reason exfoliation is so important
too is that, for having well-hydrated
skin, like most things, preparation is
the key. Your canvas (the skin) must
be fresh, dry-patch free and smooth.
An exfoliate that actually works will
provide that. With a body brush or
loofa, and your favorite exfoliate
(get one that doubles as a cleanser
and you’ll save time), you’ll start
your routine with fresh, new, soft
skin. Your driest parts will take some
time to get back to a state of real
softness, so don’t be discouraged
if this takes a couple weeks!
Acid, Vitamin A, Retinol – for example,
is avoided. This is true is all aspects
of our products.chemistry/sebum.
LBM: What have been your biggest
challenges to overcome with
building your brand?
Suki: Honestly, each step along this
journey has been brand new and full
of challenges, fear, insecurities to
meet and master, risks, sacrifices and
doubt. I’ve had to learn everything
I know each step of the way, but
I’ve also had a lot of angels -- I was
a freelance writer and waitress and
had just finished my bachelor’s
degree at 34 when I started this.
I did not have a background in
science or any training in business
management. I went to the Small
Business Association (SBA) for
guidance on so many things, and they
helped tremendously. I really started
from scratch and learned everything
from the ground up.
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LBM: What do you see in the future
for skincare product development?
Suki: The overall trend toward
buying “naturals” continues, and will
indefinitely, of course. We all want
the best there is and are willing to
pay a premium for more healthful
products. The trick is knowing that
what we are paying that premium
for is truly more healthy and pure,
and formulated to actually work.
Many consumers are unaware of the
questionable industry ethics, hidden
ingredients and toxins in this
largely unregulated industry. We
are starting to finally make some
headway in oversight, thank
goodness, California, of course,
leading the way. But there are also
good-natured, badly informed people
out there making decisions who are
effective manufacturers, but that do
not actually do anything in the end,
for consumers.
LBM: When you are not working on
your 6