Introducing Solasta Skin ~ Q&A with the Founder and Creator Jess

Discovering a handmade Body & Skincare collection, especially one that is lovingly made is always such an inspiration. Solasta Skin began as a dream on a vision board by Jess, a skin care lover with a passion for the planet.

Jess had a dream; to create a self-care product line to encourage others to incorporate the art of self care rituals into our busy lifestyles.

Jess turned her passion into a business and has become a skin care entrepreneur where she continues to share her love of natural skin care and at the same time caring for the environment through Solasta Skin.

Solasta Skin products are hand made with a number of healing plant oils, earth grown exfoliants and nutrient dense fruit extracts.

Solasta Skin encourages one to slow down and enjoy the restorative and nourishing benefits of the beautiful ingredients used.

Values and ethics

Jess has really ensured that her own values and ethics are threaded through the brand.

The pillars that make up Solista Skin are;

Supplier Ethics

Veganism

Cruelty Free

Organic Certification

Sustainability

Jess very kindly shared her time with me to answer some of the questions I had about the inspiration behind Solasta Skin....

Why did you create Solasta Skin and what was your motivation and inspiration?

As a passionate vegan (and self-love enthusiast!) there have been times where I have struggled to find vegan beauty products that ticked all the boxes for me. I would find a vegan beauty brand, but it would be packaged in a lot of plastic or full of chemicals. Then I would find an organic, fair trade product which was in sustainable packaging but wasn’t vegan!

I feel like no one should have to compromise their values or beliefs for good quality, effective skin care products. I wanted to combine my passion for our planet and veganism with my love of skin care and share with people the wonders of natural ingredients and what they can do for your skin.

How does Solasta Skin approach sustainability, ingredient choice and their future vision for the brand?

Sustainability is one of the core Solasta Skin values. Solasta Skin cares about protecting our earth from landfill and our oceans from plastic, for people, animals and our precious eco-system. Working towards 100% plastic free packaging, all bottles and jars are recyclable, re-useable glass, the limited amount of plastic in the packing is also 100% recyclable and reusable, including the re-moveable clear stickers. From our plastic free shipping boxes, plastic free tape and recycled eco-craft wrapping paper, Solasta Skin is always looking for new ways to reduce plastic.

When it comes to ingredients, all of oils, clays + flowers used in Solasta Skin products are from suppliers who are certified by the Soil Association. This means they are trusted to be as environmentally conscious and natural as possible. We don’t use palm oil in any of our ingredients and we never will.

More recently, Solata Skin has partnered with One Tree Planted, this means, for everyone one online sale, a tree is planted. Partnering with a charity for the long term was always part of my business plan, I decided to partner with One Tree Planted because not only do they plant trees, but they support communities and protect wildlife. You can decide as a business where you want to plant the trees too and keep your customers informed of where their money is going, which is wonderful for both the brand and for customers.

What challenges have you had to overcome in your professional journey?

Imposter syndrome is one of them!

Launching a new business in itself takes a lot of courage, I go through phases of feeling confident and proud of what I have achieved in such a short period (the brand is not even 1 year old), then other days I have moments of ‘why on earth did I start this!’ and feel fearful before launching a new product.

The indie beauty space is very saturated, there are so many wonderful brands out there and I have had moments where I find myself comparing myself to other businesses and their journeys.

I have found that positive affirmations have helped me, and I also have a notebook where I have written down every success (no matter how small) and take time to read this when I feel the imposter syndrome creeping in.

What are your thoughts on slow beauty and home rituals?

I love the concept of creating slow beauty rituals at home. I feel like this year, in particular, we have faced so many challenges and stresses and home rituals are a wonderful way to re-connect with yourself and practice self-care. When developing Solasta Skin, I really wanted to craft products that provided customers that real ‘spa feeling’ at home and it was important for me to formulate beauty and skin care that were suitable for all skin types, so everyone can enjoy them.

The majority of the products in the range are multi-purpose. For example, the Body Scrubs are 2 in 1 exfoliant and moisturizers, after using it in the bath and shower you will not need to apply any oils or creams. The Beauty Oils can be used on your face, body, in the bath and as a hair oil.

The Nourishing Rose Facial Oil can be used in the AM, in the afternoon for an afternoon glow or in the PM as a night oil. This way, my customers can practice slow beauty rituals even when they are a little short of time with a minimalist approach to the number of products and ingredients used.

How do maintain balance and wellbeing in your day to day life?

My days are very busy and there is a lot going on, so it is important to me that I start my mornings off as peacefully as possible. I love taking the time to nourish my body and mind before the day begins.

My morning routine consists of celery juice, matcha, meditation, some light reading and yoga (I undertook my yoga teacher training in January and my practice is a very large part of my life). I dedicate an entire hour to myself before the day begins (usually from 5 am) to try and find a sense of calm and peace which I can keep with me no matter what is thrown at me during the day.

I also eat very intuitively, I listen to my body and love eating nourishing, home cooked vegan meals.

I do also enjoy the odd glass of wine (recently discovered organic, sulphur free wine) and martini, it is all about balance after all.

What are your go to self-care tools/items besides your beautiful skin and body care products?

This year I have been learning about Ayurvedic wellness practices. Ayurveda is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit.

One of these practices is what is known as ‘dry brushing’ where you literally take a dry brush to your skin. This stimulating, massage practice is useful for refreshing your body, circulation, lymphatic system and skin. I also use a tongue scraper after learning that this ancient practice can help stimulate the internal organs, improve digestion by increasing your sense of taste, and cleanse the body by removing toxins and bacteria from your mouth.