MSA Skin Care is a natural, organic and vegan skin care brand that is cruelty-free and plastic-free. The company has been operating with an environmentally friendly approach for over a year, which includes a refill service for customers.
All products are created by mother of three and founder Suprina Hilaire. It uses natural and sustainably sourced ingredients that are good for the skin and gentle on the planet. MSA Skin Care is committed to increasing women’s confidence in their skin and making skin care an enjoyable experience rather than a chore.
The products help customers who suffer from dry skin and dry eczema — which can be relieved by the available vanilla and sandalwood body butter MSA Skincare website.
Here’s what happened when I met with MSA Skincare founder Suprina Hilaire:
Click Here to subscribe to the newsletter and Here to donate to this blog
Tell us about your background and why you decided to get into the skin care industry.
I am a single mother of three and have a degree in skin care formulation and aromatherapy.
My first professional career was training as an assistant teacher, which I did for 20 years. I have always had an interest in aromatherapy and years ago created a collection of essential oils for my personal use.
After getting married, having kids and then getting divorced, I realized that I had always put my ambitions on hold and so I started searching for myself and what I wanted to do. As a procrastinator, it took me a while to finally move forward and start the business. At first, I wasn’t much of a skincare enthusiast as I used “basic” products. However, after my first facial, I loved the way it felt on my skin. This is when I started investing more time into learning about skincare products and practicing a regular skincare routine. Since I suffered from dry skin and had a daughter who suffered from eczema, I was fed up with steroid creams and decided to make products I could trust.
What was your first product and how did you go about developing it?
Vanilla & Sandalwood Body Butter was my first product, created as part of an assignment for a skincare course. It was designed for my dry skin as I needed something that would nourish the skin naturally without harsh chemicals. It is made with a selection of rich butters, vegetable carrier oils and essential oils to moisturize the skin.
What were some of your challenges when starting your skincare company? How did you overcome them?
I faced a number of challenges including finding the right ingredients and packaging suppliers, building brand awareness, particularly on social media, and creating an online presence.
As far as the online presence is concerned, I created my website myself during the first lockdown. I taught myself, used templates and managed to get a great looking final product.
When it comes to suppliers, I did a lot of research myself, contacted potential suppliers and attended trade fairs. Building brand awareness is still a work in progress, but to start the process I joined a few membership groups and did some networking.
A lot of this is something I taught myself and asked questions about, and I would recommend it to anyone starting a business
Click Here to subscribe to the newsletter and Here to donate to this blog
How did you overcome procrastination?
I have found ways to deal with procrastination, which is evidenced by starting my business. For example, I thought I needed a set of qualifications (or so I told myself) to start my business. However, after being rejected for a course that I thought would help me, I decided to start the company anyway. I remember telling this to a friend and that was it.
I believe in myself more now and therefore I tend to do things that come to mind.
What is your best-selling product and why do you think customers like it?
There are two top sellers at the moment: The Vanilla & Sandalwood Body Butter, which smells pleasant and nourishes dry skin when absorbed. The other product is the hand spray. Since everyone is disinfecting their hands much more often, this is a great solution because it’s a spray not a gel and won’t dry out or make your hands sticky. A refill is also available.
Customers can buy these products directly from us online save here
What do you enjoy most on your entrepreneurial journey?
Making the products and getting great customer feedback on how the product worked for them. I also enjoy learning new things about myself and my determination.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a skincare business?
Persevere, get help, don’t do it alone, think about your support network, ask questions when in doubt, take care of yourself, take regular breaks. It’s okay to outsource, and data is key. Record them weekly.
Thank you for the insight into your business journey so far, Suprina!
