Suprina Hilaire, owner and founder of MSA Skincare (Make Your Skin Amazing), started her own beauty business because she wanted natural, chemical-free skincare products for herself and her daughter.
After suffering from skin irritations and dry skin herself, Suprina was frustrated with having to repeatedly use steroid creams that didn’t work for her. She worked in the beauty industry for six years and was concerned that some skincare creams contained chemicals.
Suprina was worried that these non-natural ingredients were being absorbed directly into her skin, and potentially making her skin irritations worse. Her daughter also suffered from eczema so Suprina was looking for a solution to help them both attain healthy skin, the natural way.
A family-friendly, natural skincare solution
Looking for a chemical-free solution for her and her daughter’s skin irritations inspired Suprina to create her own natural skincare range.
Her drive was to create something that she could really believe in, something that contained only natural skincare ingredients that she knew and trusted. Suprina decided to turn her passion into reality. She explained,
“I had suffered from skin problems since I was a child and felt there was nothing on the market that could help. My skin was just so dry and it would flake. I was prescribed different strength steroid creams but they didn’t work. It was time to create my own skincare solution!”
Choosing the right natural skincare course
Suprina is proud of getting out there and starting her own brand in response to her quest to find truly natural skincare products.
But why did Suprina choose to study the Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation with the School of Natural Skincare? She had been following the School for a while online and then started watching our videos. She was then inspired to do a one-day workshop and attend our live teaching classes.
Our Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation has taught her to formulate natural skincare products with confidence and run her business. She says,
“I loved doing the course; the videos were brilliant and really helped me as I am a visual learner. The Q&As were also good as I felt like I could ask specific questions as everyone learns differently. The Facebook group added a sense of community and a chance to talk to others in the same place as you, as well as get advice and ask opinions.”
Through our Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation, Suprina gained confidence in creating her own formulas from scratch, knowing what blends well together and understanding which ingredients to use for different skin types – especially sensitive skin.
Suprina now feels like an expert in her field and says her natural skincare knowledge has enabled her to feel more comfortable when advising other people about their skincare. Her new expertise has really given her that extra level of confidence.
Suprina says she has also learnt key business organizational skills from studying the Diploma in Natural Skincare Formulation, like how to keep manufacturing logs, for example.
Natural skincare that stands out from the crowd
So how does Suprina ensure her products stand out in the market, when there are so many different brands selling so many skincare ranges? She believes that being transparent about ingredients appeals to people, as she says there are many companies that are not clear enough about their skincare ingredients.
Suprina applauds the fact that her type of natural cosmetic solution is on the rise globally, as people search for more healthy, natural and sustainable solutions for their skin. She believes that what appeals to people is the natural element of these products and the clarity about what they contain. She explains,
“My products contain natural ingredients and are free from chemical nasties – this is important in an era when people are now so much more aware of what they put on their skin.”
Suprina makes sure her products are formulated as organically as possible by only using ingredients that are ethically sourced, fairtrade, wild, raw or cold pressed. She looks for COSMOS-certified organic ingredients and she is working towards her range being certified organic.
The goal of truly organic skincare
Getting her products certified organic is important to Suprina. She believes there are products on the market that claim to be fully organic when in fact they are not.
Having her skincare range certified through her chosen certification body means that it will be guaranteed as having 90%+ organic ingredients. Vegan certification is also important to her as it really helps vegans know that they can trust these products.
So what does Suprina like the most about making her products? Having her own finished formula in her hand and using it herself is the part that makes her really proud. She says,
“I enjoy seeing the finished product and using it! Noticing the visible improvement in my skin has really given me confidence.”
She also loves adding essential oils to her creams, which provide an extra level of luxury and give added therapeutic benefits to the product. The wellbeing benefits of essential oils are something that Suprina really has faith in. Suprina doesn’t use synthetic fragrances in her products.
The special experience of using a luxurious body care product, containing healing essential oils, is really important to Suprina. She explains,
“My favourite ingredients to add to my creams are essential oils because of the sensory experience they give. I am a believer in their therapeutic benefits and love how their comforting scents can take you back to a special moment in your life!”
Suprina’s favourite essential oil is sandalwood with its smooth, woody scent. When choosing her best-loved formulation amongst her own products, she talks about the warm and comforting scent of her Vanilla and Sandalwood Body Butter. She says it is also a great product for dry skin because it is so nourishing and glides on easily, without leaving a greasy residue.
Suprina also loves detoxifying body products. She is a fan of her Detox Bath Salts and loves using the luxurious Hawaiian black lava salt as a therapeutic ingredient in her range.
The future in natural skincare formulation
So what about aspirations for the future? Suprina wants to expand her skincare business and to start providing skincare consultations and facials. Her aim is to get her products stocked with retailers, especially refill shops as this provides a recyclable and environmentally friendly approach to skincare.
A truly organic, ethical product range is something that natural skincare advocate Suprina truly believes in! She says,
“I want to make every customer feel valued and special, to learn to love their own skin and for the skincare routine to be an experience rather than a chore. I believe everyone should be educated on what goes into the skincare products they put on their skin.”
Browse Suprina Hilaire’s range of natural skincare products at MSA Skincare (Make Your Skin Amazing): www.msaskincare.com.
If you’ve been inspired by Suprina’s story and are interested to learn more about making your own natural skincare products, either for yourself or to sell, then check out our portfolio of online courses here, reach out to customer and students’ services at hello@schoolofnaturalskincare.com, and get started today with a free natural beauty recipe book.
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