For the next week we are featuring a handful of the fantastic local sellers taking part in our Christmas Market - so you can be inspired by their products and get to know them a little better.
First up is Jess from Solasta Skin, a natural, clean beauty brand which launched in Aberdeen in November last year. Read on to learn more about her business, where she got her inspiration from, her favourite products and what she loves about Christmas...
1. Tell us a bit about your business...
"The word Solasta in old Scots translates to illuminating/glowing and that is exactly how I want everyone to feel both during and after using my products. Solasta Skin is a vegan and cruelty free brand, and all products are sold in eco-conscious packaging. Inspired by the beauty of nature, Solasta Skin products are hand made with a number of healing plant oils, earth grown exfoliants and nutrient dense fruit extracts.
2. Why did you start your business? What was the inspiration behind it?
"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.
3. What is your favourite product from your range?
"That is a difficult one! The Coffee Orange Body Scrub was the first product I launched on November the 5th last year (2019) and it really is popular. I’ve always loved coffee scrubs - I love the smell when using them first thing in the morning (which is funny because I don’t drink coffee - I guess I get my coffee fix from my exfoliation!) but I really struggled to find ‘the one’. Some would leave my skin too dry, others would leave my skin feeling greasy.
"I remember years ago trying a Coffee Orange Body Scrub from one of the big supermarkets. I loved the smell but there were a lot of aspects of the scrub I disliked. For example, the packaging was fully plastic, the coffee grounds were too hard and there was no transparency from the brand on the ethics behind the coffee sourcing. When I launched Solasta Skin, I challenged myself to formulate a cleaner, more ethical and eco-conscious version of the Coffee Orange Scrub I had tried all those years ago.
"Solasta Skin Coffee Orange Scrub is packaged in a reusable, amber glass and both the sugar and coffee grounds in the scrub are Fair Trade. This means that the farmers are getting paid fairly for their craft. Oh and it smells delicious!
"I also love the Nourishing Rose Facial Oil - it is a lightweight, multi-purpose facial elixir that can be applied in the AM/PM and during the day for an afternoon skin 'pick-me-up'. I never leave the house without it!"
4. Why do you think it is important to support local this Christmas?
"This year has been tough and extremely tough for small businesses. When you decide to shop locally during the festive period, you really can have an impact on whether a brand survives or not. When you own and run your own business, you really do pour your heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears into your craft and knowing that there is local support really is just amazing. I am so grateful to every single customer and follower of Solasta Skin since I launched the brand, because there would be no Solasta Skin without my customers and local support!"
5. What do you love most about Christmas?
"Oh everything. Family time, all the lights, the cosy nights in, all the delicious food and drink. For me, it is the time of year where I really get to unwind with loved ones and feel really present. I find the festive period in general a really reflective time of year and after a busy few months of formulating and packaging Solasta Skin products, I love to relax, restore and begin to set intentions for the New Year."
Click here to view Solasta Skin's store on the Christmas Market and browse their incredible products.
