CARU SKINCARE CO IS A SMALL SKINCARE PRODUCER BASED IN NYC THAT IS DEVOTED TO CREATING HIGH QUALITY, HEALTHY AND ECOLOGICALLY SOUND SKINCARE PRODUCTS.
WE ARE PROUD TO BRING YOU A SKINCARE LINE THAT YOU CAN TRUST: NO MYSTERY INGREDIENTS, NOTHING ARTIFICIAL, ONLY THE PUREST BOTANICAL INGREDIENTS AND SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING. WE PROMISE.
Dominique was kind enough to chat with me about her inspiration, product creation process and skincare routine:
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background (life, work, etc). What inspired you to create Caru Skincare Co? Before starting my own business, I worked freelance as a lighting technician on movie and television sets. I liked my job but the hours were horrendous. I decided I needed to change my job to accommodate a more fulfilling and healthy lifestyle. I started making my own products as a hobby, simply because I couldn’t find anything on the market that was what I wanted in a skincare product: healthy, natural, organic, and sustainable. I was looking for something that was truly 100% natural, sustainably sourced and packaged, preservative free, and that actually worked! Working with essential oils and other natural products can be very inspiring. A lot of my creative process comes from working and studying the raw materials. After sharing my creations and getting amazing feedback, I decided I would try selling them. I had no idea how much work that entailed, but I’m glad I made the decision to try. What is the process like for creating your products? It depends on the products. I usually get an idea from working with the raw materials or from a customer making a custom request. When I have an idea as to what I want to make, I sit down and experiment if I have the raw ingredients on hand (I keep a small arsenal of various essential oils and plant oils to work with), or I try to find the raw ingredients I need from a sustainable and organic source. If I can’t find a source I approve of, I move on to a different project or replace the ingredient with a sustainable one. Once I have all the ingredients I need, I try recipe after recipe until the product is perfect.
I love how sustainable Caru Skincare products are, from the simple, natural ingredients to the unique, recyclable labeling/packaging. What inspired the product design and sustainability behind your products?
From the beginning, I wanted Caru Skincare Co to be as sustainable as possible. I personally want to know where the apples I eat and the coffee I drink come from and how they are grown. I thought the same should go for skincare ingredients. Up to 100% of what you put on your skin is absorbed into your blood stream, and what is not is flushed into our water system. I felt it was important to create a brand that is transparent about where the ingredients are sourced and how they are grown (organic, etc) so the customer can understand what is in the product they are using.
As far as the package design, I really can’t stand buying products that are overly packaged, or packaged in non-reusable/non-recyclable materials. Sometimes, I won’t purchase a product simply because of the way it is packaged. That is why every aspect of our package design is as sustainable as possible. As an example, our adhesive labels are made in a tree-free, water-free, and chlorine-free process that uses less energy than regular paper. It was printed by a printer that uses wind energy to power its facilities and uses non-toxic ink. The paper is recyclable and photo-degradable.
Finding eco-friendly materials and printers was not easy, but it was worth the investment to me.As far as the graphics design for the packaging, I wanted something that evoked apothecary but with a fresh and modern twist. I partnered with a good friend of mine, Laura Shim, who is a graphic designer, to design the actual graphics, color scheme, and layout.
What is your favorite part of creating your products and why?
My favorite part is working with the raw materials. From the essential oils to the clays and salts, each material is unique in its properties, scent, texture, and color. I just love sitting down with beautiful ingredients that have been freshly harvested from the earth, and creating something beautiful and useful out of them.
What are your favorite products from the line?
I LOVE the French Green Clay Soap during the summer time and the Chamomile + Calendula Soap (soon to be renamed Chamomile + Honey) during the wintertime. I also love the Cucumber + Lime Facial Toner. It smells amazing and works wonders for my skin, leaving it looking clear, hydrated, and refreshed. It is made with hydrosols grown and distilled on US soil, which is very rare for skincare products since so many raw materials grow in tropical regions.
Do you have any favorite natural or organic skincare and beauty necessities? What is your daily skincare or beauty routine like?
I have a nighttime solid serum I use every night during cold weather months. It’s not available yet, but hopefully by the end of the year. It’s made with shea butter and rose essential oil, as well as a variety of other oils. It’s sort of like a hydrating mask. It doesn’t clog pores and my skin looks so amazing in the morning.
My skincare regime is pretty simple. I wash and moisturize my face twice a day (morning and night). First, I wash my face with either the French Green Clay soap (summer) or the Chamomile + Calendula soap (winter). Then I follow with toner, which I apply using a cotton ball. I switch between the Cucumber + Lime and the Rock+ Rose depending on the seasons. I sometimes use the Lavender + Chamomile when its really cold. I follow with a moisturizer. I use the Jojoba Moisturizing Oil in the morning, and during the winter I use the shea + rose solid serum at night.
For my body, I really love olive oil salt scrubs. They exfoliate and moisturize so I rarely need to apply lotion or body oil. (I’m hoping to sell some of these too some time this year).
What are your goals for Caru Skincare Co? What do you hope your products will show consumers?
I hope people will see that you don’t need your skincare products to be packaged in plastic, infused with chemicals and unhealthy preservatives, and designed in a “lab”. Fresh, organic, all natural products work and are healthy for you and the planet. It’s just a question of finding the right product.
Stay tuned for my review on Caru Skincare Co products tomorrow plus a special deal for my readers! What are your thoughts on this brand and the products?
Shop Caru Skincare Co products on their website or the Etsy shop. Select products also available online at Anthropologie. Follow Caru Skincare Co on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and their Blog for more inspiration! (Their Pinterest is chock-full-of-gorgeousness!)
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*All photos courtesy of Caru Skincare Co. Header photo from Design*Sponge.
callitvanity
What a great philosophy on packaging! Thanks for sharing
Mayah x
Kasey Michelle
Hi Mayah, I agree! I really do admire the brand mission of Caru Skincare Co. Thanks for reading!
Mademoiselle nature (@MlleNature)
Lovely interview! Really nice packaging indeed :-)))
Kasey Michelle
Thank you! Isn’t it just gorgeous?
thewanderlustingbeauty
I really enjoyed this interview! This is my first exposure to the brand and now you have them on my radar. Thank you!
Kasey Michelle
Thanks, Brenda! Glad you enjoyed it. I was excited to share this brand with everyone. The brand’s products and mission are so admirable. Let me know if you purchase anything from Caru!
verdeversace
What a nice interview to read and such lovely images as well. Will to check out Caru. I already want her solid nighttime serum!
Kasey Michelle
Thanks, Jackie! I can’t wait for Dominique’s new skincare items to be released either. Definitely check out Caru products and let me know how they work for you! 🙂
Ana Green (@Anagoesgreen)
Such beautiful products, I will have to investigate if they ship internationally thank you for sharing! 🙂 Xx
Kasey Michelle
Thanks for reading, Ana. I hope you get a chance to try Caru products! I think through their Etsy shop they do ship outside of the U.S. so be sure to check that out 🙂