Some entrepreneurs say they bat around ideas with a trusted friend or colleague. One thing they can all agree on: You often get your best ideas when you least expect it. It all started when Ellie got introduced to Pinterest a few years ago and was so impressed over the creativity collected in one place. What really caught her interest was posts about essential oils and their amazing properties they seemed to possess. She started to research about these magical drops and was fascinated by this new unexplored world she had entered.
For every part that she started to research a new puzzle turned up that needed to be analyzed, understood and put on the right place to fit the bigger picture.
Elleria Janås, the founder of the brand Ellie & Carl Skin Botanicals
Meet Elleria, The BeautyPreneur of the brand Ellie & Carl. Although she is a qualified nurse and has her Master Degree In Business Finance, Ellie still managed to find her passion for beauty and healing products.
All Ellie & Carl Skin Botanicals’ formulas are developed with a clear vision of how each one is beneficial for specific skincare issues and uses. Ellie & Carl Skin Botanicals uses natural and cold-pressed ingredients to get the maximum nutrients from their ingredients. Ellie & Carl Skin Botanicals formulates with exquisite botanicals with high levels of actives to deliver maximum results and a long-term relationship with their skin. Many of Ellie & Carl Skin Botanicals’ product formulas are inspired by family and friends with certain skin issues who were looking for skincare product dedicated to solving their needs.
Ellie & Carl Skin Botanicals do also get inspiration from exciting ingredients which they come across from around the world that have been used for centuries for their properties and that they want to introduce to their customer base.
Ellie & Carl Skin Botanicals has collections for different skin needs, ages, expectant mothers and babies. They produce products such as serums, face masks, body care and mental care with aroma blends to relax and energize the mind.
What led you to start a natural skincare brand?
It all began thanks to my curiosity of essential oils. I discovered a whole new world that excited me and with that, I developed a new-found respect for Mother Nature and all the treasures she provides us with. When researching essential oils, I got to know about their composition and different carrier oils and I was amazed by their properties. I felt the need to create and share my discoveries with my family and closest friends. One thing leads to another so I studied to become a Natural and Organic skincare formulator.
By the time I was in a phase of choosing the direction of the business my father-in-law got diagnosed with cancer. The doctors told us he did not have much time left. This was a difficult time for our family, time stopped for us in a way, we truly lived day by day with so much sorrow and also a need of cherishing every moment we had together with my father-in-law. We were emotionally and physically exhausted.
He passed away 3 months after he was diagnosed. At the very same time I gave birth to our 4th child. During this period I lost my enthusiasm over the discoveries and joy I had felt in learning and creating formulas. I dealt with a lot of fear of losing my loved ones and to deal with all the emotions coming up after the death of my father-in-law and the birth of our son. It took me over a year to be able to focus on the beauty and joy in life and to let go of the fear of death and to be present with all the blessings I have in my life.
The motivation returned when my father came to visit us and he had a back pain. His back was stiff and he was in discomfort. I wanted to make something for him with all the healing and relaxing herbs and essential oils I had read about. When formulating the massage oil for him I used the best natural and cold pressed ingredients I could find. He loved the massage oil and felt how well his body reacted to it.
The need and the calling of doing more to help others increased. When I met with family and friends that told me about different skin needs or problems they had I went back home and created product after product to help them with the needs they had. It is a fantastic feeling to be able to help others. This was the start of Ellie & Carl Skin Botanicals. All our products have a story with a need and a person behind their existence.
What makes Ellie & Carl Skin Botanicals stand out from other natural skincare brands?
Ellie & Carl products are created with the goal to be the best oil-based serums available to make an impact. The way the product feels on the skin, the beautiful, relaxing and energizing aromas, and the effects on the skin. The products give an opportunity to take time to care about ourselves through natural, clean and powerful creations. The formulas we create are with exciting and powerful ingredients combined in a way to give the skin support from different angles and on different levels of the skin.
They are multi-functional by being rejuvenating, antioxidant-rich, moisturizing, softening, balancing and protecting from free radicals and environmental stressors. We use natural, cold-pressed organic ingredients to get the maximum nutrients from our ingredients. All ingredients used in the products play an active role, all with their own capabilities with a specific purpose. All ingredients used are explained and listed for the consumer to make the products content transparently for the customer. We are proud of every single ingredient we use and want to tell and show our customers about them.
Have you always been entrepreneurial?
In a way yes, I see solutions to things and I like to make changes and improvements. I haven’t started any business until my skincare brand but I have implemented the entrepreneurial side of me on the different jobs I’ve had throughout the years. I have always been eager to try new ideas, projects within existing or new areas. I believe the motor is my curiosity. I do find possibilities for new products and improvements of existing ones in daily life and creative visions. I can be very disciplined to reach my goals and I do not hesitate to walk that extra mile whenever needed.
What was it like when you had your first client?
As I mentioned before our first clients where family and friends. I did receive positive feedback from the results from the skin care products. I began to extend the customer base further and the business was born. To develop a wider product line of natural skin care products did take time. I researched for the best ingredients, cold pressed oils, extracts, essential oils, all active in their own way to work as a team. In the process, I received feedback, reworked the formulas and improved the products until both I and the customers were satisfied with the result. Our customer base has grown thanks to word of mouth.
What are your goals currently?
Our vision is to share the authenticity of Ellie & Carl Skin Botanicals. Our mission is to serve our customers with excellent skincare made of pure, powerful and nutrient-rich ingredients.
Our values are important to us and we care about our customers. We are transparent with our products; we want to help our customers by giving them knowledge so they can make the decisions that are right for them. We want our customers to feel good and inspire them to take care of themselves. We are the wellness beauty brand that wants to inspire others to feel self-love, self-acceptance, self-care with conscious choices. Ellie & Carl Skin Botanicals is to be the positive change in the beauty industry with a healthy philosophy around beauty and wellness.
How do you test out your products?
The testing starts with the ingredients, we have a checklist to go through when it comes to choosing the ingredients and our suppliers as the first step. During the final part of the development phase of a new product, we do test it through several steps.
All our products are approved and checked by a credited laboratory and their safety assessors. We do the challenge tests that are mandatory within EU and our products are approved according to the standards.
We do long-term stability tests with all our products and they are challenged in different conditions. We do performance and aroma tests of our products to evaluate their feeling and effect.
What sacrifices have you had to make as an entrepreneur to become the person you are now?
I don’t see my choices as sacrifices. I do need to make priorities and to be very disciplined to reach my goals. Being an entrepreneur does give me so much more than I could have expected. I have the freedom to set my own path and the direction of the business. I get opportunities to meet exciting and inspiring people.
I do gain knowledge and experience when managing the business and get creative within new fields.
The person I am today is enhanced by my entrepreneurial path. I appreciate things differently; I have a whole new respect for entrepreneurs and the ups and downs they have. I have an increased appreciation for products and services made by entrepreneurs created with passion to solve or improve something in people’s lives.
How would you describe your work style while running your business?
It is fast moving with many ideas and projects ongoing in parallel. There is the need to be organized, disciplined, and flexible, having an open and positive mindset to take on the challenges that come along the way. It can be very hectic to combine family with small children and being an entrepreneur which makes it crucial to really believe in and love what I do.
How do you want to improve yourselves in the next year?
I want to host more workshops to inform about natural and organic skincare and self-care to spread the awareness of our brand and our values. We aim to increase our communication with our clients about the benefits they gain from using our products.
Tell us about your proudest achievement?
The number one achievement is definitely our 4 children. I never believed parenting could be so rewarding and challenging at the same time. To see our children grow and help them to get ready for life and at the same time see my own transformation as a human thanks to motherhood.
The second achievement is my business Ellie & Carl, named after me, my husband and our children which I see as my fifth baby. So proud to see how it has grown from curiosity to a business with a full range of skincare that makes a difference in people’s lives.
I’m excited to be on this journey and to be able to share it with my family. I feel proud that my children have an interest in what I do and hope it encourages them to fulfill their own dreams one day. I love to involve them in my work whenever it is possible
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
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