Naturally neat
CREATING ONE of the first independent, all-natural bath-and-body brands in the country wasn't originally part of Coty Cruz's plans, but having a backyard bee farm and an advocacy for health and wellness made it pretty hard to ignore the opportunity at hand.
“It literally started as a hobby,” Ms. Cruz, co- founder of synthetics- free bath- and- body line Ysabel's Garden, told BusinessWorld in an e- mail. “I have always tried to live a balanced life, leaning towards the wellness aspect of fitness such as yoga, and being curious about how natural remedies benefit the individual. I've been an advocate of these beliefs and practices for a long time now, and when majority of society suddenly became more health-conscious, I made it a point to start letting my family practice it as well. It paved the way for me to try and play around with how natural raw materials can be used in the household, primarily for bath and body purposes.”
She said the idea came from having an abundance of honey after they started their own backyard bee colony. The honey served as the base ingredient of the bath products she would make for her family and friends. In 2011, she and her nephew decided to turn the hobby into a full-fledged enterprise that celebrates nature.
“We wanted to share what we learned from my mother, Ysabel, [ particularly] how certain remedies in the old days were used to clean and groom one's self and how these concoctions from natural ingredients actually have more potent benefits compared to what is sold in the market,” Ms. Cruz said. “It's that experience we got growing up with her, and how she placed care and safety at the forefront is what we hope to replicate and share with our customers when they purchase what we have to offer. [We want] to encourage them to live a healthier life and share what we know and what worked for us.”
She admitted that it can be quite tough to compete with the international market, especially when it has become a part of the household lives of many Filipinos.
“But what we try to bring to the table is that local businesses can do the same, if not better than what is being put out there. We deal with it one step at a time, teaching each possible customer why they should convert to what we offer, and why it is important to have this awareness with what you apply on your body,” she said.
For her, the best part of leading this business is being able to make people understand and believe the benefits of synthetics-free products.
“It's those types of reactions that I get from new customers that still inspire me to pursue and continue with this business. It is always worth it when someone takes time to tell us how they appreciate what they have learned from switching to our line of products,” she said.
In the years ahead, Ms. Cruz shared they are planning to find new sources of ingredients and natural raw materials that will allow them to make their products more affordable yet retain their present quality. She believes this will let more people experience the quality of their products and help them understand the difference between natural and synthetic ingredients.