If you know me, you know I love skincare and beauty and that I’m fascinated (maybe even a little obsessed) by what goes into making the products we use today. This curiosity has led me to do a lot of research about what the best products out there are, and I’ve found that it’s so important to go back to the basics and use organic products. Specially for babies! As adults we are now so concerned about the products we put on our skin so why not also be as concerned with what we use on our babies?
One of my favorite (and newly discovered) brands is Primally Pure, an organic skincare and beauty line. This brand believes that skincare and beauty products should enrich your life by providing you with noticeable results without sacrificing health or well-being. I love this company’s mission and what they stand for, and I love it so much that I decided to sit down with Primally Pure’s founder, Bethany McDaniel for a Q&A. Read along as Bethany tells me all about her company and shares her insight on organic products!
When did Primally Pure launch and what is your vision for it? What makes it different from other organic beauty brands?
- I started making natural skincare products for fun in 2013, but didn’t officially launch Primally Pure until early 2015 (after lots of encouragement + nudging from friends and family). There are SO many “organic” beauty brands out there, but so few that are truly pure, natural, and non-toxic. It’s easy for brands to hide behind marketing slogans like “made with organic shea butter,” because even though that may be true, organic shea butter (or whatever ingredient is being promoted) is often times at the very bottom of a long list of not-so-natural ingredients. This isn’t the case with Primally Pure. Our products are made with only natural ingredients. We don’t use harmful preservatives, hormone-disrupting fragrances, or anything that has the potential to compromise the health of the person using it. Instead, we formulate our products with nature’s most precious + healing elements. And you won’t find them buried under a long list of cheap fillers and stabilizers.
Why start an organic beauty company? Is it a trend, or are organic products not just cleaner but also more effective?
- I struggled with acne big time from junior high all the way through my college years (and am still prone to the occasional breakout from too much sugar, stress, lack of sleep, etc. – I’m not one of those people who can get away with those things unfortunately). I was always looking for a quick solution to my skin issues. Whether it was trying the latest product from a TV commercial promising clear skin or taking prescription pills prescribed by a dermatologist, I had tried it all! Some of it worked for a little while and some of it didn’t work at all, but nothing provided me with the lasting results I was so desperately seeking. I finally began to see real and noticeable changes in my complexion once I adopted a more natural approach to food and skincare. And I haven’t looked back since! Organic skincare products are not only better for your whole self, but I know from my own experience and that of many others that they’re also more effective than conventional products in treating a wide range of problematic skin conditions.
Now you guys have a new line for baby! Why did you decide to do it?
- I’d always been intrigued by the idea of formulating baby products and once I had my first child in May of 2016, it became a MUST! I immediately began brainstorming ingredients and products that I wanted to use on my baby, and that soon evolved into me creating a line of baby products for Primally Pure.
What are your favorite products from the baby line and how do they compare to commercial options?
- Oh gosh, I really love them all! But if I had to choose, I would probably pick the Baby Balm. It took me a long time to select ingredients for this one and to get the texture just right. It’s made with tallow from grass-fed cows, pure emu oil, beeswax, and extra virgin olive oil infused with calendula and marshmallow root (all organic). It can be used as a diaper rash cream, nipple cream, pregnant belly cream, and so much more! The ingredients in this product are not typically used in the same way we use them. For example, it’s extremely common for brands to advertise calendula as an ingredient in baby products – even if they’re only using a teeny tiny bit of this powerhouse herb. We heavily infuse our olive oil in heaps of calendula flower to ensure that enough of it is actually getting into the product. Emu oil is an ingredient that’s extremely pricey and almost never seen in baby products. But it’s also exceedingly effective in treating irritated skin, conditions like eczema and psoriasis, stretch marks, and wrinkles (allowing our baby balm to double as a face cream for adults with sensitive skin).
Are there any commercial baby products that us moms should stay away from? (soap or anything)
- So many! The majority of baby products on the markets aren’t even safe for adults to use and definitely shouldn’t be used on babies, who have much more delicate + absorbent skin than adults. We are beginning to see more and more lawsuits pop up in regards to the toxic ingredients being used in baby products and their side effects. Baby powders with talc should always be avoided, as talc is a carcinogen and also poses inhalation risks for infants and adults alike. Also steer clear of anything with fragrance, parabens, triclosan or propylene glycol as all of these ingredients are toxic and not at all uncommon in baby products (sadly).
Are organic beauty products a trend or are they here to stay?
- Although buzzwords like “organic” and “natural” may come off as trendy, the reality is that these words are referring to a way of caring for the skin that has a much longer history than the crap-filled products lining our drugstore shelves today. Skincare products are very under-regulated in the U.S. and companies can get away with so much – fake ingredients are cheaper and give big corporations higher margins, but these companies are often more interested in their bottom line than the health of their consumers. More and more people are realizing that and are transitioning towards a more natural approach to skincare (and their skin is thanking them for it). So yes, organic beauty products are here to stay!
You are a mom and an entrepreneur, do you struggle with work-life balance? What are some tips to be able to succeed at both? I know I struggle with it sometimes.
- Oh my goodness, yes. All the time. I was able to take about 2 months off from work (aside from answering a few emails here and there) after my daughter was born, which was so nice. But after going back, I struggled to balance everything. I was trying to give 100% to my amazing team at Primally Pure and also to my sweet baby girl, but often felt like I was failing at both. I was bringing my baby into the office with me every day, which worked okay for awhile but became more difficult as she got older. I was also catching up on work every time she napped, after she went to sleep at night and before she woke up in the morning. I was “doing it all” but felt extremely tired and run down on a daily basis. Things got better once I asked for help and accepted that I wasn’t capable of doing everything on my own. Now, I take Wednesdays and Fridays off from work to spend with my daughter, and my mother-in-law and husband help out for a few hours on the other three days. I’m definitely still guilty of working late into the night sometimes (and always end up regretting it the next day), or working during my daughter’s naps too often (instead of taking time to prepare a healthy meal for myself or do something relaxing) but it’s something I’m constantly working on!
Thanks so much for stopping by, and special thanks to Bethany for taking the time to answer my questions! I will see you all in my next post.
