A new line of natural skin care products is on the market, but before you think it’s just another brand of face wash, think again. The company was formed by a young Canadian woman who’s on a mission to do more than just make you think differently about your skin care products.
Cherlyn is a 31-year-old business owner whose own skin issues fuelled her passion to create a skin care line that met all her needs. We often hear about tough times and how the economy is struggling, but this Canadian businesswoman is proving you can create the success you dream of. Her mission isn’t just to improve the skin care products you use daily but to also improve the way you think about beauty and how you see yourself. She agreed to share with us what motivated her to start the line and how she did it.
SheKnows Canada: Tell us a little bit about your business and why you decided to start a natural skin care line.
Cherlyn Skincare: Cherlyn Skincare is a 100 per cent natural and body-friendly skin care line with high-quality ingredients for all skin types. With the philosophy that skin needs love, attention and nutrients, the goal at Cherlyn Skincare is to nourish a woman’s body, mind and heart as well as her skin. We do not use synthetic fragrances, toxic preservatives or partake in animal testing. We do not use any ingredients from David Suzuki’s Dirty Dozen list. We list all our ingredients at Cherlyn Skincare.
I wanted to create a high-quality, natural skin care line because of my own research. It came to my attention that a lot of what I was putting on my skin was making my skin more irritated and contained a list of toxic ingredients that are industrial chemicals, including carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins and hormone disruptors.
SKCA: Having your own company at such a young age is a major accomplishment. What inspired and motivated you to create this company?
CS: My own personal struggles with acne and the negative perception I had on the way I looked motivated me to create Cherlyn Skincare. This is why I called my brand Cherlyn. I wanted a personal connection to my brand, products and customers.
In addition, having struggled with so many skin care products that had so many toxic ingredients in them inspired me to create a high-quality, 100 per cent natural and body-friendly skin care [line] that is gentle for all skin types. Through my own research, some of those toxic ingredients were only making my irritated, acne-prone skin worse, and realizing that people were putting this on their skin… Well, to me that is unacceptable. Those ingredients are not in any way healthy. I believe we all deserve to have healthy skin by using healthy skin care. Cherlyn Skincare products nourish the skin with ingredients that are natural and body-friendly.
SKCA: Have you always aspired to run a company, particularly one in skin care?
CS: Yes and no. I always planned on going into business one day. However, I never thought of going into skin care. Had I not been inspired to go into skin care, I would have most likely started a business in interior design and home renovations.
SKCA: What advice would you give to other women who are interested in turning their passions into a reality and into a career?
CS: Be prepared to learn and grow in ways that you didn’t think were possible. Learn all you can about the industry that your passion is part of. Find experts in the areas that you are not knowledgeable in, and have them mentor you. Be willing to face fear and go through your fears. Appreciate everyone that helps you succeed, because I can tell you that it is a lot easier asking for help than trying to do everything on your own. Lastly, connect with your heart and passion daily, because this is the key ingredient to success. Without that, there will be those days where you want to quit. Keep your heart, your passion and your vision always within reach.
SKCA: What has been your biggest challenge starting and running a company?
CS: The biggest challenge starting and running my company is my own personal fear of being out in the spotlight. I am still working through my own fears of stepping out and being a leader in my business and being the face of Cherlyn Skincare. I never thought I could do it, because I was so shy and insecure. Yet I am now realizing that I can; I just do things differently, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
SKCA: Your website mentions that you want to change the way women think about beauty. Why is that so important to you?
CS:I want to change the way women think about beauty because of my own personal story — with and without acne — and also listening to other women on how they treat themselves based on the way they look. Many are their own worst critic. I never thought I was pretty enough, because I didn’t look like the girls or the women in magazines. I was teased in high school, and I hurt myself because I compared myself to other women, when really I needed to love myself and love the way I look no matter what people think of me.
I feel it is so important — especially [for] young girls and young women — to believe they are beautiful just the way they are and that if someone does say something hurtful or tells you “you are not good enough,” then high self-worth and self-love can make you become resilient to that. We cannot change how people perceive us; we could spend a lifetime trying to please just one person. Yet what I feel we can change is how we feel about ourselves.
I believe we are already beautiful and that we have the right to feel beautiful no matter who or what anyone says.
SKCA: What’s next for you? Do you plan to add to the line or expand the company to include other products?
CS: Right now I am focusing on getting my brand message out and creating the culture of my brand. I am working more on my creative direction than expanding the product line right now. Yet one or two new products may pop up within the next year or two. I have other things up my sleeve; people will have to wait and see what will happen in the next couple of years.
In the future I definitely want to expand the company to include other products, not only in skin care. I would love to get into natural makeup and other personal care products. Only time will tell when that all happens.
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