Hello lovers!
This month’s conversation is a very special introduction to Vanessa Noy,
Buying and Co-Founder of the Australian based beauty destination, The NATIVES Co. Hailing from our co-founder's home town, we are thrilled to bring our first Sydney-sider to the blog!
Any woman can tell when another woman is on the verge of presenting something great—call it intuition. That's why when our team first Zoomed with Vanessa, clad in a stylish Australian designed summer dress, jewelry sparkling on each arm and ear, oh yes, let's not forget that glowing skin courtesy of her years in the beauty industry - it was as if everyone in our office collectively declared: "Ooooh, yes— she's fabulous!" And is she ever.
Vanessa, the queen of Australian clean beauty and wellness is the real deal. Much like The NATIVES Co., which is fast becoming the home of high quality natural & organic skincare & makeup for Australians in the know, Vanessa and her crew bring truth and perspective to the crowded world of clean beauty. We love the fact that Vanessa studied organic skincare in the UK so she absolutely understands the importance of botanical and natural ingredients. Indeed there is an authenticity to her hand-selected line of brands and that is why we are thrilled that she chose Madame Gabriela Beauty to join her fold, and that she sat down for this month's interview series.
Discover more about her passions and ideas in this month's conversation.
Enjoy! X
I created my business because:
Makeup artistry and beauty rituals have been a part of my life for over 25 years. As a young adult the quest for natural, organic and artisan skincare and makeup became my passion. This was not an easy feat! Twenty five years ago the selection on offers, especially in Australia was limited to say the least. I was somewhat successful in research and quickly saw the benefits of turning to natural and organic skincare. My skin had never looked better.
I began to research the ingredients, and as I traveled the world I visited little known Apothecaries and Spas on my quest for pure and potent skincare that was true to my values. I loved not only the products I found, but I also found a community with a common passion for clean, slow beauty.
Often organic brands are founded out of a love of natural ingredients or solving a problem such as addressing a skin concern, in some cases that of the founder themselves. Regardless of what ignites their inception, I admire the driving force behind these Brands and the genuine belief and dedication to formulating natural and truly beautiful products that work. With such dedication to nature, there is a genuine alignment to sustainability with innovations in packaging, as well as manufacturing practices that support the regeneration of our both flora and fauna. It's holistic. I want to bring the best of the best Brands from Australia and around the world, making it easy for Australian consumers to make the switch. I believe the question is no longer "why should I use organic and natural skincare?" but rather "why am I not?"
The three qualities I thought were important in business were:
Confidence, Bravery and Determination.
The three qualities I now know matter:
Adaptability, Persistence and Integrity.
What have you learned about being an entrepreneur is:
Being an entrepreneur really brings to light one's creativity and innovative thinking. When you first start out it is scary and exhilarating at once.
The willingness to embrace change has been helpful, especially in the current climate! Really looking at effort versus performance and having a small team, we can and need to be at times cross-functional. Identifying quickly what to stop, what to nurture and what to let play out has been valuable to me and the team. Team is key, it is critical to ensure that your team is aligned to the end goal and they're willing to chase that goal, adjust the plan if it's not working and individuals feel able to bring new ideas and thoughts to the table. Finally and big one for me personally (and it may sound obvious), is listening to others, our customers and even society, valuing feedback will be vital to my success.
Sustainability and luxury can coexist, because:
Absolutely! True luxury to me is a Brand that has embedded sustainable practices and values - they stand for something more than just a name. I hope it is the way of the future.
My perfect day would begin with:
I'm an early riser, and lucky enough to live on the coast, an early morning power walk by the water sets me up for a productive day.
My perfect day would end with:
Dinner by the water, be the weather warm or cool. Food and produce quality in general is very good in Australia, especially seafood, so it's usually seafood and an Aussie Chardonnay for me.
On my bucket list is:
Working long hours in a City, I often daydream about a quiet life for just a little time!! The one thing I will do is take three months off work and live simply by a lake or the ocean during the summer months. I will read Biographies of people that interest me as well as Science papers on natural ingredients (that's my passion), swim each day, and cook an amazing meal each night after spending the day outside in nature.
If I could wake up tomorrow in any hotel, it would be:
Ohhhh The Grand Hotel in Stockholm, not for the luxury, but for the memories.
Live/Work/Play: Sydney, Paris or New York?
Live: Sydney, Work: Paris, Play: New York
The product in my beauty cabinet that most defines me is:
This is a tough one for me! I have always loved makeup so it's probably my makeup pouch that defines me! It goes everywhere with me, it's only tiny, but holds my most loved products to keep my look polished, but natural. Mascara, black eyeliner, a natural multi-purpose balm, a powder compact and a nude and red lipstick (nowadays Madame Gabriela).
The beauty essential you have to pry out of my hands is:
My LIPSTICK!!! True story.