There's nothing more amazing than finding a skincare product with amazing reviews to then learn it's also Australian Certified Organic. Talk about a win!
That's exactly how we felt when we came across the Vayda Organics skin care range which has no nasty chemicals, synthetic fragrances, sulphates or harmful preservatives.
So we thought we should speak to Owner and Managing Director Ashleigh Nay to get the goss on the Vayda Organics product range...
Tell us a bit about the people behind your company:
I launched Vayda Organics on the 5th of December 2018 and run the business full time. I have a fantastic team of people that I work with who assist me with photography, design, printing, packaging and the manufacturing of the products.
What inspired you to start your company and when did you start it?
In my early 20’s I started getting hormonal acne around my mouth, chin and jaw line. My skin was extremely inflamed and sensitive and all my conventional products were only aggravating it more. I decided to research different ingredients for calming skin conditions such as acne and after about 8-12 weeks of trialling/blending my own ingredients and testing them out on myself my hormonal acne cleared. As a Nutritionist I always knew the importance of a clean and healthy diet but it wasn’t until this time that I realised how high quality ingredients can impact your skin in a positive way.
What would an ‘average day in the life of’ look like for you?
I usually wake up around 6-6:30am and take my dog Charlie to the beach for a walk. If my boyfriend Jarryd isn’t working early we’ll all go together and have breakfast either at the beach or when we get home. This is my favourite way to start the day as spending time with my little family is so important to me.
During the day, I’m replying to emails, updating our website, packing skincare and posting customer and wholesale orders. A few days out of the week I get to be creative (which I love!) and film some skincare/nutrition videos, work with awesome
photographers and write about all things skin health on the Vayda Organics blog.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
I feel so extremely blessed to have created a business that I love and that has helped a lot of people with their own skin concerns. Hearing that something I created has helped clear someone’s acne or reduced their eczema flare ups makes me so incredible happy!
It’s hard to explain the feeling! A lot of the time (especially when I receive before and after photos) I cry haha! Because I know what it can be like to be self conscious of your skin and knowing that I have played a small part in boosting that person’s confidence is the most amazing feeling!
How do you make your products?
I work with an incredible Australian manufacturing company who are so professional and a joy to work with.
What is your favourite product in your range?
Oh that’s a tough one! It’s like asking a mother which child she loves more lol. The three products in the Collection all complement each other really beautifully. Depending on what you are after will determine which is your favourite.
For me at the moment the NOURISH-Hydration serum is the product I use day and night without fail. It’s so beautiful on the skin and gives you the most radiant glow. I use the CLEANSE-Facial Cleanser each night to remove my makeup and occasionally when I get a breakout the SOOTHE-Blemish Relief clears it up in no time. It still amazes me haha!
What is your favourite way to enjoy your products?
I’m currently using the SOOTHE-Blemish Relief on my stretch marks after a customer told me how well it worked for her! The main ingredient in the serum is Tamanu Oil and is known to be incredible for stretch marks and scarring so I’m excited to see the results within the next few months.
What is an interesting way of using your products that not many people would know about?
Although it was created as a facial blemish relief for pimples, scars, fine lines, redness etc. I get a lot of customers telling me that they use it on the rest of their bodies to relieve dry skin, eczema flare ups and stretch marks. I have personally found it great for nourishing dry lips as well.
What have been the biggest trials so far in starting and running your company?
So far I’ve been really lucky and nothing that has happened couldn’t be fixed. I think definitely when starting your own business there’s always a lot of trial and error and new things to learn! For me when things get stressful and I start to think negatively, I try to flip it and think of 3 positive things about the situation that will help me grow as a person and business owner.
What experiences lead to the values you have instilled in your company?
When creating Vayda Organics I always tried to put myself in the customer’s shoes.
Whenever I make a big decision I always ask myself, if I was the customer would this improve my purchasing experience, or will this enhance my experience with the products?
If you weren’t running your company, what would you be doing?
I would still be doing a lot of skin health education, but instead of selling my own product I would most likely be working as a nutritionist full time helping clients with their skin concerns.
What is your favourite way of winding down and taking time out?
I love being outdoors in the sun! So I always try to put time aside to go for walks, take my dog to the beach, have coffee with my friends and spend as much time as I possibly can with my boyfriend and my family.
Here at Retreat Yourself, we LOVE dreaming BIG - what is your vision for your company?
Within the next 12 months I would LOVE to have Vayda Organics stocked in Australian stores such as David Jones, Myer, Flannery’s, Sephora and Mecca.
For anyone out there wanting to start their own business, what would your biggest piece of advice be?
For me personally my biggest thing was ‘I have no idea how to start a business so what’s the point in even trying?’. I feel that we can be our own biggest critics and if we’re not careful we can talk ourselves into thinking we are going to fail before even giving it a go! When you think negatively about following our dreams you need to flip it and think positively! Say to yourself …if someone else in this lifetime has done it then why can’t I..?
And lastly, what does a fulfilled life look like to you?
The most important people in my life are my family and friends, especially my boyfriend Jarryd and our dog Charlie. Being able to work for myself gives me the flexibility to spend as much quality time with them as I possibly can.
To view the rest of the Vayda Organics range head to their website: https://vaydaorganics.com/