The Suds-free Convo Continues: Hairstory Interviews CRUDE's Founder, Denise Cartwright
Check out what she had to say:
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I'm 28 years old, and living in Salt Lake City, Utah. I've been a Master Esthetician for ten years, a yogi for seven, and I started CRUDE almost four years ago. I'm passionate about using the wisdom of nature to heal our bodies!
How did the idea for CRUDE come about?
I started experimenting with oil-cleansing (washing my face with oil) back in 2012 in an attempt to heal my super-dry, acneic skin. I'd been working as a Master Esthetician at a top spa in NYC, but despite using the best skincare lines available, I had never been able to find anything that worked consistently for my skin or my clients'.
My oil blends cleared up my skin almost immediately, and the same went for my clients. One by one they wanted more, and just a few months later, CRUDE was born! I never saw myself starting a business, but I had helped more of my clients heal their acne in six months using oils than I had in six years as an Esthetician using harsh cleansers and exfoliants. I knew I was onto something, and I had to see where it would take me! Almostfour years later, we have tens of thousands of customers all over the world who've used our suds-free system to heal their acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and even bacterial vaginosis.
What was one of the biggest challenges developing the line?
One of my biggest challenges has been in building my confidence as a CEO with no business experience. I had no idea what it meant to run a business, but have been lucky enough to find some incredible mentors (like Hairstory founder Michael Gordon!) who have offered their wisdom and support, and continue to help me develop the skills needed to steer CRUDE's ship effectively. I am often faced with challenges as a business owner, but I love the learning and growth that comes along with that, and am fortunate to have an extremely creative and capable team helping me.
How did you learn about Hairstory? What was your first reaction to our products?
I was introduced to Hairstory through my stylist Steven Peterson, who owns Greenspace Salon here in SLC. It was love at first wash! I have always really struggled to find a shampoo capable of keeping my thick, dry hair calm and moisturized - but New Wash did the trick the very first time. That was over two years ago now and I haven't let anything else touch my hair since! I love Hairstory!
Do you think detergent free products are the way of the future? If so, why?
Absolutely, but what a lot of people don't realize is that they're also the way of the past! Humans have only relied on soap and detergent-based cleansers for the last century or so. A daily soap-bath became ubiquitous with the rise of mass marketing in the early 1900s, but before that, we used simple ingredients like oil and clay to cleanse.
Sudsing cleansers are unnecessary in the shower and harmful to the body. They strip the skin's natural oil-based moisture barrier, and destroy its colonies of healthy bacteria that work to keep the skin and hair healthy, clean, and moisturized. They create inflammation, which makes it harder for the skin to do what it knows how to do best: heal itself. We simply didn't evolve to need sudsing cleansers, and while they may be popular now, more and more research continues to uncover the problematic effects of sudsing cleansers on the body.
But even beyond the research, they just aren't as effective. Sudsing cleansers strip the natural oils from your skin and hair, leaving you reliant on synthetic conditioners and moisturizers to replace what was stripped. By working with the body, rather than against it, products like CRUDE's and Hairstory's are much more effective and efficient than traditional cleansing methods.
Why do you feel that CRUDE and Hairstory are compatible?
CRUDE and Hairstory are two of the first companies to recognize the problem of soap and detergent in personal care. And while I might be biased, I think our products are the perfect solution to that problem! I've been so lucky to have been able to collaborate with Hairstory and I think our products work beautifully together. They look pretty cute together too.
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