For Diana Moebius, founder of La Bloom Beauty, studying alternative medicine has been a passion since childhood. Growing up in Poland, she would spend time picking herbs with her grandmother, carefully learning the ins and outs of natural remedies, while following in her mother’s skincare footsteps.
“My mother had the largest beauty cabinet filled with rows of beautifully organized products. I would watch in wonder as she worked through her daily skincare routines. Her beauty cabinet was a personal oasis for me.” Diana recalls.
Guided by the knowledge of her matriarchs, Diana went on to study Naturopathy, the study of alternative medicine, in London, England and received a degree in Naturopathic Medicine. However, it was her career as a model that led to the birth of her own clean beauty company.
“Modeling helped me recognize and understand various beauty products on the market while I networked my way through the industry,” Diana said. “Merging my passions for Naturopathy and modeling seemed like a natural next step for me but deciding how to make that happen didn’t occur overnight.”
In 2018, after searching for a uniquely-specific lash and brow serum that did not seem to exist, Diana knew exactly what she needed to do. She made her own version of the product using a minimal list of safe ingredients. Testing the waters, Diana put her handmade beauty product on the market and, to her surprise, it sold. “I realized once orders started coming in that I may have something here.” She exclaimed. “Other women were out there looking for the same type of products that I was.”
On that day, La Bloom Beauty was born.
After a year of handcrafting three clean beauty products (Shop: Lash & Brown Serum, Coco-Vanilla Lip Scrub, and Nail Oil), Diana decided to expand her product line to create additional niche beauty products with the best interest of women in mind. Now, La Bloom Beauty carries nine made-to-order products, made with love for women all over the globe.
La Bloom Beauty’s Marketing Specialist, Lindy Hale, sat down with Diana to get all of your clean beauty questions answered. Trust us, you’re going to want to hang on to her every word.
[L]: I’ll be honest with you. Before working for La Bloom Beauty, I was fairly naïve to the clean beauty movement. What advice do you have for women who want to transition to using cleaner products?
[D]: The first step is getting into the habit of reading labels. Often, if there are too many words you cannot pronounce or ingredients that sound ‘yucky’, it’s best to steer clear. The cleanest products use minimal ingredients and zero harsh chemicals. EWG Skin Deep is a great resource that allows you to easily discover how ingredients interact with your body. It’s so fast and simple that you can utilize the website while in the store shopping for products!
To those who are just starting on their clean beauty journey, I recommend introducing one product at a time into your skincare routine. This way, you’ll really be able to see how your skin reacts to the product in order to decide if the product is a good fit for you. When you buy a few new products and introduce them all to your skin in one go, it can be difficult to tell which products are working or how your skin reacts to each individual product. It’s exciting but be patient! The transition to clean beauty is a learning experience.
[L]: You mentioned harsh chemicals. Why do you believe that it’s important to educate women on the toxic additives found in most cosmetics?
[D]: Every time you apply a beauty product to your skin, the ingredients are absorbed into your body. Over time, certain toxins found in cosmetics have been scientifically linked allergic reactions, developmental and reproductive issues, and even worse, cancer. If these repercussions can be avoided by simply changing the skin care products you use, why not make the change?
Most of all, it’s important to be aware about ingredients and their potentially harmful effects so that you can make an educated decision about what’s best for your body in the long-term.
[L]: You were lucky to have your mom and grandmother educate you about natural beauty from a young age. What is the best beauty advice your mom has given you?
[D]: * laughing * Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! My mom made me use a day and night cream beginning at age 15. She has always said that moisturization is key and taught me the importance of investing in a daily eye cream to help combat fatigue and early aging. Oh, and also, don’t touch your face throughout the day!
My mom is the prettiest and most youthful woman I know, so I will always keep her beauty advice close to my heart.
[L]: As a beauty entrepreneur, you are surrounded by a magnitude of powerfully insightful women. What companies or entrepreneurs do you look up to?
[D]: I love companies like The Body Deli & Herbivore Botanicals. Both use clean and minimalistic ingredients to handcraft high quality and effective beauty products.
An entrepreneur I really look up to is Lisa Markel. She is a friend and fellow clean beauty advocate who also started her own product line, Seriously Fab, when she could not find a make-up friendly, topical mist sunscreen in beauty stores. Lisa is a self-made woman with humble beginnings. I look up to her as a mentor, which I believe is important to have as an entrepreneur.
[L]: Thanks so much for sharing your incredible insights with us. To wrap things up, I thought we should end with a fun one. What are some beauty products you can’t live without?
[D]: Oh, that is fun! Let me start by saying that I try to mix up the products I use every so often. If you use the same products for too long, your skin can become immune to certain ingredients, which makes them ineffective. However, I do have a few favorite products that are consistently in my beauty rotation:
Weleda One-Step Cleanser and Toner: Put a few drops on a cotton round and let this product cleanse and tone your face in one go! I find that it’s extremely refreshing first thing in the morning.
Herbivore Botanical's Lapis Blue Tansy and/or Phoenix Rosehip Anti-Aging Facial Oils: Lapis is best for oily or acne-prone skin as it soothes irritated skin and reduces redness. Phoenix increases hydration and revitalizes dry skin. I like to switch between the two, depending on what my skin needs on any particular day.
Dr. Roebucks Daintree AHA Brightening Face Mask: I love this face mask because it’s a blend of Super Fruits! I use it to revitalize dead skin cells and brighten my skin. Plus, it can be used as an all-over face mask or as a simple spot treatment.
Ilia Beauty: My makeup go-to! I love their entire product line, so I can’t pick my favorite. You’ll just have to buy some to see for yourself!
To learn more about Diana and the incredible line of clean beauty products she offers, check out La Bloom Beauty’s website or follow us on Instagram @LaBloomBeauty.