Sometimes you come across a skincare brand that seems to embody everything you are about, especially when that brand is all about being bold, being fierce, and being bare.

The #TeamCoco girls love everything about this motto, which resonates with our own philosophies in both work and play.

Iana Bertini launched her skincare brand Bold & Bare ® with this in mind and she and her team believe that you should feel comfortable in your own skin. They don’t believe in apologising for who you are. They believe you should feel confident about boldly going after your dreams, and they also believe in celebrating and cultivating uniqueness on every level. There is only one you. So go ahead and #beboldbebare

Let’s talk skincare with Iana Bertini of Bold & Bare.

Q. Have you always worked within the skincare and beauty industry or was this new territory for you?

A. Not at all, I come from a corporate environment in the payments industry, however being a woman, I have always been interested in beauty, not just physical appearance, but what makes women feel beautiful. I have noticed this about myself, that my confidence didn’t depend on makeup or what I wore, but how comfortable I felt in my own skin. I also had a growing interest in psychology, self-improvement and wellness and by the time I turned 30 I decided it’s time for a change.

I needed a new challenge and to be doing something more fulfilling that is aligned with my values. I wanted to inspire other women to be authentic and to be bold about who they are. So that’s how Bold & Bare was born.

Q. Did you have to take any specialist dermatology courses to find out how to produce skincare products, or did you study for this at college/university?

A. I take care of the business side and let the experts take care of the formulations. Of course, through extensive research and being in the industry I understand skincare & the ingredients very well, but we work with the best chemists in US and it took 2 years and multiple iterations to formulate our products. More important is that we listen to our customers feedback, rather than push other unneeded products to an already saturated beauty market.

Q. When you set up Bold & Bare did you have one specific skincare product in mind that you wanted to get off the ground first?

A. I wanted to create two essential products that will be easy to use and provide multiple benefits. This is what Bold & Bare is about, a simple routine for the modern woman of today that lives a bold life. So we launched with two products that complement each other:

Purity Mask is this amazing clay mask, enriched with botanical extracts that deeply cleanses and balances the skin. With today’s pollution and environmental stress, it’s really important to detox your skin and improve cell turnover.

Bare Elixir is a multitasking serum/oil that nourishes, plumps and also protects skin. I love using it on its own, mixed with foundation or on my cheeks for an added natural glow.

Q. Which is your ‘go to’ skincare product that you can’t be without, and also which is the best selling product from your collection?

A. I can’t live without a serum or oil, these products usually have the most potent ingredients and they are really important to use. And our most sold product is the Bare Elixir, we have received some amazing feedback from our customers and they love the versatility of it.

Q. Can you talk us through your own personal skincare routine?

A. I’m a really non-fussy type of woman. I don’t like complicated and lengthy routines. So, you can call my routine minimalist, and the same goes for makeup.

I usually cleanse, apply the Bare Elixir and sunscreen and off I go. Twice a week I would use a cleansing mask like our Purity mask to renew and balance my skin.

I truly believe that any skincare routine has to be complimented by a healthy lifestyle; so, exercise, healthy diet and hydration are all part of my routine.

Q. How long have you been running your business, and was there ever a point that you thought your skincare collection wouldn’t make it off the ground?

A. I started in 2017 and launched in March 2019, so we are still a very new business. And yes, there have been moments when I thought nothing is going as per my plan, I wasn’t happy with the formulation and I should just quit. In those moments what kept me going is the message behind Bold & Bare and how I want to grow into such a woman. So, I stayed authentic to my idea and vision and kept going boldly after my dream.

Q. Your products are 100% cruelty free, vegan, free of parabens, silicones, sulfates, pthlates, mineral oil, PEG and petrolatum – can you tell us why you have gone down this route, when so many big brands don’t adhere to these ethics?

A. It was really important to me for my business to be aligned with my values and my lifestyle. I have been really into wellness, yoga and spirituality for a few years, I am, vegan myself and so it would be unnatural for me to promote products that are not in line with what I stand for. Especially that nowadays there’s no need to compromise anymore, we have so many effective products that are also consciously created.

Q. Did anyone offer you any good business advice before you launched Bold & Bare?

A. My husband always tells me to “trust my intuition” and I am still learning to, as my mind is usually louder. Also, I am lucky that my family and friends fully support me and always tell me to follow my dreams.

Q. Have you made any mistakes that turned into a great learning curve since starting your business?

A. Quite a few to be honest. But my mindset has changed since and that has proven to be the biggest learning curve. Mistakes or setbacks are just feedback and a chance to correct your course. And so, flexibility is the biggest asset one can have as an entrepreneur.

Q. If you were to offer one piece of advice to someone thinking of getting into the world of skincare, what would it be?

A. It’s a very complex and competitive industry and so be well prepared that it might take longer than you’d think. Also like any business, it requires a lot of patience and hard work. But as with everything, if you have a passion for this world, then go for it boldly and nothing can stop you!

Thank you for taking the time to answer all our #BossBabe questions for House of Coco Magazine.

Visit https://boldbare.com for more information.

Author

A veteran in global travel, Rachel also loves to explore hidden gems on home turf. She’s a writing connoisseur of Britain’s best hotels, luxury beauty products, and UK food and drink launches.

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