Conscious Beauty And Beautiful Minds: Interview w/ Aida Rejzovic of Sassy Organics
Aida Rejzovic is the proud founder of Sassy Organics — a conscious-living eCommerce store dedicated to helping others adopt a healthier lifestyle. Aida’s passion for natural, organic and vegan beauty started long before she founded Sassy Organics. After experiencing some serious health conditions in 2013, Aida ditched conventional, chemical- and toxin-filled products for good, opting for natural and organic alternatives instead. Her health completely transformed as a result. And a few years later, in 2016, she founded Sassy Organics to share the benefits of organic and natural living with others.
What was the first beauty routine you adopted as a child or teenager? Which emotions do you connect with this memory?
My first beauty routine was a facial mask when I was around 15, which was recommended to me by a family friend who had (and still has) beautiful skin. It was a simple, home-made mask including yeast, lemon and honey that I would apply a couple of times a month. Body lotions were another early favourite of mine. I’m lucky in that I’ve always loved moisturising my body after a shower. I’ve always been complimented on my skin, and I think it’s because I’ve taken care of it from a young age. These early beauty routines gave me a sense of freedom and control over my body — that feeling of being able to take your appearance into your own hands. Although the face masks and lotions I use have changed over the years, taking care of my skin in this way still gives me that simple, yet freeing feeling of self-care, joy.
CONSCIOUS BEAUTY — What meaning do you give this term?
Conscious beauty forms part of my broader life philosophy. I’ve always been a firm believer in conscious living — living mindfully and present and taking joy in the small things. As a business owner, I know how easy it is to get caught up always chasing the next thing and putting the business before your personal wellbeing. The same is true of beauty: it can be easy to get caught up in physical appearance. Both these things can actually be really bad for your internal physical and mental health. Conscious beauty is synonymous with wellbeing. It’s beauty that starts within. That means taking time for myself, rest, staying present, eating well and caring for my skin with natural and organic products.
Which aspects of sustainability in beauty are especially important to you?
I’m a firm believer in sustainable beauty which encompasses environmental sustainability, sure, but also the people and animals we share this planet with. For me accessibility to sustainable beauty products is so important — that’s why I started Sassy Organics. All the products we stock at Sassy Organics are free from harsh chemicals, toxins and fillers, using only natural, plant-based ingredients instead. This means they’re more sustainable to make but also more sustainable to use as they don’t pollute our waterways. Personally, packaging is a huge part of sustainable beauty. That’s why I’ve removed all plastic from Sassy Organics’ parcel packaging and offer a plastic recycling program to help reduce plastic waste. I think a lot of us forget about ethical buying when we talk sustainability but for me it’s just as important. That’s why Sassy Organics only stocks vegan products (no animal-derived ingredients) and all the brands are cruelty free (don’t test on animals). We also only stock brands that use fair business practices. All of these business choices stem from my believe that, despite what the big names tell you, beauty doesn’t have to be pain — there is a way to have natural and sustainable beauty that doesn’t harm you, the planet and other living beings.
When do you consciously feel beautiful?
I consciously feel better in my skin when I’ve taken some time out for myself. Of course, getting my hair or nails done makes me feel good and gives me a confidence boost. But I also feel just as good after a sweaty yoga session where I’ve taken the time to move my body and get those endorphins flowing.
Did your approach to beauty change within the last 1–2 years?
Yes, in a way. Since we’re spending less time going out and socialising, I’ve taken this opportunity to do a lot more for my skin, in terms of face masks and treatment, including incorporating a dermal roller into my routine. I’m lucky because running Sassy Organics means I’m spoilt for choice. It’s literally part of my job to try and test the natural beauty products we sell. Plus: when we’re in lockdown, as we are now, beauty treatments and masks are a great way to not only look after your skin but relax and rejuvenate your mind. Practicing self-care and taking a break from the busy routine that comes with running a business is so important to me.
How would you like to see the image of beauty change within the next 5 years?
I think the beauty industry has come a long way since I was first being exposed to it, but there’s still so far to go. I would love for beauty standards to change. Everyone is different and beautiful in their own unique way. It’s been shown time and time again just how damaging unhealthy and unobtainable beauty ideals are to our wellbeing, especially young people when they’re growing up. So, it would be great to see new ideas of what beautiful is that celebrate our diversity and differences. I think the younger generations are doing a great job on this already. I also think it would be great to stop connecting beauty with physical appearance altogether. Focusing on beauty within and seeing it as more about being a good person would be so transformative. I think that would also help reduce the sense of competition many of us women feel, which would be great. We should all feel confident enough to lift each other up. But that means first changing the social narratives that are designed to make us feel inadequate and in competition with one another.
What or who inspires your beauty routine?
Feeling good in my body and skin is what inspires my conscious beauty routine. My beauty routine isn’t so much about makeup and hair styling as it as about lifestyle choices. Having a conscious beauty routine means my focus is on beauty from within, which means taking care of my mind, body and soul every day. I love to feel settled, strong and as healthy as I can. This feeling is the reason I follow a healthy plant-based diet and do Bikram yoga three times a week. Yoga not only makes my body stronger, but also my mind. Meditation is also great for improving your internal wellbeing. I try and meditate (even just for 10 minutes) every day. Gratitude meditations are some of my favourite ones to do. And, again, taking time for my skincare is a form of self-care for me. Our skin is our body’s largest organ; it deserves to be nourished. All of this forms part of my emphasis on beauty from within.
What is your best beauty advice to others?
My main beauty advice would be to consider clean beauty. You may not realise how damaging some of your everyday products are, as you’d imagine if a product is sold on the modern market, it would be safe, but this sadly isn’t true. Our Sassy Organics blog has heaps of articles on this if you want to learn more. Opting for natural, chemical-free and organic beauty products, wherever possible, is so important. And this is especially true for those who suffer from any skin sensitivity or conditions like eczema and rosacea. I also think we look our best when we feel good about the products we’re using. That’s why I always recommend using products that haven’t been tested on our furry friends and are from sustainable brands and retailers. When you shop with Sassy Organics you can be confident that you’re doing just that. And you easily ensure your beauty routine doesn’t cost the earth with our product-empties recycling program.
THANK YOU!
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Demee Koch about the MEDIUM interview series on CONSCIOUS BEAUTY:
Hello! I am a serial entrepreneur with more than 2 decades of experience in the health & beauty industry. This interview series is intended to create awareness about the movement of Conscious Beauty.
We are in a beautiful time of Conscious Beauty — you may have heard of this term, but what does Conscious Beauty mean, and why does it matter?
For us, beauty is a way to love — it is about self-care, art, nutrition, exercise, life, self-love. I invite you to become part of a movement that re-defines beauty. Let’s empower beautiful minds.
Thank you for being the change. I’m looking forward to learn from you. Reach out to me via LinkedIn.
Demee ❤︎
