Finding My Path
Where It Started
When I was a little girl, I was in love with makeup, nail polish, lotions, sprays and bubble baths, anything traditionally girly and beauty-related. Every holiday my Aunt would put some type of sweet-scented and sparkly cosmetic product in a gift basket that I would then obsess over for the weeks to come. When I got a little older I remember receiving the American Girl ‘The Care and Keeping of You’ book, and it changed my pre-teen life as I knew it.
I began taking an interest in all things beauty & self-care related, I started using hair products, none of which were applied properly - cue the greasy patch of hair where all products were placed directly on the top of my head. I started my first skincare routine using ProActive because even though I was a ten-year-old girl with no acne I thought it was the holy grail of beauty at the time. It was certainly a step up from the Noxzema my mother had shared with me; that blue jar of never-ending, eye-watering cream still holds a special place in my nostalgic heart.
In 2009, around the age of eleven, I started searching for beauty-related content online and came across God-herself: Michelle Phan, specifically the Lady GaGa - Poker Face makeup tutorial, to be exact - talk about a spiritual awakening… I immediately fell down the makeup rabbit hole. I loved all the colourful products she had, and the fact there were more steps and techniques to makeup application than simply slapping on your mom’s Dream Matte Mousse foundation and taking that little eyeshadow sponge to draw a shimmery blue line on your eyelids. I never knew there was so much more to it! I remember from that point on, all I watched on YouTube were makeup tutorial videos.
Fast-forward about seven years, my makeup technique was better than average (for the time) and I had built up a ridiculous collection of cosmetics such as makeup, hair care, and my new love, skincare. The ritual of taking your makeup off and layering different oils, essences, and creams was just as satisfying and relaxing as putting the makeup on. Skincare very quickly began to take over my brain as the makeup community continued to grow to the point I wasn’t the only girl at my high school watching YouTube makeup tutorials. To my embarrassment, yes I did start to lose interest in makeup because everyone else started to like it, I admit it. It was one of those things that made me feel unique not only because I enjoyed it and it made me feel pretty, but because I was one of the few girls at my school who actually knew how to apply it correctly and knew where to buy it - I found out very early on in my obsession that no, Urban Decay is in fact not sold at the Walmart.
Even though I applied makeup religiously, I was slowly losing interest in it. It didn’t feel that special to me anymore. Instead, I spent more of my paychecks on skincare items like facemasks, serums, and lip scrubs. I would like to point out that the Beauty God, Michelle Phan, also introduced me to skincare with this video. It influenced me to put together my own routine, though it wasn’t until I was at university, that I started putting a lot more care and thought into my skincare routine. I had always had one since the video, but I was using pretty basic and not-so-nourishing or hydrating products on my skin. I used makeup wipes constantly, never used sunscreen, and sometimes slept in my makeup, I committed all the deadly sins. My first properly thought-out skincare routine consisted mainly of products from The Body Shop, which were great products for beginners. Once I felt the difference a proper routine made to my skin - I never looked back and have been experimenting with different products since.
How It Happened
Starting my own business had always been a dream of mine. It started out as wanting to own my own spa, which then developed into creating my own makeup brand, slowly settling into the dream of having my own skincare line. However, I had a dominating interest in psychology and mental health when I decided to go to college and was certain that being a clinician was my dream. Four years and a rude awakening into the culture of university politics later, I graduated with my degree and not a single idea of what to do next. About a year before graduation I was already figuring out that this was not the direction I wanted to go in - I could not see myself continuing education for another five to six years and spending tens of thousands of dollars to reach a position in a field I wasn’t passionate about anymore. I moved back to the States to attempt my pursuit of the mental health field with the qualifications I had and quickly realised it just wasn’t meant for me.
I took a break from employment to try and figure out what I wanted to do with my life and what brought me happiness. I’d spend my days doing DIY around my house, going to the gym, practising yoga at home, and ending my day by lighting a candle and doing my skincare routine. The thought of starting my own cosmetics company was always in the back of my mind, but I never thought I could achieve it as I’m not a celebrity with a huge PR machine in my pocket. Every day it seems like a new celeb or social media personality is launching their own cosmetics company, the market is so over-saturated that I couldn’t fathom any company of mine standing a chance. Regardless, the thought stayed with me and every time I thought about the idea that I could build something from the ground up, it fuelled this excitement in me that I hadn’t had in years. I began to spend hours on Pinterest pinning ideas and inspiration for the branding and what I would sell. I started writing names in my notepad that fit the vibe I wanted for my company. I knew it had to make sense and that it needed to really tell the customer what my company was about in a single word but also be unique. I spent weeks thinking this over and eventually came upon the word Metsä. The Finnish word for forest. Does the average person know what Metsä means? No, of course not, but once you do - it makes complete sense! It was absolutely perfect for the type of company I wanted to create.
From the moment I had the name I was set. I quickly spoke with my account manager and a business attorney to set my plans in motion. It would be completely ingenuine if I acted as if I didn’t have help forming my company - without the help of these professionals, and a dear family member who runs and operates his own successful business, I would have had no idea where to start and likely would’ve never gotten this far due to how overwhelming it can get. I’m incredibly lucky to come from a family that has decades of experience creating and operating a successful business and to know others who believed in me and my vision for Metsä.
I contacted a cosmetics company in June of 2022, and we immediately began the process of creating and testing natural vegan formulas until they were just right - the process took about nine months in total, so you can be assured they are to my precise liking. My vision for Metsä Cosmetics always involved being as environmentally conscious as possible whilst emitting that luxurious aesthetic and performance of high-quality products. I chose glass bottles and jars which can be easily recycled, reused, or repurposed. I am still working out the issue of the plastic pumps and lids, but hope to have a better solution in the future. The boxes that Metsä Cosmetics products come in, and the filler included in some packages, are 100% bio-degradable as they are made from wildflower seeds and will bloom if planted under a thin layer of soil - I cannot begin to express the joy and excitement I felt when I found this company. The mailers I have chosen are made of post-consumer recycled materials. I’ve been to many eco-packaging websites and as far as I am aware these are some of the best I can get for my business, and I’m thrilled that Metsä Cosmetics can show that selling high-quality and luxurious products doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice sustainability.
Over the past year and a half, I have been through many ups and downs when it comes to owning and operating this business, from spending hours researching ingredients, creating the brand identity, finding suitable materials, and of course stressing over the immense cost of it all. No one will believe just how much time was spent revising the budget and staring at numbers on the screen scratching my head because my brain stopped processing what any of them meant. Nonetheless, I have never felt so confident in myself and sure of what I was doing. Owning this company and doing everything in my power to make it successful feels like I’m doing exactly what I was meant to do. I wake up every morning, very tired, but ready to grab my oat milk latte and get to work on building this empire.
