I am so excited about this edition of the Snider Shoutout! Today we are featuring my neighbor, friend, fellow mama, and founder of the incredible new sunscreen brand - Mama Sol, Arielle Moody! Sunscreen is an absolute must for someone with my complexion in the SoCal sun and Mama Sol has become my daily go-to. Check-out my interview with Arielle and then do yourself a favor and order some Mama Sol!!
Can you tell us a little about your background and how it led you to create Mama Sol?
I have been in the beauty industry for 15 years, working for brands like Smashbox, Dr. Perricone, Bite Beauty and Skinn Cosmetics to most recently head of sales for a leading beauty packaging and formulation company. I have known from a very young age that the beauty industry was my passion and that one day I was going to start my own company.
What inspired you to focus specifically on creating a safe and effective natural sunscreen?
When I was 5 months pregnant, I started researching ingredients to avoid using when pregnant or nursing and the scariest one I came across was Oxybenzone. At the time, this ingredient was in about 90% of sunscreens and studies were showing that it was ending up in breast milk. From then on, I knew this was where I wanted to make a difference. Women, especially mom's have so much on their minds on a daily basis and we wanted to take one thing off their plate, by creating a brand everyone could trust. After trying dozens of mineral sunscreens, I was determined to create one that 1) didn’t make me immediately want to wash my face, and 2) didn’t leave a white cast on my skin. Oh, and it needed to be something I looked forward to using daily. No biggie :).
What is unique about Mama Sol, how does it stand out against the competition?
Mama Sol is unique for a few reasons.
- We are a 3-in-1 formula, a 100% mineral sunscreen with SPF 30, hydrating moisturizer with anti-aging benefits, and makeup primer packaged in a sleek glass bottle (less plastic is good for the planet).
- It smells like the spa with a subtle hint of lavender essential oil. It was really important to us to create something that made you want to take a deep breath. Everyone I know moves so fast and we really want Mama Sol to be that mindful moment in the morning where you take a couple minutes to really touch your skin and connect with yourself and breathe deep.
- Our formula protects your skin both indoors and outdoors so there is no excuse not to use it every day. It blocks UVA and UVB rays from the sun, shields you from the sun’s IR (infrared rays that you can feel on your skin), and HEV (blue light) from phones and devices.
- It goes on white so you can see where you have applied it (we have found most people do not use enough) and blends into skin in seconds.
- We are safe for sensitive skin. We tested our formula on 104 people, 50% who have sensitive skin and had zero skin reactions.
What was the biggest challenge you faced when creating Mama Sol, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge was getting the formula right. I went through 3 different chemists and didn't stop until it was just right. The thing I learned along the way is that nothing will ever be perfect and if you wait until something is perfect, you might have already missed the boat. Just getting it out there is half the battle.
Mama Sol aims to create a community for moms to connect and share their stories and experiences. Can you speak to the importance of building and nurturing community, especially in the context of motherhood?
Creating a community for moms is truly one of the most important things I have set out to do. When I was postpartum, I suffered from the baby blues. Without other moms telling me they were experiencing the same things, I really don't know how I would have gotten through it. I want to form a community where moms can share their feelings but also go to to connect with other moms and network with each other, because nothing is more powerful than women supporting women.
What is your vision for the future of Mama Sol, and how do you hope to make a positive impact in the beauty and skincare industry?
My vision for the future of Mama Sol is to be recognized as the first destination for ingredient and environmentally conscious women and men who take pride in their appearance and are looking for non-chemical suncare. We want to start a suncare movement by creating formulas that you look forward to using every day, because protecting your skin every single day (rain, snow or shine) is so important.
What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out with their own product-based business? Are there any common mistakes that you see new business owners making, and how can they be avoided?
Know your weaknesses and find others who are strong in those areas to help you grow your business. I think the biggest thing I have learned is that I know a lot and that there are a lot of things I don't know and that finding mentors and advisors to help you along the way can make all of the difference. They can help you avoid making so many mistakes because they already made them and learned from them.
Have you read any books, listened to any podcasts, or watched any shows / movies / documentaries that you’ve enjoyed lately? Tell us about them!
How I Built This with Guy Raz is my go to podcast whenever I need to feel inspired or to be reminded that every entreprenuer doubts themselves but that the risk is worth the reward
What are 3 of your favorite places/ things to do in Los Angeles?
- We live by the beach and frequent it often, it's why we moved here :)
- Temescal Canyon for hikes
- Going out to dinner. My favorite food is sushi and Uzumaki in Culver City is a hidden gem
Share with our audience where we can find, connect with and / or follow you. (Instagram, Website, FB, etc.)
Website: shopmamasol.com
Instagram: @shopmamasol
Facebook: Mama Sol
