Talking Pure and Clean Beauty with ILIA Beauty's Sasha Plavic

With everything I put on my body, I strive to be as natural as possible. For some products, such as facial oils and mists, that’s a simple task. But finding color cosmetics that are actually good for you can prove challenging. When I discovered ILIA Beauty’s lipsticks I was thrilled, not only because they don’t contain lead like so many other brands, but because they come in gorgeous shades and have a silky texture I love. 

Sasha Plavic is the mastermind behind this beautiful label, which since launching a small range of Tinted Lip Conditioners five years ago has grown to encompass all essential makeup categories. (Tip: Be considerate when twisting the lipsticks up as they can be a bit fragile.) A native of Vancouver, she has always been aware of the meaning of words like natural and organic. Besides having great taste, Sasha’s strong values, creativity and determination have made her a successful entrepreneur in the green beauty field. With her luxurious formulas, this inspiring new mom has already changed the game. I hope you enjoy learning from her! XXJKE 

Rip & Tan: Your mother helped found an organic co-op when you were young. What kind of influence did that have on you?

Sasha Plavic: It was a big influence eating organic food, which during the early ‘80s wasn’t on trend. We needed to do it as my brother was not very healthy and suffered from many allergies and acute asthma. My mother would always tell me to read the label on anything you buy and constantly reminded me to do it. I found it annoying, as a typical young twenty-something girl would, but [ultimately] it worked in my best interest to ask what and why something was on the back of a box.

Rip & Tan: What was the impetus for starting ILIA, and why did you decide to begin with only lipsticks?

SP: When I went looking for a cleaner green color line, I found that I didn’t resonate with the shades or branding. When I kept looking, I found brands that got close, but the ingredients didn’t match the green marketing campaign. It was at this time I decided to create a project for myself and replicate one of my favorite cherry lip balms into an organic form with beautiful packaging. Starting with one product and formula was all I could afford at the time, and that choice was for lip. I am happy I started with one product as I believe you can do one thing great and two things good. If all of your energy is laser-focused on one project it’s amazing what you can do.

Rip & Tan: What is the story behind the name?

SP: ILIA is my great grandfather’s name. He was a shoe designer in Belgrade at the turn of the last century. He was very tall, stylish and carried a sense of power. In Slavic languages ILIA is a masculine name, yet in English it has a feminine intonation. That duality of masculine and feminine was what attracted me to the name. I am a bit superstitious and also believe carrying on a family name brings good luck.

Rip & Tan: You worked in branding and design prior to starting ILIA. Did you feel you had a unique set of skills and experience that put you in a good place to launch something of your own?

SP: Yes, it made everything so much easier and it’s where my strength lies. Luckily I learned about business along the way, which help put us where we are, as you definitely need both. That being said, when starting a brand, it’s important to recognize what areas you can do, and what areas others should do. In the beginning, I was doing everything, but now I have much more support. I would not be able to do what I love without that support in place.

Rip & Tan: What about your formulas make them stand out from other brands, whether they’re conventional, organic or natural? What do people notice that is different and unique about Ilia?

SP: We like to be transparent all the way through. All of our products range from 30-80% organic, with roughly two-thirds of the collection being 100% natural. The other third will possibly contain low percentages of a synthetic to either preserve or enhance color and performance. In order to achieve a bolder color we use small amounts of food-grade dye in many lip and cheek colors. Many other organic brands use carmine, which is crushed beetle skin. It’s great for bold color as well, but is something we choose not to use for cruelty reasons. Two-thirds of our collection offers all-natural mineral dye, so for those not into food-grade or carmine dyes, there are other options. 

There are many layers to the green beauty industry and touting that everything is all-natural and organic in color cosmetics is a strong statement. I believe in really looking down the line of each ingredient to know and understand what is truly happening. Let’s just say there is more than meets the eye on what is “clean and safe,” and we hope to start educating in this area. The last point of difference is our packaging and aesthetic. We’ve been told it’s different and more contemporary, which is great, as it’s something I set out to do!

Rip & Tan: To what do feel you owe ILIA’s quick success and growth over the years?

SP: The word success has a different meaning for everyone and I am one of those people who feels like I can never reach a 10—not uncommon for an entrepreneur. At the end of the day, success for me is making someone happy. Receiving positive feedback from a customer or someone who loves our product will make me feel like we succeeded. The other side of the coin was a little luck, some sheer determination and experience in branding. I believe if you really focus your energy on something you want, you can attract it, and it’s just a matter of breaking through the walls or challenges that come along with it. The day I choose to not break through a wall is the day we stop growing.

Rip & Tan: I love your lip colors. What is your personal favorite to wear? Is there one you find is universally loved?

SP: I am a die hard for Arabian Knights, and on days I want something stronger, I will reach for the boldest of shades: Pink Moon, Crimson & Clover or even our new Multi-Stick in A Fine Romance. Dizzy is a slower mover, yet we have a core following who absolutely love it and won’t wear any other shades in the line. Shades are unique, like people, which means the color options are endless!

Rip & Tan: What are the beauty products you use every day in your morning and evening routines?

SP: Since having a baby a year ago my skin has been so dry. Lotion won’t cut it unless I add oil, and I’ve recently starting using One Love Organics Gardenia + Tea Antioxidant Body Serum. It comes in a spray bottle which makes application so easy. Lina Hanson’s Global Facial Serum is perfect as it doesn’t leave an oily residue, and Tata Harper’s Resurfacing Mask for those times I can maybe take a bath at night and relax. My newest obsession is from The Body Deli, which is a tiny shop in Palm Desert. They have a Vitamin C serum that is amazing!

Rip & Tan: What other beauty and wellness practices do you swear by?

SP: Quiet time for yourself. As a working mom with a husband who isn’t present at all this year, it would be lie if I said personal time wasn’t important. It’s essential as you cannot take care of other people if you are not taking care of yourself. Exercise, a quick walk, even just zoning out for 10 minutes and taking a few deep breaths is a luxury that I never appreciated before. Also, sleep, water and cooking at home as opposed to eating out will take you far!

Rip & Tan: Do you have any tips you can share for using ILIA products?

SP: For complexion products, these take longer to set to get the full effect—you won’t see the immediate transformation right away. To speed up the process, apply the product and buff it into the skin with a buffing brush. It works wonders.

Rip & Tan: Do you like experimenting and playing with makeup or do you prefer the bare-faced look that’s gotten so popular?

SP: I definitely like experimenting, but in a more simple way. I like when one product can perform multiple tasks. Our Tinted Lip Conditioners and Multi-Sticks are great for this category, and our mascaras can actually be used to define brows and even line the eyes.

Rip & Tan: How do you feel or hope you’re helping to advance the organic beauty movement?

SP: We realize we need to educate more at this point, because people are starting to educate themselves and sometimes that education is very vague and doesn’t show what is at the heart of this industry. We are not a brand that believes you should only use organic—that for me is perhaps a personal belief, but don’t think it’s my place to dictate it to others. I hope that making a cleaner product will inspire other brands to do the same and that one day using organic won’t be something special, it will be the norm.

Rip & Tan: Are there any rituals you have for recharging, de-stressing or relaxing?

SP: At the moment it’s a hot bath when the baby is in bed. Otherwise, simple pleasures like a walk on the beach or a night out for dinner. Just taking my mind away from the daily responsibilities brings some balance back. We aren’t machines and everybody needs to recharge, so put down your phone and close your computer no later than 8 p.m.—I promise you will sleep better and feel better the next day!

Photo: Brittany Wood