Today we’d like to introduce you to Elisha Reverby.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was introduced to the idea of making skin care using herbs, flowers and essential waters in 1991 when a friend in Brooklyn, Dominique gave me a book filled with gorgeous photos of natural herbal skin and body care products. That minute, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. Back then there was no one creating a pure, clean organic skin care products and not knowing where to learn the process, I sought out cosmetic chemists, testing labs and manufacturers to better understand what my process would look like.
Also, as for making my products, I had to learn to do this from the get-go as no one was manufacturing the quality of skin care in the states that I wanted – free of industrial chemicals. Everything back then was commercial mass-produced products so for me, I had to learn to do everything. There was no one to lead the way. This is where my journey began, making my own products but being taught the process of building a brand by the more conventional industry leaders. the blessing is that because of this, my formulas are my own. no one owns them and in the beauty business, this is unheard of.
Most any small brand starts out by having a lab private label manufacture and package their products. Being an esthetician allowed my brand to grow and put it in another league as well, I understand the functions and needs of the skin and practicing in my field allowed me to test my products on their skin and also get feedback from them. This as well was a blessing – being right on the forefront and so personally connected to my clients. I learned what worked and what didn’t with very little financial risk.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s never a smooth road as an entrepreneur. You have to be willing to put yourself out there and go for it without even a plan necessarily. You have to be yor own guide because often there is no guidebook, so creating your own path and finding the way is key and this takes enormous guts and strength as well as faith in your product and what you are sharing with the world.
Being an entrepreneur meant many personal sacrifices but I was always determined to succeed and loved creating my vision and that can be isolating, especially for a woman.
Though I always wanted beautiful romantic relationships, what wanted more was to make it and so I was often on my own. Also, as a woman and an NYC gal too, I am very straight-forward, honest and I know what I want and this is not always appreciated, so you have to not care what others think and own your power and all of this is very lonely at times.
Being self-disciplined and your very own cheerleader can also be very challenging. Being an entrepreneur also means being flexible and being able to innovate and change as the world changes. luckily. I have a wanderlust spirit and crave change, but if the change is not your thing, don’t go into business for yourself. There are never overnight success or easy roads for an everlasting heritage brand and for me, if I am not creating a legacy to leave behind, then what’s the point?
So, as you know, we’re impressed with elique organics – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My brand represents a lifestyle and inspires my audience to understand that beauty is health before anything else and healthy skin is nourished skin. So in my practice and with my products, I am focused solely on Skin Nutrition and building the surface immunity of the skin, feeding it nutrients and continuing to maintain its health and the health of the entire body. Clean eating, hydrating on a cellular level and encouraging more plant foods and less animal products is always on top of the list of where to begin as well as of course skin care that is nutritious and edible, meaning free of synthetics, industrial chemicals and any other unnatural fillers, etc.
What sets Elique apart is the knowledge and information that I am constantly sharing with my audience to help them achieve the results they want but cannot achieve, I am an educator first and my experience is vast partly because of my mother, who was a very progressive food fighter and in our home food was always medicine. Doctor visits were rare and we were taught from an early age to respect the healing powers of plants and to make our health the first priority.
Everything I do as an esthetician and a skin care brand is unique. Being quite empathic and sensitive to the needs of others, I follow my intuition and create offerings that I know to satisfy the needs of my audience. Elique Organics is a boutique sought-after brand that is a chef-inspired (I am also a chef) meaning I am focused solely on high-quality and simple ingredients and technique. As well, all of my ingredients are food grade and edible. My goal is to remain an exclusive brand so I can maintain this standard of quality. I go above and beyond in my sourcing, having trusted relationships with all of my distillers, farmers, beekeepers and other suppliers that to are on a mission to offer a truly clean and sustainable product. I care about the honeybees and their plight so source with the upmost care as honey is a core ingredient of the brand.
As for my facials, unlike other estheticians, I am more about breathing life into the skin via facial massage and feeding the skin foods like infused honeys and essential waters and focusing on nutrition as well in our treatments rather than stripping the skin with harsh commercial products and traumatizing it with endless picking and prodding. I never even do extractions unless the skin is severely congested with blackheads because massaging the skin purges the debris on its own. Also, I would never dare “extract” a pimple but time after time, estheticians will just attack their client’s face putting them at risk of further infection, scarring and unnecessary trauma. After my treatments, my clients can immediately go out on the town because their skin looks AMAZING.
My clients are in NYC, Paris and Los Angeles and they come to me because I transform their skin, sculpt and lift it – clients say it’s better than botox – with my technique that I have perfected in my 16-year esthetic practice and continue to refine. My facials transform the skin and literally takes ten years off their face with lasting results. My Skin nutrition consults and treatments make such a difference in not just the skin but my client’s lifestyle. Clients are more mindful, thoughtful and less desperate for solutions and instead more trusting of their intuition and a “less is more” attitude. I’m not here to wash my client’s face and put a mask on them or espouse the latest advice from Vogue magazine.
I’m here to inspire them to recognize, through my service and products, that when you give your body certain tools, and often they are few and simple, it will take over and regenerate and heal itself of most anything.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Least – The homeless population and the whole tech takeover on the Westside that has seemed to isolate and cast aside the needs of the locals, LA is not as diverse as I would hope and more segregated if anything and the Driving needed to access culture and events… Sense of Isolation. People seem very guarded here and don’t smile a lot and I don’t know why. It’s so gorgeous and open and being from NYC, I understand why people are stressed and guarded but here? I don’t get it. LA is also very image and celebrity obsessed and there is and lack of true community here.
What I love is the daily access to gorgeous healthy food via our farmer’s markets (the one place where I get to connect with my community) and delicious clean eateries and grocers. I love the beauty of California and being surrounded by nature. I love all the homes I see where they are growing food and I love my clients and friends here. I have truly attracted the most special people in my life both professionally and personally. I have been truly blessed in that sense.
Pricing:
- Facials 155-195
- Skin Nutrition Consult $95-120
Contact Info:
- Website: eliqueorganics.com
- Phone: 424.361.8100
- Email: eliqueorganics@gmail.com
- Instagram: @eliqueorganics
- Facebook: @eliqueorganics
- Twitter: @eliqueorganics
- Other: @eliqueorganics YouTube and Pinterest
Image Credit:
Samantha West and Dan Kacvinski
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
