She’s a mother, wife, entrepreneur and skincare devotee — we’re talking about Tata Harper, the founder of her eponymous 100 percent natural skincare line with a devoted fan base (including our own beauty editor). Harper created her line out of necessity: She was looking for skincare products that were truly non-toxic after committing to an all-natural lifestyle. She found some basics, but nothing to address other skincare issues, so she decided to set out and create a full range of products where each served a purpose and were made from the purest of ingredients.
The Colombian-born businesswoman is so set on overseeing the entire process to ensure the integrity of her line that she grows ingredients, develops the highly-concentrated formulas and makes some of the products on her 1,200-acre farm in the Champlain Valley of Vermont where she lives with her family. The industrial engineer-turned-skincare guru has had major success since her line’s inception and we are beyond excited to have her as April’s guest editor. Get to know Harper below, from her favorite product in her line to her personal ethos of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- When I get dressed in the morning I think… about what the weather’s going to be like that day and where I’m going (for example, if I’m on the farm vs. heading out to events in a city) to decide what the best outfit option might be.
- The one beauty product I could never live without is… my Elixir Vitae serum!
- My current favorite product to wear is… my Lip and Cheek Tint. I like to blend Very Sweet with Very Charming for my cheeks. I also love to wear my YSL moto pants — they’re so comfortable and sturdy!
- Every woman’s beauty arsenal should include… an exfoliator, a moisturizing toner, a serum, an eye cream, a moisturizer, a spot treatment and a few masks, depending on what your skin’s needs are. Those are the basics!
- If you looked at my phone you’d see… lots of pictures of my kids.
- My fashion essentials include… my red nail polish, my Tom Ford sunglasses, Rag & Bone booties (especially for airports), my crossbody Chanel bag and a comfy pair of Rag & Bone jeans — and of course, Ralph Lauren sweaters.
- The last thing I googled was… a recipe for a tasty Thai soup called Tom Yum.
- My biggest fashion or beauty pet peeve is… I’m not wild about multicolored lipstick, like bright blue or bright green, especially if there’s matching eyeshadow involved.
- If my days had one extra hour I’d… exercise and meditate more.
- My guilty pleasure is… vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips, and my afternoon dark chocolate snack.
- I’m dying to splurge on… Markus Lupfer sweaters or the new Bottega Veneta handbag collection.
- On a typical Saturday night I… get cozy with a movie with my kids.
- I never leave home without… my cell phone, my wallet and my Aromatic Irritability Treatment.
- When I’m stressed I… take a shower or a bath.
- When it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle… I try to focus on making sure that the little things that happen every day in my life are healthy — the actions and purchases that are really habitual, like what I eat, the products I use on my body, in my home and with my kids. I think those are the most important, as opposed to the things that I do or come in contact with once every three months.
- I’m always happy when… I’m out on an antiquing adventure or dancing!
- What keeps me inspired is… the mission that drives me and my company every day, to improve people’s lives with natural skincare that makes them beautiful, healthy and happy.
- One thing I do badly that I wish I did well is… play tennis and chess.
- The best advice I ever got was… to always finish what you start.
- The best gift I ever received was… my three healthy children.
- You’d be surprised that… I’m not vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or a raw food-eater, or any of that stuff! I actually eat everything, and I love it all. I just focus on making sure it’s all high-quality and organic.
