Handmade natural hair and body products that love the Earth? Susan Calderón Urbina is all over that with her brand, Sacha Botanicals.
We love entrepreneurs and small business owners at Honeycombers, which is why we’ve created Launchpad, a comprehensive digital networking platform (with IRL benefits, too) that encourages connection, business support and community. It’s a privilege and pleasure to learn from so many talented and inspiring folks, so we’ve decided to share the love by interviewing some of the lovely Launchpad members. Looking for inspiration? Check out how Susan Calderón Urbina, the founder of Sacha Botanicals, gets it done like a boss.
What is your backstory and why did you decide to launch your business?
I’m a professor at a university in Singapore. A lot of my research revolves around sustainability and sustainable consumption. So I’ve always been interested in products that are good for the environment. But there’s a more personal reason why I started Sacha Botanicals. Two years ago, I was detected with a hormonal disorder: Hashimoto’s disease. Basically, my immune system produces antibodies that attack my thyroid. It was scary. I was told that stress or even parabens – typically present in commercial personal care products – might have contributed to my condition.
Back then, I was using products from a popular brand that had the image of being “natural”. However, while learning about skincare and the power of botanicals, I realised that not all the ingredients listed were good for our bodies or the planet.
I remembered how my mum used our native Peruvian plants to create shampoos for us as kids. This led me to study and work on creating recipes for handmade soaps and solid shampoos without ingredients that harm but instead nurture our hair and skin. At first, I shared my products with friends. But people kept urging me to share them more broadly. That’s when I launched Sacha Botanicals with a line of handmade soaps and solid shampoos that respect your skin and the environment. I launch new products with the idea of providing natural, biodegradable and low-waste hair and skin care.
What has been your biggest challenge so far and how did you overcome it?
As a professor, I always need to find ways to keep myself motivated to push my research papers for publication.
For my journey as a skincare formulator, the biggest challenge comes when trying to incorporate botanicals that have been present in Peruvian culture since ancestral times. As a Peruvian, I’ve grown to know the positive effects of plants and seeds such as quinoa, the maca root, the buriti fruit, the cupuaçu fruit, chia seeds and more.
These are traditionally used in personal care for the benefits they provide to the hair and skin. However, it’s very difficult to source them in Singapore or in the region. And it’s difficult to find biodegradable or eco-friendly packaging. The number of companies that offer these materials is limited. So I need to be creative, though this might mean extra work. Still, I’m happy to do it!
How do you stay motivated and energised?
Sometimes it feels like there are too many things to do. I need to remind myself to do “a bite at a time”. I try to have goals for the day or week, keep my to-do list next to me – while giving higher priority to the most urgent tasks – and enjoy time with my boyfriend and friends. Sharing with people and listening to them always gives me extra inspiration to continue!
How do you keep stress levels low?
I try to think in the long term and remember that my health is the most important. I like to add a variety of activities to my week: teaching, researching different topics, soaping, and doing dragon boating with the Latin Dragons team. In this way, I always come back to work happier.
Favourite place to work?
I love working at my office at home, having all my tech arrangements and my own space.
Favourite business tool?
I like using Zoom for meetings – you can do so many things to have effective meetings. I also like Stripe for payment solutions – it makes invoicing so easy!
One thing you can keep talking about for hours?
My research on sustainable advertising and skincare formulation.
Your go-to self-care activity?
These days, I enjoy my routine before going to bed. I oil my hair and massage my scalp, I take a shower with a natural sponge and my Amazon Showers soap (which smells like rosemary and eucalyptus), and use a gua sha for a face massage. It’s so relaxing!
One piece of advice to your younger self?
Never stop. Keep going! I believe every day is a chance to change and improve.
Get in touch with Susan Calderón Urbina online.
Launchpad is a comprehensive digital networking platform (with IRL benefits, too) that encourages connection, business support and community. It is designed to make the entrepreneurial journey not only easier, and more successful, but also a whole lot more fun. We offer almost daily activities for members to connect, along with weekly masterclasses, member networking roulette, small-business mentoring and media profiles on Honeycombers. Check it out and join us!
