An Interview With Founder of Ashana.B PARIS, Shana Barry

What we want today is a real return to nature. For decades beauty brands have been overflown with chemicals so it’s time for a revolution. This week we are introducing luxury skincare brand, Ashana.B PARIS who are currently taking the beauty industry by storm. We got to interview founder and CEO, Shana Barry, who tells us all about the luxury new line of natural and organic cosmetics – made for you, naturally.

Can you kindly tell us a bit about yourself ? What or who inspires you to create your exclusive beauty products?
I am Shana Barry, before creating Ashana.B PARIS, I started by studying design but then worked for 15 years in international marketing for high-end brands and as a presenter of TV shows about the history of luxury brands. I also recently graduated as a life & image coach. In these prestigious circles, I tried all sorts of beauty products, all devoid of ethics and filled with unhealthy chemicals. None suited my sensitive skin and hair, so I decided I had to return to the roots of nature while retaining the glamour of the luxury industry. The problem with organic products is that they are often too basic and not pretty at all.

Hence, my ideal product was a symbiosis of luxury and nature, as I wanted perfect products inside and out. Our commitment is born out of this idea to guarantee gentle and non-aggressive formulas for our skin and haircare products, with an unprecedented reassurance that a minimum of 98% of the ingredients come from natural sources. They are made in France without silicones, sulphates or parabens. They are certified as natural and organic by the most demanding of French and European labels: Cosmébio, Qualité France and CPNP. I also wished to draw attention to the environment with non-polluting formulas and obviously recyclable packaging. None of our products are tested on animals. The aim is to have a real work ethic mixed with unrivalled expertise to bring the greatest ease of use and ensure Ashana.B is pleasure in its purest form.

When did you start Ashana.B PARIS?
We launched the brand in Paris a year ago. This is mainly the reason why, at present, Ashana.B products are sold exclusively on our online store, even though we ship internationally. The e-commerce platform is a place of expression that allows us to be close to the customer.

Tell us more about Ashana.B – how are the products made?
Ashana.B PARIS is a glamorous, organic luxury brand designed to enhance all beauty types. It’s the perfect solution to combat skin and hair dryness as well as skin ageing. Each of our products has its own formula. The full range is made up of an original mix of vegetable butters and oils. As Shea and Mango butters, Aloe Vera, Baobab, Coconut and Castor oils, etc. The products also contain vitamins, notably A and E, and antioxidants to strengthen the synergies of our formulas. We actually set up the “natural ingredients” section on our website explaining in detail each of the active ingredients used, as well as which products they are used in.

Ashana.B motto is to “Be Yourself”. “Be Yourself” is accepting yourself as you are, being proud of who we are, regardless of physical appearance. Everyone has insecurities, but our goal is to help people accept them and use their differences as strengths – the key thing is to look healthy and be comfortable in your skin. Ashana.B products aren’t about correcting or hiding flaws, but revealing natural beauty.

Are there any products from the collection you can highly recommend?
Ashana.B products are mainly ideal for dry skin, damaged or dyed hair. Additionally, our gentle formulas work very well for children to ensure a healthy scalp and skin. This is the vision we had in mind developing Trésor de Beauté, which is made up of a shampoo, conditioner, haircare mask, body milk and an aftershave called “Fierté de l’Homme”; a nod to men, who are often forgotten in the world of cosmetics.

It is very hard to recommend one more than another but what I can say is that for Ashana.B PARIS’ first range is for everyone. I worked a great deal with the laboratories to select hydrating, repairing and regenerating active ingredients. They have done a fantastic job adjusting the formulas and the pH balance to adapt them to the driest and most sensitive of skins and to the most fragile and brittle of hair. All our formulas have been dermatologically tested on volunteers with all types of hair and skin in reliable, safe and rigorous conditions. As they consist of natural primary materials, our products can easily help anyone, male or female, even when they don’t have specifically a dryness problematic; it is just about adapting the quantities of the product according to their needs.

Do you have any beauty tips for us?
The first tip is when it comes to choosing skin and hair products, water is very important to achieve a healthy state so choose water-based products and don’t trust the large words on the back, look carefully at the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients), there you’ll find nasty (or nice) surprises. Sometimes you have to spend a bit more, but it’s really worth it in the long run, as you can’t put a price on health and won’t have to pay extra to repair the damages. Ashana.B PARIS products are all water-based and enriched with natural active ingredients as a source of proteins, antioxidants and vitamins, all the good stuff that you’ll need! Having healthy skin and hair also comes from within, drinking a lot of water, having a balanced diet and sleeping well help greatly.

What are your plans for the future?
We are currently thinking about settling the brand in the UK. Hopefully, within the coming years, the brand will be global – even though we are already shipping internationally through our online store. We are constantly brainstorming to please our customers the best way possible.

Are you thinking of ever collaborating with someone?
Yes! I do not have someone specific in mind but I strongly believe that teamwork always works the best. I love creative and artistic minds, passionate and down to earth people who also care about the environment as well as making a positive difference at their level. Anyone like that, give us a shoutout.

Danielle Mead

You will also find Ashana.B PARIS on Instagram, Twitter and on Facebook.

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