True Stories
Female empowerment and raw plants skincare:
meet Tash. sisterhood
Louise Sahlsten and Håkan Wahlsten, co-founders of Tash. sisterhood
Louise and Håkan have an extensive background in business, finance and fast-moving consumer goods. Louise has worked in the food industry, where she grew an interest and involvement in the organic sector from an early age. Female entrepreneurship has been a key part of Louise’s family for generations, and an effective path to independence and empowerment.
NATRUE: How was Tash. sisterhood born? What defines this brand?
Louise Sahlsten: Tash. sisterhood was born after I had my first son. I started searching for organic alternatives in cosmetic products. Unfortunately, I could not find products that were up to my standards of efficacy, quality and other characteristics that consumers look for in modern high-end skincare. This is how the idea of Tash. sisterhood gradually developed: for my own benefit, and for other women. Tash. sisterhood is a brand without compromises: it’s about bringing out the best of us as women. We are also about highlighting good examples that inspire us.
NATRUE: What is the philosophy behind Tash. sisterhood’s products?
Håkan Wahlsten: Tash. sisterhood is based on three core values: female empowerment, sustainability and an inside-out, outside-in approach to health and beauty. The philosophy behind Tash. sisterhood’s products is the same as we find in the modern Scandinavian kitchen, where greatness is found in simplicity.
Scandi beauty is currently a very popular trend, but for us everything we do is characterized by our Swedish heritage. Being Swedish means respecting nature and the value of every person. It is no coincidence that our children are taught to be “planet attendants” already in preschool. Our products are gentle but at the same time effective and potent. Our processes are cutting edge, with no limitations when it comes to the formulations.
NATRUE: What are the “star ingredients” of Tash. sisterhood’s products? Where do these ingredients come from?
Louise Sahlsten: Tash. sisterhood formulations focus rather on the process than on star ingredients. We see the products as an ensemble, amplifying individual skills with well-thought-out formulations. But if we were to choose two of our favourite ingredients, these would be prickly pear and bakuchiol.
Most of the ingredients we use in our products come from the same small-scale organic farm. Straight from nature, they are handled with the utmost care. This ensures the maximum effect from vibrant, active, alive ingredients. We call it Raw Plants Skincare. Our approach is simple: why not use the full potential of precious plants? What we get back in return is skincare with amazing vitamins, peptides and fatty acids from natural ingredients very beneficial to the skin.
NATRUE: What role do sustainability and female empowerment play for Tash. sisterhood?
Håkan Wahlsten: In Sweden, life comes back in the spring after a dark and demanding winter. For hundreds of years, we have been taught not to waste resources. It has simply been a matter of survival. Tash. sisterhood has brought that philosophy and power into our formulations. We have translated the values of Tash. sisterhood into organic, high-end skincare.
When working for female rights, the link was obvious for us: female empowerment means sustainability. It is not a choice being sustainable or not: it is a postulate for a sound future. At Tash. sisterhood we also believe in the importance of reliable certified skincare products. As the market for organic cosmetics mature, consumers are not choosing a specific product or a brand just because they are labelled as organic, but also for the values they represent. At Tash. sisterhood, we see ourselves as a modern, value-driven company. If we do not feel that a product is perfect, we won’t launch it.
By using the rigorous certification of NATRUE, we can guarantee the quality of our processes and products. Tash. sisterhood’s skincare products are high-end, organic and NATRUE certified. In everything we do, we try to explain consumers, customers and the media our Raw Plants Process and the relevance of the NATRUE certification for our brand.
NATRUE: How does Tash. sisterhood’s meet consumer demands for natural and organic cosmetics?
Louise Sahlsten: We see the market moving in two directions: on the one hand, consumers demand purpose-oriented products with signature ingredients. On the other hand, they also want multi-functional products that meet all their demands. There is a rapid growth in the market for organic skincare. For us it’s important to inform and educate about what organic skincare represents, what are its benefits and what are the differences between being certified NATRUE and just claiming to be “clean beauty”, or other vague terms.
NATRUE: Why did you choose the NATRUE Label for Tash. sisterhood’s products?
Håkan Wahlsten: The independent certification and the clear framework of NATRUE convinced us to certify our products with the NATRUE Label. Independent certification means trust. The world of beauty is full of buzzwords: “clean beauty”, “safe beauty”, and so on. By following the rigorous standard of NATRUE, we can guarantee the quality of the processes and the formulations of our products. The friendly contact and all the support we have received as a new brand from the NATRUE team is also truly fantastic.
For more information about Tash. sisterhood and its products, click here
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