Beauty Boss, Derisha Aryawan, was diagnosed with Lupus in 2018.ย As she was told to stay away from toxic chemicals, preservatives and all that bad stuff as it would deteriorate her immune system, even more, she started to experiment with natural ingredients for her self-care. She started DVA Organics to help other women achieve a clean beauty routine without using any chemicals or toxic ingredients. Read on more to find out Derisha and her brand:
Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your journey with Lupus, and why you started DVA Organics?ย
Before I was diagnosed with Lupus I was working as a social media specialist and in my free time, I loved to pamper myself by going to the spa, getting facials, manicures etc. I was really conscious of my self-care routine, I was doing a 10-step skincare routine on most days.
Then in 2018, I was admitted to the hospital for weeks, they were trying to find a cure for my condition that I had to switch 3 hospitals and many doctors before they found out I had Lupus. In total, I was in the hospital for almost 2 months but had to still stay on bed rest at home while doing physiotherapy and acupuncture for a long time. During this time I was told to stay away from toxic chemicals, preservatives, and all that bad stuff as it would deteriorate my immune system even more.
While recovering at home, I started experimenting with natural ingredients for my self-care and it was actually quite fascinating for me and began to be like therapy to keep me away from stress and thinking about my illness. I enjoyed making it so much that I started giving some close friends and family tester products and I got great feedback from them.
I started DVA Organics to help other women achieve a clean beauty routine without using any chemicals or toxic ingredients. I realized there was a lack of understanding about clean beauty and most women have been unaware of what they have been putting on their skin their whole life, similar to me! After my journey with Lupus, I realized that less is more and that the best ingredients come from the earth and contain no harmful ingredients to our skin or the earth.
Can you tell us a bit about your product range?
My signature products are our Organic Face Masks, currently available in Turmeric (a game changer for fighting dark spots and dull skin) and Green Tea (the ultimate weapon for clearing acne and detoxing skin).
The main ingredient is Oats. We are 100% organic and we use Oats and Rice Flour for our Face Masks. Most non-organic Face Masks will use Talc. The chemical ingredients in talcum powder, like silicates talc, is not only a potent carcinogen, it also causes allergies, and infection in the lungs and has been linked with cancer. After being diagnosed with an Auto-Immune (Lupus) disease I was determined to find a safe alternative that has many benefits for the skin.
This is why I incorporate Oats. It contains compounds called saponins, which are natural cleansers and natural exfoliators that gently remove your dead skin. It also absorbs excess oil and fights acne. Oats are 100% safe for lupus and cancer patients as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women.
You are also the CMO at Day Horizon, a digital marketing agency, and the Founder of Digital Marketing Queens, an e-learning platform and community of business babes. How do you balance all your work?ย
The most important thing about being a serial-entrepreneur is finding passion in what you do!
If money is the only motivation to start a business, then it’s really easy to get drained out so fast. This is how I felt when I was working 9-5.
Now, from the minute I wake up to the minute I fall asleep I’m always working but it excites me and I love everything that I do. Sometimes I feel like the day goes by so fast when I’m working so hard and multi-tasking because I genuinely enjoy everything I do. Learning to multi-task is also something that came useful because there is just never a few things on my to-do list, it’s like a never-ending list and I love how I can challenge myself to keep learning new things along the way!
What is some advice you have for other #beautybosses who are trying to grow their brand and digital presence?
Create as much content as you can online to attract your ideal customers. Make memes, tips, tutorials, blogs etc to make sure you grab their attention and trust first then gain an online audience. By creating content, you won’t have to spend so much money on influencers or paid ads. This way, you have lots of free traffic and ready-to-buy fans who will buy your products when you are ready to launch.
Make sure you start as soon as possible, because the faster you start, the faster you can make mistakes and learn from them!
