We always want to choose what is best for our body, whether we are talking about food or about the cosmetics we use every day. So, out of the desire to combine beauty with everything that nature is able to offer us, Iehana Cosmetics was born. A 100% Romanian brand, which creates, from fresh ingredients, grown in its own garden, the necessary cosmetics for both women and men.

To find out more about the Iehana Cosmetics brand, we talked a bit with Medeea Haruki, Brand Manager and CEO of the company. Let's discover together the little secrets behind this brand in the following interview.

1. How did this family business start and how did you come up with the idea of creating organic cosmetics?

The whole story began in 2010, at a local fair, where we learned about Kangen water and its benefits. Thus, for 3 years we laid the foundations of the brand and developed the recipes for the first three products. We started with a body cream, a multifunctional moisturizer, but also with an anti-wrinkle cream. At the moment, we have a wide range of 20 products for complexion, body and hair.

2. To whom are the Iehana cosmetics addressed?

Iehana is for both women and men. We do not believe in gender boundaries. We believe that a product should meet both needs.

3. What is the magic ingredient that can be found in the cosmetics created by you and your mother?

Kangen water, our love for nature, but also the involvement we put daily in overcoming ourselves and innovating. We focus mainly on the constant search for new ingredients that are effective in combating the signs of premature aging. Most of our best sellers are from the anti-aging range. We also consider prevention an important step in keeping a fresh complexion. It is ideal to start taking care of our skin at least from adolescence or from the age of 20.

4. What can you tell us about the greenhouse in which the ingredients for Iehana cosmetics are grown and about the laboratory in which they are designed?

Both the greenhouse and our laboratory are located in Breaza, Prahova. An absolute fairytale scenario, in which we constantly find inspiration. Garden, plants, the mountain landscape. A real oasis of happiness. Over the years, we have managed to acclimatize rare plants such as cornflower, schisandra, Tibetan gentian, moringa, chokeberry and goji.

5. Given the fact that it is a complex process, from planting the ingredients to the final step of delivering the products, how do you manage to divide your tasks?

My mother, Iulia Iancu, is responsible for the ingredients and the production. The dried plants are transformed into extracts, labeled and stored in optimal conditions, later used in the actual production. My mother loves plants so much that it is difficult to describe it in words. But I can try to summarize it through passion and constant devotion.

I am responsible for marketing, website, emails, contracts, but also labeling. I personally take care of the labels / boxes / site graphics from the beginning. We implement the idea of minimalism in design, and the idea of maximalism when it comes to recipes and ingredients.

6. What is the process of creating a face cream, for example, (what are the steps you need to follow) and how long does it take?

The process begins with setting the product goal. After setting the goal, the most important stage begins, the production stage, followed by research, the choice of ingredients, the creation of formulas (several variants for the same product), the extracts preparation and the creation of prototypes, finally choosing the optimal variant, which we later submit to laboratory test analyzes. The final process consists of testing them in the laboratory and choosing the final version of the product. Generally, this process takes between 5 months and 1 year. After testing, the actual production continues, which involves making the products, labeling them and preparing them for distribution.

7. How much does the feedback received from Iehana’s customers matter to you and how does it influence you?

Our customers’ feedback is the most important for us. We have created a real obsession with it, wanting every product and package sent to be a real experience. We value small details, surprises and we constantly maintain contact with our female and male clients, by phone, email and social media.

8. What are the future plans for Iehana?

For 2020 we had 3 international fairs planned, such as Cosmoprof Bologna, Beauty World Middle East, but also EgyBeautyExpo, events that have been postponed to next year, to which we expect to participate with great interest.

We set out to develop as much as possible both on the Romanian and the international market. Currently, we have signed a contract with one of the largest international retailers, and we are also discussing with distributors in Asia and America.

Images source: Iehana Cosmetics personal archive