BeautyTalks with Deborah Scalone, Founder of BeautyZana

What inspired the creation of BeautyZana?

I created BeautyZana after a health crisis forced me to reevaluate my diet and my lifestyle. I realized that a lot of products that I was using could affect my health later on so my search began for skin and hair care that used minimal and natural ingredients. That was easier said than done since many products say they’re natural but when you read the full ingredient list there are also some questionable ones included. I found that frustrating because as a busy working mom I didn’t have the time to keep researching what each ingredient was. Finally, I found the answer in my husband’s Moroccan heritage. I decided to give Argan Oil, Ghassoul Clay and Moroccan Black Soap a try. I loved the simplicity and minimal use of ingredients in these products. After 2 years of using these products on myself and my family, BeautyZana was born. 

How did you come up with the name BeautyZana?

I’ve always had a love for Moroccan Artisana which is traditional, handcrafted pottery, textiles, metalwork, woodwork, leather work and even jewelry. It consists of very unique designs and patterns that are bold and colorful. BeautyZana is a word that I came up with when I combined ‘Beauty’ with ‘Artisana’ and together it means ‘handcrafted beauty.’ This word embodies Moroccan Beauty because the techniques used to create it are traditional and timeless and are truly a work of art and labor.

Tell us more about your brand vision!

Our brand vision is to offer premium quality Moroccan Beauty products using only natural, minimalistic ingredients in sustainable packaging. We strive to offer multi-use products that can be used by women, men and even children. Since products can be used in many ways and not much product is needed that creates less waste and is more cost-effective for our customers. Our goal is also to bring more recognition to this niche and the lesser known Moroccan Beauty products such as Moroccan Black Soap and Ghassoul Clay.

“Since products can be used in many ways and not much product is needed that creates less waste and is more cost-effective for our customers.”

How important is being clean to BeautyZana?

Being clean is extremely important to our brand. It is the basis for our existence. Our goal is to have 100% pure and natural ingredients in our products. Besides clean ingredients, minimal ingredients are also a dominant focus of our brand. Most of our products contain only one or a few ingredients and we truly believe in the saying ‘less is more’.

“Most of our products contain only one or a few ingredients and we truly believe in the saying ‘less is more’.”

We are obsessed with the packaging! Tell us more about it.

Sustainable and quality packaging is also a key principle for our brand. Beauty oils and floral waters need to be protected from light so we chose to use only dark amber glass bottles to maintain quality and freshness. For our Moroccan Black Soap and Clays we chose to use recyclable plastic jars to make it easy and safe to use in the shower and/or bath. We’re actually looking into changing these jars to make them more eco-friendly.

What are BeautyZana’s hero ingredients?

Our hero ingredients are Argan Oil, Prickly Pear Seed Oil, Olive Oil, Rose Water, and Ghassoul Clay. These are sourced exclusively from Morocco to guarantee authenticity.

Run us through your morning routine!

My morning routine is very simple. First, I cleanse my face with a soap bar made with Argan, Shea Butter, and Oatmeal. Next, I spray a few drops of our Moroccan Rose Water in the palm of my hand and then add 3 drops of our Argan Oil. I incorporate that together and then dab all over my face and neck. I also apply Argan Oil to my lips for moisture and shine. Lastly, I add a drop or two of Argan Oil to my hands and rub any excess into the tips of my hair. I repeat the same routine at night but instead of Argan Oil I use Prickly Pear Seed Oil and leave it on overnight. Once a week, I apply a Ghassoul Clay mask to exfoliate my face and neck. Sometimes I also apply it to my body and even my hair. To deeply cleanse my body weekly,  I prep my skin with our Moroccan Black Soap and use our Kessa Glove to exfoliate. I finish off with Argan Oil to lock in moisture and hydration. 

What is your staple BeautyZana product?

Of course, that would be Argan Oil with Rose Water a close second. I use them every day and even carry them with me in my bag if I need to quickly freshen up.

What challenges has BeautyZana had to overcome?

I think the greatest challenge has been to find the right customer for our products. Moroccan Beauty is very unique and I understand that it’s not for everyone. A lot of people are not even aware of what it is beyond Argan Oil. I would like to bring more awareness to this niche and the other lesser known Moroccan Beauty products and to show that Moroccan Beauty is a big contender in the clean beauty market.

“I would like to bring more awareness to this niche and the other lesser known Moroccan Beauty products and to show that Moroccan Beauty is a big contender in the clean beauty market.“ 

What is your most memorable moment with BeautyZana?

I would have to say the most memorable moment was when we opened at the Conscious Beauty Collective in Natick Mall just outside of Boston along with 30 other clean beauty and wellness brands. The pop-up shop which was created by Lynn Power of MASAMI was really luxurious and it was our first retail experience. The emphasis of this shop is collaboration over competition and it was really great working with other founders.

What does the future look like for BeautyZana?

We would like to continue building brand awareness through collaborations with other like-minded brands as well as joining innovative platforms such as GlossWire. We would like to expand into brick and mortar specialty shops and participate in more pop-up events/shops  around the country. We plan on expanding our product line to include even more Moroccan Beauty ingredients and products such as Henna, Aker Fassi, Saffron, and Moroccan Blue Chamomile.

Besides BeautyZana, what are you passionate about?

I am passionate about spending time with my family: I have 6 kids, traveling: I love exploring off-the-beaten-track places especially around the northern coast of Morocco, and all things health-related: healthy food, aromatherapy, wellness practices, etc.  I also really enjoy writing so I write all the blog posts and emails for BeautyZana in which I share what I’ve learned over the years on my health and clean beauty journey.