Meet Sarah Villafranco of Osmia Skincare

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Villafranco

Hi Sarah, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Washington, DC, but my soul was born in Colorado somehow. The first time I flew into Aspen at age 18 to visit my brother, I knew I needed to move my life here. After completing my emergency medicine residency in DC, my husband and I, along with our 2-year-old daughter and our first border collie, moved out to Carbondale. We were incredibly lucky to find a piece of land surrounded by national forest and the Crystal River, and built a straw bale home, where we still live today.

Back then, I was practicing emergency medicine in Aspen, Snowmass, and Glenwood Springs. I was pretty frustrated by several aspects of our current medical system, so when our second daughter came along, followed swiftly by the death of my lovely mother from pancreatic cancer, I took a minute to reevaluate things.

While considering my next move, I took a class making soap at a local ranch, where I fell instantly, completely in love with making soap. At first, I wasn’t sure what to do with my new passion, and thought it would likely turn into a weekend hobby. But the more I researched the ingredients most people were using on their skin every day, and how those ingredients were impacting their health (often negatively), I realized there might be a way to combine my love of health and wellness with my newfound love of making soap!

I launched Osmia Skincare in 2012, with one employee and far too many products. Since then, we’ve built the company slowly and steadily from our sweet little mountain town. We now have a team of about 20 amazing humans, and we love working together to help our customers uncover healthier, happier skin using beautiful, natural ingredients.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? Not remotely, but I’ve always loved 4-wheel drive. Honestly, there have been so many struggles that they no longer feel like obstacles—we’ve just gotten used to bumping along and made the best of it. From cash flow to sourcing ingredients to competing in an increasingly saturated space to being an entrepreneur with zero business training, the list of struggles is almost endless. But my teammates and I have a good combination of grit, creativity, and optimism, so we make it work!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Osmia Skincare?
When we launched in 2012, I was mainly focused on using the most beautiful, natural ingredients I could find, and sourcing them in a sustainable, thoughtful way. Since then, it turns out that our products solve a lot of problems for people, from eczema to acne to a condition called perioral dermatitis. I’ve been able to put my medical background to work in our formulations, and have had most weird skin conditions myself, so that’s also been helpful in developing solutions.

Now, almost 13 years later, we’re known for our transparency, our commitment to quality, and our individual customer service. Unlike most skincare brands, we’re not focused on anti-aging and skin perfection. We’re here to help people feel healthy in their skin using beautiful, sustainable ingredients that don’t come with a side of endocrine disruption or environmental toxicity.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Don’t be afraid to ask! When I was just starting the company, I emailed Tata Harper, a leader in the clean beauty space, and she was incredibly helpful and supportive. The worst thing that could happen is rejection, and I suggest you develop a tolerance for that as quickly as possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: www. osmiaskincare.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/osmiaskincare/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/osmiaskincare