What started as a personal search for cleaner, more sustainable hair care turned into a movement! We caught up with Emelia DiBello and Kevin McQuiston, our co-founders here at The Earthling Co. and creators of your favorite shampoo and conditioner bars, among other eco-friendly hair and skin care products. They shared what inspired them to launch their first product, what customer feedback has meant to them, and how they think about sustainability in real life.
What inspired you to start Earthling?
Emelia: I was looking for natural and low-waste products to implement into my routine, but I truly couldn’t find anything that worked well or had the ingredients I was looking for. Sometimes with natural products, they’re really natural, but they don’t work as well. I really wanted to find something that blended efficacy with clean ingredients. It didn’t really exist on the market, so we decided to launch our own shampoo bar!
What was the first product you launched?
Kevin: Our shampoo and conditioner bars. We knew early on from launching it that we had something exciting. People were interested and passionate.
Emelia: People loved how the bars worked. They lathered super quickly, and they made their hair feel great, shiny, and clean. We were packaging every single bar we sold ourselves for a while.
What’s been the most rewarding customer feedback?
Emelia: We’ve had customers tell us their hair feels healthier or that it’s started growing again. It’s amazing to hear how it impacts their confidence and overall happiness. It’s nice knowing we’re making a small impact in their life.
What’s your favorite Earthling product?
Emelia: My favorite bar scent is Wild Lavender. Sometimes I’ll pair it with Sweet Sandalwood because it’s a nice, earthy combination.
Kevin: My favorite is the Sandalwood shampoo and conditioner. Classic and woodsy. I also deal with dry skin from time to time, and the moisturizer is my go-to.
What’s one myth about sustainability you wish more people knew?
Emelia: I wish more people would consider that you really don’t have to do it all to be sustainable. Little steps in your daily routine definitely matter. Everyone’s routine is different and unique, and you have to find what’s best for you and what you can achieve.
Kevin: I used to think that more sustainable options were going to be more expensive, and that’s not necessarily the case. You can end up saving money and using more sustainable products at the same time.
What’s one unexpected skill you’ve picked up since starting Earthling?
Emelia: Over the years I’ve learned a lot about product formulation and all the necessary tests you need to go through for your cosmetic products to be stable and effective.
Kevin: We’ve been building Earthling Co. for over five years now, and all in the same day you can be working on customer service, operations and fulfillment, product development, financial work, marketing. You have to develop skills in all areas of the business, it’s a lot!
Kevin: Thanks so much for supporting our brand and trying our products. We hope you love them, and let us know how we can make them better.
Emelia: Stay tuned. Lots of new, fun things are on the way!
Thanks for Being Part of Our Journey
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