In an effort to inspire and promote the most well rounded of lifestyles, Crunchy Radish is releasing the next installment of Meet the Makers. Here we highlight companies and people who are making strides in the health and wellness industry. Up next - Valérie Grandury, founder of Odacité, a natural and organic skin care company and a Crunchy Radish favorite.
It is evident that beauty comes from the inside out, yet what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it. Odacité creates fresh and premium products which focus on just that. Here, founder and CEO Valérie Grandury discusses her wellness philosophy and what sets Odacité apart from other beauty brands.
1) How did Odacité come about?
It all started after I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I realized that if i wanted to heal and for the cancer never to come back, I had to change everything...and I did.
I quit my job, went back to school to become a health and wellness coach, adopted a raw vegan diet, and started a daily practice of yoga and meditation.
Through this healing journey of removing toxins from my life, I looked for natural skincare products. We French take skincare very seriously...and what I found was indeed natural but never results-driven. So I started blending my own products - first for me and then for my coaching clients. Word spread fast, and in 2009 I took it to the next level and launched Odacité, making my private blends available globally.
2) What sets Odacité apart from other natural skin care lines on the market?
Odacité evolved from custom blending products for private clients, working one on one with clients, and realizing that nobody has one set skin type. Your skin is constantly changing as it is affected by factors like stress, diet, weather, pollution and hormones. So, my line is all about customizing your skincare treatment to your specific skin concern. I believe that adapting your skincare products to your skin’s daily needs is the only way that you can get remarkable results and keep your skin fresh and youthful.
With my serum concentrate it is super easy as you just need to add 2-3 drops into your skin routine. For example, you may wake up with dehydrated skin and go to bed with hormonal pimple flaring. In this case, you add 2 drops of my Hydration Serum Concentrate Pomegranate + Rose Geranium in the morning and 2 drops of my Pimple Serum Concentrate Black Cumin + Cajeput in the evening. Each time you are creating your own intensive skin remedy.
3) What is your professional background?
After 20 years in advertising, producing commercials all over the world, I went back to school to become a health and wellness coach which led me to create Odacité.
4) How would you describe your wellness philosophy?
Listen to your body, the body never lies... if you are tired you need rest not more coffee!
If you are sick you can treat the symptoms with western medicine, but if you do not want the disease to come back, you need to change something in your lifestyle.
5) What are some of your biggest challenges in the beauty industry?
Fighting the misconception that natural products are less effective than chemical ones. Just like any other organ in your body, you need to feed your skin with the best nutrients that nature has to offer. Odacité is French results-driven skincare meets green California. You never have to sacrifice performance. Formulas are fast-acting, deeply penetrating, and will envelop you spirit in the most delicious scents.
6) What is your skin regime? Favorite beauty tip?
My skin regimen has to be quick as I’m always running, 3 min morning and night is all it takes
Morning: Exfoliate, tone, Day Cream + target with a Serum Concentrate
Evening: Cleanse, tone, Night Cream + target with a Serum Concentrate
Once a week: Deep Hydration Masque with lots of Hyaluronic acid to quench my skin cells.
Beauty Tip: customize, customize, customize!
I always have 3 different Serum concentrates to answer my main skin concerns
Youthful glow Serum Acai + Rose to address all skin aging concerns including; texture, elasticity, wrinkles & firmness.
Radiance Serum Green Tea Lemongrass for those days when I wake up tired.
Eye Contour Serum Baobab + Sarsaparilla to target all signs of aging around the fragile eye area.
7) Beauty and vitality come from the inside out. What are you "go-to" meals for:
breakfast:
Large smoothie with lots of greens and soaked chia or flax seeds for omegas. Depending on how I feel, I will supplement with things like maca, probiotics, cordycep, MSM, ashwagandha, and chaga.
lunch:
Large salad, with some form of fermented food (like raw sauerkraut) and homemade seed/nut cheese.
dinner:
I like to make it macrobiotic style -grain, sea vegetables, and beans.
snacks:
Just discovered Inca golden berry - my new favorite snack, love the tartness + a handful of sprouted/dehydrated nuts.
sweet treats/indulgence:
Love raw cake!
My indulgence, really fresh and good oysters.
8) It is the peak of summer! What are your go to summer recipes? Dinner party stand-bys?
Love all the melons in the summer. They can make a delicious cold soup, juice, or even sorbet.
Dinner party stand-by; a vegan curry inspired by Thai food, sauté shallots, add fresh coconut milk and boil with lemongrass and kafir lime leaves. Remove the lemongrass and kafir lime leaves. Add veggies (delicious with water-cress, zucchini) add a few beans, and serve over basmati rice. Pair with a refreshing cucumber and mint salad.
9) Describe your ideal day
One of the great things about having survived cancer; every day is very much ideal :-0)
10) What is your day actually like?
When not traveling: Wake up at 5 am, one hour hike at sunrise with my two dogs, 5 min meditation, in the office by 7:30 am, home by 7 pm and, when I have the energy, 45 min of yoga.
11) How do you deal with the stress of building a brand/international company?
My morning hike is my stress savior. This is how I focus, center myself, make decisions, and create.
Building Odacité is team work. I have the most amazing business partner and a fantastic team. Our main focus is making the best products imaginable, offer the best customer service possible, and the rest organically follows.
12) What or who gives you inspiration?
Nature is my main source of inspiration, and I’m lucky to live in Topanga Canyon. Its enchanted beauty is a daily blessing.
Art is also an important source of inspiration. I’m often in museums or galleries.
13) Where would you like to see Odacité go in the next 5 years?
This year was pretty amazing for Odacité, opening at Nordstrom and Blue Mercury in the US, Colette in Paris, Selfridges in London, and Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong. What makes me happy is to see that a natural indie brand like Odacité is now in demand in circuits which were previously only about big beauty corporations. So if we follow 2015 trajectory, the sky is the limit in 5 years!
Interested in trying out Odacité? Use promo code CrunchyRadM15 for 15% off your next order. Discount valid through August 17th, 2015.
A huge thank you to Valérie and Odacité!
