Today, we meet Luiza, creator of the online shop StillaOleum. In 2020, she decided to move to Belgium and discovered a highly developed cosmetics market. Among these products, she realised that many of them were harmful to health. She therefore wanted to offer healthy and ecological alternatives: discover Luiza and StillaOleum!
ABOUT HER AND HER ACTIVITIES
Can you introduce yourself in a few lines? Who’s behind StillaOleum?
I am Luiza, originally from Uzbekistan, where I worked as a pediatrician.
In 2000, my family and I decided to move to Belgium. I discovered a very large and diversified cosmetics market, but the ingredients of some products were not always very good for your health. I then decided to create my own shop selling healthy, natural and organic cosmetics… and Belgian products as far as possible. “StillaOleum” was born in 2020.
As I met people who were passionate about their work: wholesalers and manufacturers of essential oils, producers of vegetable oils and oily macerates, etc. I fell in love with the exceptional qualities of these oils.
Formulating my own care oils and of course getting them approved was my big project for this year 2022.
My project came into existence a few months ago. I created three beauty and care oils.
Can you explain StillaOleum concept ?
In fact, I offer StillaOleum skincare oils: pure, simple and natural cosmetics, formulated and manufactured in Belgium in Liege!
The name “StillaOleum” is not a coincidence: indeed, a “drop of vegetable oil” can make all the difference! Provided that the products that make it up are selected with great care and rigour. And on this point, I am uncompromising.
I also created a ready-made routine that will save time in choosing natural cosmetics. I market them in the form of a Stillabox in order to best meet the needs of my customers.
Here are the different concepts:
- StillaOleum offers cosmetics inspired by nature, with natural extracts, and Belgian and French certified organic products.
- Various face, body and hair care products. Beauty accessories. Gifts.
Then I offer and I organize a workshop “I make my own cosmetics” to spend a nice and friendly moment and discover natural cosmetics.
When did you launch it and why ?
We left our home country. We had to start over. I went back to school in Belgium, in Liège.
A few years later, I became the director of a nursing home.
At the age of 47, when my two wonderful children left home, I took stock of my life. I asked myself this question: what makes me tick today?
I decided to create my own shop, which would offer a multitude of natural cosmetic products.
My medical knowledge allowed me to easily understand the composition of the products and to orientate my choice towards more pure, simple and natural products. That’s how I created a natural cosmetics shop with essential and vegetable oils!
ABOUT HER SUSTAINABLES COMMITMENTS
What are your daily acts to take care of our planet?
So I have 3 simple principles: eat local, reduce waste and consume organic and natural.
According to you, what’s more difficult when you try to reduce your waste and adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle?
I think it’s not difficult, but for the most part it’s hard to harmonize a somewhat speedy lifestyle with personal green convictions.
How important are ecological labels in your daily life? For Stillaoleum or in your personal life?
A certification or a label allows me to promote my good practices and establish a link of trust with my products.
Personally, I advise my customers to trust organic logos and labels when it is difficult to make a choice.
What is your favourite zero waste or green tip ?
I love solid soaps and I have a lot of tips on how to use leftover soap with zero-waste accessories (shower bag, soap pouch, carrying pouch…)
A LAST WORD
If you could give some advice to people who want to start changing their habits and take care of our planet, what would it be?
First, ask yourself a question: why do you want to go natural? Is it simply the phenomenon of a trend or the determination of your personal motivation?
Then you have to identify the needs. What ingredients are good for you? Do you need skin-friendly ingredients or organic products in your new lifestyle?
You also have to identify the products that are needed. Decide what is more important for you: use natural and strong products, strong but not necessarily natural products, natural but not necessarily strong. Choose locally made and fair trade products. Choose brands that are committed, certified and transparent about their production methods, suppliers…
You could also finish your products that will be replaced by more ethical and ecological alternatives.
To finish, you can adopt a simple and healthy natural routine. A basic routine, which can be adapted to each skin type and with a few tips to make it as effective as possible!
Thanks to Luiza from StillaOleum for this exchange! It’s very interesting to learn about this kind of experience. You follow your dreams, you work in a sector you love and you succeed! You can find Luiza on her Instagram account and website.
