- One year down, champagne or skincare first?
Skincare first. Champagne is fun, but nothing feels better than a calm nervous system and skin that is genuinely glowing. That is the real celebration. - If you had to describe SONELA’s first year as a lipstick shade, what would it be called?
Big Dreams. A warm, confident shade that looks subtle until the light hits and you realize it is major. - What has been your biggest pinch me moment since launch?
Winning our first beauty award. Seeing Sonela, something I made at my kitchen table, sitting next to legacy brands gave me full body goosebumps. - What was the aha moment that made you say you were starting your own beauty brand?
My aha moment came when I realized we were having the wrong conversation in beauty. Everyone talked about ingredients, but no one talked about cortisol, even though stress was affecting my skin more than any product. I was burning out in my career, my skin was reacting, and it finally clicked that beauty needed a brand that understood the mind skin connection. That spark became Sonela Beauty. - SONELA feels equal parts modern ritual and clean girl confidence. What gap did you see in the market that you wanted to fill?
There was makeup that looked good, but where was the makeup that felt good. The industry was focused on trends and coverage, but not on the real driver behind so many skin concerns, which is stress. I wanted to create makeup that supports women through real life, the rushed mornings, the pressure, the cortisol spikes, while still giving that natural, effortless glow. Sonela is the space where ritual, calm, and clinically backed performance come together. - Your formulations and branding feel deeply personal. Is SONELA a reflection of who you are or who you are becoming?
Sonela is both. It reflects the stressed, overstretched version of me who needed support, and it represents the grounded, intentional, glowing woman I am becoming. - Many founders talk about their why. What is yours, and has it evolved since launch?
My why began with wanting to support women through their real skin moments, not the idealized ones. My own skin was reacting to stress, and I wanted a solution that acknowledged that reality. Since launching, my why has deepened. Now it is about helping women feel seen, supported, and grounded in their skin. It has also become about educating consumers on the mind skin connection, because our community showed me how needed that conversation really is. - If SONELA had a beauty signature, what would it be?
Mindful luminosity. A glow from within finish that looks like you take incredible care of yourself. Serum like textures, soft focus finishes, breathable formulas, and no synthetic fragrance. Just clean, calm, modern beauty. - What is the one product people underestimate until they try it?
Our liquid blush. People often assume it is just another blush, and then they try it. The texture melts into the skin, the glow looks like it is coming from within, and the blend is effortless. Most people end up telling me they did not expect to love it as much as they do. - Ingredient wise, what are your non negotiables, and which trends are you over?
If it does not support stressed skin, it does not go into our formulas. Hyaluronic acid, peptides, squalane, Ayurvedic adaptogens like ashwagandha, turmeric, and Indian gooseberry, and hydrating botanicals are all essentials. It must be dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic, vegan, cruelty free, safe for sensitive skin, and free of synthetic fragrance. I am over gimmicks and shock value formulas, especially heavily fragranced products that pretend to be skincare. - Is there a dream collaboration or ingredient you would love to explore next year?
I would love to collaborate with a wellness forward brand that understands ritual and the mind skin connection. Ingredient wise, I am fascinated by holy basil and reishi. They are like meditation for stressed skin, and I want to find a modern, luxurious way to bring them into makeup. - The beauty community can be loud. How has SONELA found its voice?
Sonela found its voice by choosing depth instead of noise. Rather than chasing trends, we focused on something meaningful: stress. Our calm, intentional approach stands out because it feels human, grounded, and real. - How do you want people to feel when they use SONELA, beyond glowing?
Calm. Confident. Centered. Like they pressed reset. - What has been your proudest customer story or DM that reminded you why you started?
One customer told me she bought our gloss just to support a small brand and did not expect to love it. A week later she messaged saying she was embarrassed for every gloss she had used before and immediately ordered three more shades. Another customer said she felt incomplete without our mascara after one wear. Messages like that feel like private love notes from the universe. - How does social media shape the way you connect? Are you more behind the lab coat or front row selfie?
Behind the lab coat. Sonela was born through formulation, ingredient obsession, and testing, so transparency in that process feels more personal to me than any selfie ever could. - Year one was about building presence. What is year two about?
Year one was about showing up. Year two is about expanding with intention: expanding our community, our retail reach, our product lineup, and our voice in the mind skin conversation. - If SONELA could expand into any new category, what would be next?
Skincare. Our makeup already behaves like skincare, so moving into treatments is the natural evolution. Long term, I want to build a full ecosystem that includes skincare, stress supportive supplements, and eventually a grounding fragrance that feels like calm in a bottle. - Where do you see the brand five years from now, niche cult favorite or global beauty empire?
A global beauty empire with a soul. Sonela is leading the conversation around cortisol aware, stress supportive formulas. In five years I see us in major retailers, global markets, and shaping beauty and wellness on an international level. - What is one mistake you will never repeat, and one risk that paid off?
I will never again say yes to opportunities that look shiny but do not align with our long term vision. A risk that paid off was leading with stress as our core message. It felt niche at first, but it is exactly what our community resonated with most. - Finish this sentence: SONELA Beauty is not just another brand, it is…
Sonela Beauty is not just another brand, it is the moment you finally feel seen in your skin. - What is your current beauty obsession that would shock people?
Bare skin days. For a makeup founder, that surprises people, but giving my skin space to breathe has become my favorite ritual. Brow gel and gloss and I am happy. - Whose beauty bag would you love to peek inside?
Deepika Padukone. I imagine her beauty bag is the perfect mix of minimal, luxurious, and intentional. - If SONELA had a celebrity muse, who embodies its spirit?
Padma Lakshmi. She embodies global beauty, ritual, sensuality, and wellness. She feels like the Sonela woman. - One year in, what is your mantra heading into year two?
Expand the vision. Protect the mission. Keep the glow.
