We are so excited to introduce you to newly launched clean skincare brand, Joaquina Botánica! Joaquina Botánica was founded by Giovanna Campagna who formerly co-founded CREO Consulting and worked at W Magazine & Vogue. The Style Team has tried both of her skincare products, and have been thoroughly enjoying them! We can’t wait for you to learn all about Giovanna & her brand, Joaquina Botánica below:

A huge congratulations on the launch of your brand! What led you to start Joaquina Botánica?

I am half Colombian, and everything I have learned about beauty is ultimately from my cultural roots. I realized that the beauty industry was missing a brand that would speak to all that Latin America has to offer – so I set out to create it myself! 

How is Joaquina Botánica different from other beauty brands?

Joaquina Botánica is the first clean skincare brand inspired by Latin American beauty traditions and supercharged natural ingredients. We bring together unusual, untapped botanicals with innovative clinical actives to create high-performance formulas. Our Hydrating Glow Oil has truly become a cult-favorite – I think that it has an addictive quality for its unique midweight texture, sweet scent, and of course, its results!

Tell us about the process you went through in creating both of your products.

It took three years of research and collaboration with the top skincare chemists and labs in the world to create our first products. First, I studied the region’s natural ingredients, through conversations with women, beauty practitioners, chemists, and cultivators. Then, I worked with our chemists to pair these botanicals with clinical actives to amplify their benefits. For the design, I worked with a team of creatives in Colombia to make the line feel warm, fresh, and optimistic. I love our papaya signature color more than anything!

What makes Latin America the best place to source ingredients from?

It is the most biodiverse region in the world, and home to some of the most nutrient dense botanicals on the planet.

Tell us about the name of the brand, Joaquina Botánica.

Joaquina is named after my great-great grandmother who founded one of the first apothecaries in Cali, Colombia in 1875. Her husband passed away when they were very young, and she ran the business on her own until her son was old enough to take over. I actually named the brand after her as I am so inspired by her story. Celebrating vibrant, passionate women, and supporting female entrepreneurship is a core pillar of the brand, so Joaquina made the perfect namesake.

Do you plan to launch more products?

We do! While we believe in quality over quantity when it comes to our product releases, we will be launching more beautiful formulas in 2022.

How is Joaquina Botánica sustainable?

Sustainability is integrated into our brand DNA. We chose to package our products in glass, an endlessly recyclable material. We also use FSC certified cartons (responsibly sourced) that are decorated with environmentally-friendly vegetable-based ink. Our commitment to the strictest standards for clean formulations means that we never include harmful toxins that cause damage when released into the environment.

Tell us how the brand gives back!

We have pledged a portion of each sale to Glasswing International, an amazing nonprofit operating in 11 Latin American countries.

What experiences & knowledge did you take from your time at CREO Consulting, Vogue & W Magazine & apply it to Joaquina Botánica?

My time at Vogue and W taught me about curation, developing an eye for quality, and cultivating a strong work ethic. It also equipped me with the best network I could imagine to advance in the world in fashion and beauty, as many of the people I met would either remain at the magazines or move to other brands, titles, and retailers in the space. 

My experience at CREO is what ultimately led me to see the need for a brand like Joaquina Botánica. The mission of CREO was to discover and propel the best of Latin American fashion onto the global stage. My experience building these brands, and proving that they are just as luxurious and desirable as those from Europe, the USA, and any other part of the world, is what led me to realize that I wanted to do the same in beauty. 

I knew that Latin America is the most biodiverse region in the world, making it an endless resource for natural ingredients. And from firsthand experience, I can say that arguably no one knows – or cares – more about beauty than the Latin women I’ve been surrounded by throughout my life. Yet virtually no skincare brands had been tapping into all this that the region has to offer. So I set out to do it myself. The brand-building skills I honed at CREO and the immersion it gave me into Latin America have directly carried over to my work today in Joaquina Botánica. 

Tell us about beauty practices in Colombia. 

The Colombian women I have grown up with and worked with are all about a less is more beauty. It’s not about being low maintenance in terms of not making an effort; it’s about putting in effort each day to look like your most natural, youthful, vibrant self. They unapologetically take pride in maintaining their skin, hair, and nails, and truly find joy in it. I think that spirit is what makes them seem youthful at every age. 

In Colombia, there is a long tradition of creating home beauty treatments. Our Hydrating Essence, for example, is inspired by Colombian beauty rituals using floral infusions. it is powered by Rose Water and Calendula, plus clinical humectants, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin, and plant Saccharides. For added smoothing, firming, and antiaging benefits, it includes Peptides from an ancestral Amazonian superfruit, Sacha Inchi, that are clinically proven to do all of the above. 

Another home ritual I love is making a face mask from Papaya pulp – the enzymes soften and brighten the skin instantly! 

What is your beauty philosophy?

Celebrate and enjoy your unique beauty to its fullest. Beauty is about how you feel with yourself; don’t compare yourself to others. Take care of your skin, hair, and nails with rituals each day, and you will thank yourself in the future! 

What were some of your biggest takeaways from your MBA at Columbia?

During my MBA, I used virtually every resource available to establish my business plan and financial model. I took several courses in entrepreneurship and conducted an Independent Study with a professor, during which I defined the business plan and launched into product development. 

When I look back, however, some of the most important lessons I think of often are some of the softer skills I learned in courses like Negotiation and Public Speaking. The latter applies to communicating in any kind of context, and is so crucial to how you are perceived as a leader. A few easy takeaways from my public speaking lessons are: 

• Be comfortable with silence. A long pause can actually help convey authority and calm. 
• Don’t start your sentences with “So,” 
• Don’t apologize unnecessarily

Do you have any advice you’d like to share with entrepreneurs?

Other founders will be your best resources and guides. Support each other and learn from each other’s mistakes – mistakes are the best lessons! 

What’s next for you?

I am excited to travel down to Cali, Colombia – my mother’s hometown – for a month this January. It is the most beautiful, lush city and a huge inspiration behind Joaquina! I will be creating a lot of beautiful content for our next product launch, coming up in March!