5 Questions With Innersense Founders, Greg & Joanne Starkman

Our ‘5 Questions’ Q&A with Innersense Organic Beauty Founders, Greg and Joanne Starkman

We recently chatted with the inspiring founders of Innersense, Greg & Joanne Starkman, about how Innersense came about, and what drove them to create the leading clean haircare brand. This is a brand that is breaking the mould when it comes to clean haircare, with their creation of beautifully packaged, high-vibing products that are as much about self-care and ethics as they are about unparalleled performance – Dawn Mayne, Founder of TCBE.

 

1. How did the idea for Innersense Organic Beauty begin?

Greg​: It was a combination of two life changing factors. First, as beauty and wellness professionals, Joanne and I had a desire to give back to the industry. Second was the birth of our daughter, Morgan. As a toddler, Morgan was diagnosed with a chromosomal abnormality called Williams Syndrome; this experience sparked Joanne’s desire to live a healthier, cleaner lifestyle. We stepped back and realized the astounding amount of toxins in the beauty industry and salon environment. As a product formulator, I also recognized the emerging trends towards clean chemistry driven by consumer trends. The whole thing was really serendipitous.

Joanne​: I think of Innersense as a love story. Greg and I met, fell in love and married within the beauty industry. Morgan’s diagnosis was a life changing moment for us. In those situations, you truly start to assess every area of your life. Having a daughter with special needs, I wanted to provide the best and healthiest environment for her and our home. That’s when I became a label reader.

I started looking at the products I was using on her curly hair and – much to my surprise – they were loaded with silicones, plastics and synthetic fragrances. We realized, as beauty and wellness professionals, the amount of toxins stylists are exposed to on a daily basis. This set Greg off on a mission to research and study how ingredients are processed. It’s a critical step that makes “clean beauty” products safe as the act of refining and or extracting an ingredient can make or break its green rating. We are so passionate about the beauty industry as that’s where our love story started. We wanted to give back to the community by creating a line that was professional quality and safe and clean for stylists behind the chair as well as their beauty guests.

 

2. Why is clean and toxin free so important to you?

Joanne: ​I look at hair as a health practice. Clients come to a hair stylist not only get the latest look, but they also come for the best care for their hair. To me, it’s not only what we are putting on our skin that matters, it’s what we use on our scalp and hair, as well. When you trust your “Innersense,” you are guided to the best things for yourself. For me, I am inspired by clean and toxic-free. And it’s how I like to live my life. 

Greg​: To me, it's also the importance of utilizing ingredients that are pure and processed in a sustainable and safe manner, and ingredients which eliminate toxic exposure. There are far too many unsafe and potentially toxic ingredients in personal care products. These toxins are

unnecessary; Joanne and I have simply harnessed the power of Mother Nature to nourish, protect and encourage clean, pure, beautiful hair. 

 

 3. What sets Innersense Organic Beauty apart from other natural hair care brands?

Joanne​: As beauty industry professionals, we know our products need to perform. Before Innersense was born, the “clean” products I was purchasing at the health food store for my daughter’s gorgeous curly hair did not perform. So I knew our clean hair care needed to speak to hair stylists in ways they could understand; and that was how they performed behind the chair. Those performance standards are why Innersense is where it’s at today.

Greg​: I believe what sets us apart is our conscious chemistry and the quality and high concentration of the ingredients we use to formulate. At the end of the day, it comes down to how our products perform on the hair without the augmentation of synthetic ingredients. This is why we’ve created a huge, loyal following for our products.

 

 4. What are the key ways in which Innersense Organic Beauty is working towards sustainability?

Joanne: ​In August, we announced our partnership with Plastic Pollution Solutions to research, test and implement innovative new packaging strategies for our organic hair care brand. The initiative is a natural progression of our effort to continue minimizing our global environmental impact. 

Finding more viable packaging alternatives will continue to be a work in progress. Our ingredients require specific packaging standards to maintain the purity of our products, which are lovingly formulated with Certified Organic ingredients and shipped to consumers, salons, stylists and green beauty retailers across the globe.

Greg​: We’re making a bold pledge to enlist more viable packaging alternatives. Our line is already packaged in recyclable plastic, but we want to take it a step further as we expand globally. As a leader in this space, it’s not only our duty to ensure our packaging is as sustainable as the ingredients within, but we feel we should be a sustainability trailblazer as well.

 

 5. What’s next for Innersense Organic Beauty?

Greg: ​We are the global leader in clean hair care and will continue to provide the tools professionals need to support their craft. We’re also in the midst of major initiatives with sustainability to accomplish lofty goals to take better care of the environment.

 Joanne​: I think it’s about continuing to build community and reaching beauty and wellness professionals looking for a clean beauty alternative. Greg and I want nothing more than to

continue raising the vibration of this gorgeous, green space for everyone celebrating their desire for clean beauty.

 

We hope you enjoyed the latest in our latest ‘5 Questions’ series. If there is someone you would like us to feature why not let us know on Instagram or by emailing us hello@thecleanbeautyedit.com

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