We had the opportunity to catch up with Paula Hoss, Founder & CEO of CLN&DRTY, one of our favorite all-natural skincare lines. Her super successful brand began with a quest all moms can appreciate: a safe, natural sunscreen for her daughter. Read more below on her journey as a mom-preneur, what she's learned from 2020 and who inspires her as she grows CLN&DRTY. 

 

What was your inspiration for starting CLN&DRTY? How did it all begin?

CLN&DRTY was first inspired in 2014, when I began creating DIY natural sunscreen for my daughter, Juniper. Finding natural sunscreens was very challenging at that time and I turned to Pinterest for safe and effective recipes. I started selling a few units to friends and family and interest peaked again in the summers of 2015 and 2016. In 2016, I was on maternity leave with my second daughter, Rowan, and became curious about formulating other natural products. I dove deep into researching ingredients, formulations and efficiency and launched CLN&DRTY on Etsy in May of that year. By February of 2017, CLN&DRTY had grown so rapidly that I was able to quit my job and move into the business full time. 

 

At work, in the studio

 

What does being in the skincare space mean to you? 

I feel that it's truly a privilege to have been invited into the skincare space and to be considered a leader in the industry. I feel that it means that we have an obligation to create an inclusive, kind and innovative industry that offers full transparency and a wide range of choices to our customers and community.

What has been the most rewarding part of being a female founder and entrepreneur?

By far, the most rewarding part of being a founder and entrepreneur has been the incredible relationships that have been created. CLN&DRTY has over seventy-five employees, contractors and Brand Ambassadors and tens of thousands of radically loyal fans across our social platforms. I truly love and care for every single member of our community and my favorite part of my day is interacting with, inspiring and learning from each and every one of them.

What has been the most challenging?

2020 has been an incredibly challenging year, especially navigating the uncertainty that came along with the first few months of COVID-19. From figuring out proper safety protocols, to adjusting our business model, to being present and available to our team and community during their own challenging moments--it felt like every day was another whirlwind of information and emotion. I feel like we're getting a handle on it, but I don't know if we'll ever go back to some of the business models we once loved like complementary facials, pop-ups and large scale events.

Your Miracle Balm is a client favorite. Tell us about why you created it and how its made.

That is such an honor! I love The Miracle Balm because it's a completely natural product with ingredients that are so easy to identify. We combine shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil and beeswax along with premium grade essential oils for this incredibly versatile moisturizer. We've seen our community love it as a tattoo healing balm, a post breastfeeding nipple cream, a lip moisturizer and a personal lubricant (I kid you not!)--among many other uses. It truly is a "miracle" product that is so simple at the core, but absolutely and wonderfully versatile.

 

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I spend a lot of time on Instagram, following innovators in beauty - but also in lifestyle, fashion, ethics and thought leaders. I'm just blown away by the intelligence of our community and try to educate myself as often about trends and current events.

What are you grateful for?

I am so grateful for my family and my faith. I have the most amazing husband, who has always been my cheerleader and lifts me up and encourages me at my most challenged moments. I have two beautiful daughters and an amazing extended family as well. But most importantly, I'm grateful for my faith in Jesus and his sacrifices. Every day I'm reminded that everything that we're given is by God's grace, and I'm so thankful for that.

How do you hope people feel when they use your products?

I hope they feel pampered, encouraged and loved. I hope that they know that CLN&DRTY is not just a line of products, but also a family that they're now part of. 

Paula with her daughters, Rowan and Juniper, and her mother, Eva

 

Shop our CLN&DRTY favorites here. To shop their full array of natural products, visit their website. For updates, the inside scoop and inspiring content, follow Paula and team on Instagram @clnanddrty or on Facebook.