Clean Beauty and Revolutionizing the Industry with Melissa Medvedich and Nina Zilka

By: The Making It In Manhattan Team

It’s no secret that clean beauty is on the rise, and, trust us, it’s all for good reason. When it comes to what we put on our skin, it’s worth the extra thought to make sure we’re choosing what’s best for us while still being impactful. We sat down with Melissa Medvedich of Supernal and Nina Zilka of Alder New York to find out exactly why this “trend” is turning into an industry standard — and better yet, both brands are female-founded and New York-based!

What sparked your interest in clean beauty and wellness?

MM: I’ve had a life-long fascination with skincare, but the interest in clean beauty and wellness was a natural progression from paying more attention to the kind of foods I was eating. My brilliant herbalist friend Daniela Turley once mentioned an experiment that if you rub fresh garlic on your foot, you would taste it in your mouth minutes later. I haven’t tried this personally, but it really resonated with me that what you put on your skin is absorbed by your body.

NZ: My interest in clean beauty and wellness started about a decade ago when I first read the book No More Dirty Looks. This was the first time I learned that there is basically no FDA regulation around cosmetics and personal care, and about the harmful chemicals that are often in those products. I became passionate about making my own products, starting with a dry shampoo - at the time I had a clothing line, so I would come home and make dry shampoo in my kitchen for myself and my roommate as a hobby. That passion grew into a desire to launch a truly clean, efficient skincare and haircare line that met my design standards, and ten years later, here we are.

When did you start Supernal/Alder New York? And how did you know it was the right time to launch?

MM: I launched Supernal in February 2019 after working on creating the brand for two years. During that time I became a certified aromatherapist and studied botanical beauty formulating at the New York Institute of Aromatic Studies, while simultaneously freelancing as a creative director and designer to fund my business. Launching the week of the Lunar New Year was a nod to my Chinese heritage and felt really special and fortuitous.

NZ: We launched Alder New York at the end of 2016. We knew it was the right time because we could see that the customer demand was there. There were clean personal care brands on the market, but none that had our elevated aesthetic and high impact formulas.

Clean beauty and wellness has been so buzzy lately, what do you think has caused this rise? And can we expect it to stay?

MM: There’s so much information available for CPG categories and amazing resources like ewg.org I think skincare consumers are making a point to educate themselves on ingredients to make informed choices about what works for them and what’s in their personal comfort zone. I could definitely be wrong, but I feel like organic and non-GMO weren’t mainstream words in conversations about food until the early to mid-2000s. People are looking at beauty products in a similar way now, so I definitely think clean beauty is here to stay.

NZ: I think there are a few different reasons that clean beauty and wellness have become so buzzy. One is that we know more than we ever have about how dangerous the chemicals in our skincare can be. And the internet made it easier to share that information than ever before. I also think that as healthcare has become more and more expensive in this country, people are turning towards more holistic treatments and focusing on the best possible ways to stay healthy and avoid the hospital. This has all led to a rise in clean beauty and wellness that I do think will stay. If anything, I think the trend will become more mainstream, and emerging brands will be expected to have clean formulas- we’re already seeing that to a certain extent.

What do you think sets Supernal/Alder New York apart from the rest of the brands popping up in this space?

MM: Ultimately I think it’s the people who create the brands, and what a product line looks like through their unique lens is what differentiates brands in the beauty space. As an aromatherapist and formulator, I create products with safety and efficacy in mind as my greatest priority that I also personally want to use. Coming from a long-term career in design, there’s also the element of creating products I want to see in the world while using thoughtful packaging and being mindful of Supernal’s waste footprint. This isn’t to say Supernal is the only brand doing this, there are so many beautiful brands that I admire and look up to, it’s more to say that I think individual brands each have their own special sauce and voice.

NZ: Alder New York offers accessibly priced personal care products that are effective, easy to understand, and aesthetically elevated - a combination we have not found with any of our competitors.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from starting your own company?

MM: Patience pays off.

NZ: That everything takes longer than you think it will and you can never plan too far ahead. At the same time, be super flexible since whatever you plan will inevitably have to change.

If you could go back and tell yourself something before your launch, what would it be?

MM: You will sell a bottle. I honestly wasn’t sure if I would sell one bottle. I had a tremendous amount of moral support from family and close friends, but there was also no shortage of people who unsolicited told me how everything was set up to fail—too many oils on the market, not enough SKUs to be taken seriously by retailers etc. It’s absolutely constructive to hear potential cons and be able to look at a situation from every angle, but it can definitely exacerbate fear and doubt. I knew I believed in my product and the integrity of my brand ethos, but from a marketing perspective, I wasn’t an influencer with a wide reach and had no PR support at the time. I announced Supernal to my 1250 Instagram followers and then the plan was to reach out to contacts I had and cold-email a few editors after I launched. A big surprise was how fast word started to spread just through Instagram and hashtags before even starting to directly reach out to people.

NZ: That everyone feels like an imposter so just ride that wave because no-one knows better how to run this business than you.

As we know, work-life balance is another wellness essential. How do you juggle it all?

MM: This is something that’s very much a work in progress as I have always worked for other companies and this is the first business I have launched. Thankfully, I’m pretty in-tune with myself and know I can only be alert and creative for so many hours at a time, so I know when to hang it up for the day. That being said, my husband and I are way overdue for a vacation, but hopefully soon!

NZ: When things are really busy, work-life balance goes out the window. But on most days I’m a big believer in boundaries. I strive to get into the office at 9 and leave by 6. During that time, I’m heads-down working, be it meetings with my business partner, a visit to our factory, or research and development for a new product. But after 6, I turn off my work email, and the rest of the night is mine to spend with my husband, our cats, and our friends. I also have a new year’s goal to meditate for fifteen minutes before I leave for work and after lunch. It’s been a bit of a challenge, but I’m finding it really worthwhile for centering and giving me focus.

What advice would you give to young women hoping to follow a similar path as yourselves?

MM: “Work hard and be nice to people.” I believe graphic artist Anthony Burrill coined this famous mantra.

NZ: The same advice I would have told myself before we launched- everyone feels like an imposter, so go for whatever it is you want to achieve. Nobody is better equipped for it then you are.

What did you wear to your first interview?

MM: I absolutely love to look at and appreciate fashion, but I’m a beauty girl at heart. They are few and far between now after launching a self-funded business, but splurges usually go to facials or spa treatments. I’m pretty sure I wore all black to my first interview though, absolutely no clue where from but most likely J Crew. These days I love Reformation or Ganni.

NZ: Wow- that’s a long time ago! I guess my first real interview would have been right when I graduated, for the clothing line The Row. I think I wore something I’d made for the interview. I don’t remember exactly what it was but can guess it was probably black and super drapey, and only appropriate in a creative setting.

We have a lot of young people out there applying for their first jobs, what qualities do you look for when hiring someone to join your team?

MM: Supernal will be turning 1 in February so the team is still pretty much just me. Passionate and organized will always be amazing qualities, and a great communication style is also super important. How a person crafts an email can tell you a lot—don’t underestimate the first impression that first intro email will leave. Is there a subject header? Is the tone coming across as professional? When you think about it, so much business is conducted over email, Slack, text or DM. I’m not personally a spelling or punctuation nitpicker and I’m sure I can use some help in that department myself, but being able to communicate kindly and professionally (in person and online) is key and valuable in any position.

NZ: The biggest quality is someone who is self-motivated. I’m much less interested in where you went to school than what you’ve done with your life so far. The more experience you have creating things and taking initiative, the more excited I am to meet you.