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Body Care October 13, 2024

BY KATIA – The Story So Far

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What we’ll cover
  1. “Our Love Note To The World”: The Story Behind BY KATIA
  2. On family, formulating and releasing fear in favour of a new purpose
  3. From old wisdom…
  4. …we introduce a new ritual
  5. Harmony of the soul and skin 

“Our Love Note To The World”: The Story Behind BY KATIA

On family, formulating and releasing fear in favour of a new purpose

They say life is measured in moments, and that’s ultimately how it all began for BY KATIA – a single moment at home on an otherwise unremarkable afternoon, followed by a shared look of resolution between mother and daughter, that would unfurl a whole new purpose. As Erika Ascenzo recalls, she had asked her mother Katia, “So, what does your next moment in this lifetime look like?”

Objectively, it’s a very deep question that invites sprawling contemplation – but to know the pair is to witness a relationship of equal depth; one that both predicts and welcomes such philosophical candour during an average interaction. This time, however, the conversation wouldn’t move on or meander with the same relaxed tempo that it usually does. In its place there was a pause, as Katia allowed the unspoken answer to settle over them both. 

“We were ready to create and start something, where we could bottle up the simplicity of our adopted beauty rituals and share it with the world.” 

From old wisdom…

“Right before falling pregnant in my late 20’s, I had this instinctual pivot to begin to look into helping my body in all the ways that I could,” Katia recalls. “Being first generation of immigrant parents, this was an uncharted road. My readings, findings and understanding of our bodies’ incredible capabilities to heal and work as optimally as they can, inspired me to begin to look inward, to listen and to strip back and return to basics.”

For Katia, this meant introducing new modalities of sacred origins. “The idea of body brushing, an ancient ritual that has been practised among so many cultures for centuries, was the first point of difference in my beauty ritual.” As Erika entered her teens, Katia would share these traditions with her daughter, who also found the practices transformative for both skin and soul.

Both felt called to share this approach to beauty with others, but they agreed that something was still missing from the current market. “THIS is what led mum to create the By Katia ritual and range,” explains Erika. “To create an uncomplicated range of body care that worked to cleanse, hydrate and moisturise without interrupting the body’s natural state and the skin’s flora.”

Neither possessed much experience in the beauty industry, but they knew they wanted to build something meaningful together – a brand that brought rejuvenation through holistic traditions and the highest-quality skincare. “From that pivotal moment, Erika asked me ‘So what are you so afraid of… What’s the worst that could happen, you fail? SO WHAT!’ We embarked on something we could never have imagined,” says Katia.

…we introduce a new ritual

The hardest stage of each project is often the beginning, but for Erika and Katia it was also the most personal. “It was the most delicate and extraordinary process; finding a formulator that cared as much as we did. One who would listen to what we were truly hoping to create,” says Katia. “The idea to combine certain oils to cleanse the body, while leaving the skin hydrated and moisturised – I needed a formulator that believed in us. I started cold calling those who I stumbled across and who would hopefully listen!”

Several calls and some time later, she remembers, “we finally found our match, our soul and company. On the other end of the line was the kindest voice of a gentleman who went on to help bring our formulation to life. We knew we had met our people, as they were understanding, caring and listened to everything Erika and I wanted our Cleansing Oil to be.” As Erika adds, the formulators were integral in capturing the sensorial essence of the product. “The scent truly is where we wanted to transport our consumer in their chosen cherished moment of daily, uncomplicated and intentional self ritual.”

Of course, there were challenges and setbacks along the way, but the endeavour also brought them closer. “Many arguments (YELLING!!), disagreements (TEARS!!), and car journeys, where here we would have lots of profoundly beautiful and trying conversations about life, what we wanted for our brand and how much it meant to us both,” says Katia. Their shared belief in this daily ritual, and their connection to each other, kept them going during the more difficult times. 

She continues, “I had this passion and determination to understand what I instinctively knew could work. I believed in what I was doing, in how I had nurtured, fed and cared for my babies and then the research – spending hours on end with enthusiasm and heart, to package up something that we believed in. If it could work for us, well maybe… just maybe it could work for somebody else.”

Every element of BY KATIA was painstakingly considered, right down to the packaging, which is made of a vegetable-based ink to be as gentle on the earth (and the consumer) as possible.  “I wrote down every ingredient I believe I wanted in our Cleansing Oil and poor Erika typed every single word, every ingredient down – and there were pages!” laughs Katia. “It meant so much to us that certain ingredients needed to be included and we believed our formulator cared as much as we did, to perfectly blend the right amount so that you could really feel the difference.” 

Harmony of the soul and skin 

And now, it’s here. BY KATIA unites the old and the new, the established and the emerging, the fabled and the fresh. At its very essence, the brand interprets the bonds of beauty, love and renewal through the passage of generations, with a firm focus on creating and celebrating community – both the ones we are born into, and those that we cultivate across a lifetime.

“Our family were the first to hear about the ideas of our products, and they gave us their genuine opinion and guidance,” says Erika. “There were also many key individuals that were kind enough to share their professional advice and personal experience and then give incredible recommendations and introductions. We truly believe we are nothing without a community and live by the belief that it takes a village to raise a child and it is the same with anything that is close to your heart… so with this, it takes a community to birth an idea.”

And now, that idea has finally been realised. “To be asked to join your mother in what I believe is one of her greatest endeavours and to witness her push through fear and face uncertainty with positivity has been remarkable to see and feel,” Erika concludes. “This is now our legacy. To be able to create something that has now a piece of both of us so deeply embedded within it now out in the world is everything to me. This is our true love note to the world.”  

We hope you find as much solace, connection and purpose in your new ritual as we have in offering it to you.

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