She's passionate and warm. Smart, too. And she has an amazingly flawless, glowy complexion. So when Tata Harper says she's spent five years working with top chemists and botanists to create a skincare line, including a cleanser, serum, moisturizer, eye cream, and body lotion, you definitely want to try it. Many of the ingredients are grown on her certified organic Vermont farm. "A product labeled 'natural' has typically meant it's not effective," she says. "I've changed that." Here she shares some of the secrets to her success.

1. Tata? What kind of name is that?

It's my nickname, since I was an infant. In Colombia, where I was raised, Tata is what you call your grandparents, but mine called me Tata, too. My real name is Graciella, which I think of as kind of an old lady name, so I was happy to totally embrace the Tata concept.

Okay, that wasn't really one of the three questions. What's the most important thing you want people to know about your products?

I want people to know that they work. And that they're 100 percent natural and synthetic-ingredient-free.

2. How do you research your ingredients?

I used eight chemists who specialize in fields specific to the formulations they were working on. And we conduct "in vivo" testing on every active ingredient. [In vivo testing is done on live subjects, and it gives a better idea of how well an ingredient works on people.]

3. Your products have the most divine scents; where do they come from?

I get this question all the time. The products are not artificially fragranced. You're smelling the ingredients: floral water, floral essences, violet leaves, ylang-ylang, Spanish and French lavender. All of these have their own smell. Isn't it good?

More Skincare Advice from O

NEXT STORY

Next Story