As we close out our March celebration of Canadian female founders, we're honoring a visionary who's bringing regenerative agriculture and botanicals into mainstream skincare.

Female founder Heather Urquhart is a cosmetic formulator, CEO, herbalist, and regenerative farmer.

Here is her journey, the values that ground her, and what it means to create skincare that raises your energetic frequency.

What inspired you to create HUNA Skin and what were you determined to bring into the world?

"I was inspired to create HUNA to develop plant-based products with ingredients that I could recognize as healthy and harm-free. After 11 years in business, our vision has evolved into incorporating medicinal and herbal medicine based botanicals, which bring an entirely new level of healing, nutrition, and support into HUNA products. We focus on creating sustainable, innovative, plant-based, skin nutrition-focused, and profoundly healing products that deliver results, are easy to use and apply, make people feel good, and improve the overall wellness, wellbeing, and energetic/vibrational frequency of our consumers. It can sound crazy woo woo to some, but for those who 'get it', the medicinal plant actives we use are considered highly energetic and vibrational, which means they actually increase the energetic frequency of those who use them. In other words…it feels really good to use HUNA!"

As a female founder, what has been the most challenging and the most empowering part of your journey?

"The most challenging part has been getting people to take me seriously as a Founder, CEO, and world-class Cosmetic Formulator. That took time. We still live in a world run by men in suits, and it has proved challenging to secure funding, pitch our ideas and concepts, and establish ourselves as solid business people. We prioritize people, plants, and the planet over profits, and concepts such as sustainability and plant innovation can be entirely lost by some of the old-school thinkers of yesterday. However, we are very proud of what we do, and we have always believed that HUNA is a 'leader of tomorrow'.

The most empowering part of our journey has been introducing obscure medicinal herbs into mainstream skincare, beauty, and everyday products, and bringing sustainability and regenerative farming to the forefront of our business. We love incorporating plants that people normally wouldn't interact with or use in their lives, into beautiful HUNA skincare, cosmetics, body care, and herbal beauty teas. Not only do these plants provide profoundly impactful and visible results, but they also offer health, wellness, and feel-good effects that are like no other. I also love that we've introduced regenerative farming into people's radar, as we truly believe regenerative agriculture is the best way to heal the planet and soil, and create a sustainable, healthful, and balanced future."

What core values guide the way you build and lead your company?

"Our official core values at HUNA include; Passion, Innovation & Science through the lens of Sustainability, Being Holistically and Intrinsically Good, Having a Pro-Aging Stance that is focused on Health & Wellness, Advancement of the Green Beauty Industry and Movement, Environmental Sustainability, Compassionate Eco-Responsibility & Regenerative Practices throughout our entire farming and business practices, Operating with Transparency Honesty and Integrity in all that we do, Diversity & Open mindedness, Being Consumer-centric, and Embracing Positivity and Optimism for the Future.

We are proud that when customers buy HUNA products, they can trust they are high percentage Organic, 100% Natural/Natural-derived, Vegan/Vegetarian, GMO-free, Gluten-free, Certified Cruelty-free, Sustainable, and Biodegradable. We farm the botanical actives ourselves on our 30-acre Regenerative Organic Herb Farm in beautiful British Columbia, and we are one of the very few companies world-wide to Formulate, Extract, Manufacture, conduct Scientific Research, and Distribute our products all in-house. We do not outsource to contract manufacturers or order fulfillment centers, which means we have full control and visibility over every aspect of our business operations. That means a lot to us, because we know our customers and partners trust and rely on us to do things the right way. This is true business integrity in our eyes…being accountable and responsible for our entire business and farming operations and ensuring no corners are cut and everything is created from the very highest standards."

Choose one hero HUNA product. Why is it special to you, and what does it represent about your brand?

"Oooohhh…just one?! Oh dear, this is so hard because I have so many favourites and we have several hero products at HUNA. I can't choose just one lol! HUNA Revitalize Age-Grace Face Serum is our original signature hero product, because it provides essential antioxidant protection and a beautiful healthful glow to the skin. Our HUNA Skin Nutrition Balm is another fantastic hero product, as it provides deep, lasting, and intense moisture while repairing skin and calming inflammation with medicinal botanicals, and it really represents all that HUNA stands for in terms of using medicinal plants to heal, nourish and deliver real visible results. And HUNA Crème Collagen Firming Peptide Face + Neck Treatment is a fav of mine, because it delivers on what it promises, has clinical science to back its results, and I love that it incorporates medicinal botanicals with peptides, ceramides, amino acids, plant exosomes, and other clinical ingredients…it's the best of science and nature combined."

What advice would you offer to women who feel the pull to start something of their own?

"Put a rough plan together, get out of your own way, and do it. Don't let doubt, fear or feelings of 'not enough' enter into your mind. I'd rather leave this earth having tried fearlessly, speaking my truth, and embracing uncertainty and ambiguity with courage, rather than allowing other people's opinions or my own fears to get in the way. What you create today could change people's lives, or better yet- change the world. So go for it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain."