Our Story

NICE TO MEET YOU

Hi! I'm Oresta, holistic aesthetician for over 25 years. Helping women look and feel beautiful is my life's work.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

In my mid-20s, I faced cystic acne while living abroad. My bathroom was filled with pricey acne treatments, and I tried countless harsh medications and chemical treatments.

Frustrated, I took charge, adopting a strict diet eliminating wheat, dairy, sugar, and acidic foods. I swapped commercial creams for homemade remedies like yogurt and honey masks, and embraced alkaline-rich foods like millet and kale to clear my skin.

A JOURNEY TO CLEAN BEAUTY

Surprisingly, my skin improved, sparking a realization about the direct link between diet and skin health. Recognizing the skin's role in detoxification, I delved into the intricacies of body systems and their impact on skin condition, prompting my decision to pursue skincare studies.

Shocked by the harmful ingredients in 'natural' products, I aimed to educate women about healthy beauty as our skin absorbs much of what we apply, with the average woman using 12 beauty products daily.

Pioneering Clean Beauty

In 2001, before organic was more hippy than hip, I founded ORESTA organic skin care: Ottawa's first organic spa and beauty boutique. It continues to be a space where I help simplify clean beauty by curating a collection of luxurious, high performing clean beauty brands and offer advanced holistic facial treatments to help women feel and look their best.

Since then, we have expanded to include our sister location, ORESTA organic skin care apothecary in Ottawa's Hintonburg neighbourhood. In 2007, oresta.ca became the first clean beauty e-commerce retailer in Canada, where we get to connect with people all over Canada and beyond.

As a woman in my 50s, I want to age radiantly. My focus is not on preventing wrinkles. It’s about nourishing my skin to maintain a healthy and radiant glow. It’s about embracing and celebrating the natural changes that come with growing older. In this new chapter, I want to shift the narrative from anti-aging to empowered aging. I want to create a community that values and celebrates the experiences and contributions of women at all ages.