IN CONVERSATION WITH MARIANA DIEZ – OLIVINE

Mariana Diez is the Founder & CEO of beauty concept store Olivine. Having launched the store seven years ago, she was a pioneer in bringing the very best clean beauty brands from around the globe to Mexico. Today, Olivine is the place to go for global cult and clean products in Mexico.

WHY AND WHEN DID YOU START OLIVINE?

Olivine was born seven years ago. A necessity for clean, high performance beauty products in Mexico translated into a business opportunity. It all started with me searching for a clean deodorant that worked with no aluminum. There were no options in Mexico and I used to stock up on beauty products every time I travelled to the States. Next, I was emailing all my favourite brands to import them back home.

WHAT HAVE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES BEEN?

I taught myself about this business and industry, which was initially challenging. I also began by doing everything myself, including order dispatching, imports, customer service, marketing, you name it! Now, I thankfully have a team to help me.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF WITH OLIVINE?

I’m very proud of starting my business, and what it has become. I think every effort was worth it.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE IRENE FORTE SKINCARE?

It’s difficult to find a skincare brand that makes a difference nowadays. We are overwhelmed by the number of brands on the market. We need brands that know what they are doing, and I believe Irene Forte Skincare is one of them. I like the holistic approach to beauty and that it's backed by an award-winning scientist, Dr. Francesca Ferri. To launch a brand, we look into many different aspects, such as performance, sustainability and packaging. Irene meets all of our standards.

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE SKINCARE TIPS?

  1. Treat all the skin on your body as you would treat your face.

  2. Never go to bed before washing your face.

  3. Double Cleansing is non-negotiable.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER ASPIRING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS?

To never take decisions based on fear. Fear is the worst source of advice. If you have a project or an idea, be confident and work hard to make it happen.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

Be cool, everything will work out ;)