Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Biggers.
Sarah doesn’t just stand for clean cosmetics out of principle. She underwent her personal journey towards clean living many years ago after experiencing a debilitating illness that doctors couldn’t diagnose. Amongst a slurry of physical symptoms, Sarah was bedridden for six months with daily panic attacks and depression.
Desperate to feel better, she went down a path she had never before considered: naturopathic medicine. Following her doctor’s recommendations for a complete overhaul through holistic medicine and dietary and lifestyle changes, Sarah saw swift improvement. It was then when she realized if what she put in her body was so impactful, what she put on her body was equally important. Moreover, as a makeup artist with clients, family, and friends looking to her for advice and product recommendations, Sarah knew she needed to rebuild her personal and professional makeup kits with safe products.
But it wasn’t easy to find clean cosmetics from brands she could trust and that were up to her high standards. After unsuccessfully trying hundreds of clean alternatives to her beloved conventional staples, she realized what she was looking for simply didn’t exist: products in the clean beauty space were too limited in shade range, too sheer, and too expensive.
So, Sarah dreamt up a line of clean, cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics that would work for women of all skin-tones; a line that looked and felt high-end but didn’t cost an arm and a leg; a line that promised (and delivered) transparency and trustworthiness; a line that makeup junkies, pros, and newbies alike could all enjoy. Just like that, CLOVE + HALLOW was born.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
“No matter how experienced or prepared you are, starting a business is anything but smooth! Most of the bigger challenges we’ve faced involved in the logistics side of the business. We’ve had packages with thousands of dollars of product on their way to a retail partner be ‘destroyed’ by shipping carriers for no reason and without recourse. Recently, we brought warehousing and fulfillment back in-house after trying (and failing) to make it work with a 3rd Party Logistics company. And of course, managing inventory across multiple distribution channels amid big growth is always a challenge. I try to look at all of the struggles as growing pains that we’re very lucky to have.” —Sarah Biggers
Please tell us about CLOVE + HALLOW – what should we know?
Masterminded by a professional makeup artist who lives and breathes cosmetics, CLOVE + HALLOW is revolutionizing clean beauty with products that are both swoon-worthy and good for you. By creating affordably-priced clean, cruelty-free, and vegan cosmetics that perform like conventional classics, CLOVE + HALLOW enables every woman to attain beauty without sacrifice.
So, who are we exactly? Here are the quick and dirty deets:
– Our founder and CEO’s professional background ensures our foundation (pun intended) is built upon best practices and an in-depth understanding of how makeup should perform.
-Our product ranges are created with inclusivity and representation at the forefront, garnering industry acclaim and praise from customers, editors, and influencers all over the world.
-Our products are Made in America, but we follow the EU’s more stringent formulation standards to deliver high-quality products with high-quality ingredients.
-Our Clean15™ formulation strategy replaces thousands of questionable chemicals with a well-researched roster of natural ingredients and safe synthetics that you can trust.
-Our products are PETA-certified cruelty-free and vegan.
“I’m most proud of the way we prioritize life outside of work. Fulfilled people are happy people, and happy people make productive employees. In that vein, I created a work schedule that allows CLOVE + HALLOW to fit into the lives of my employees rather than eclipse them. Of course, we know how to put our heads down and grind out a late night when necessary, but our typical workday is six hours and we’re out the door by 3:30 pm. Having the opportunity to run errands, get a workout in, or get home for some extra family time before rush hour traffic hits is truly a game-changer.” —Sarah Biggers
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
“Being on Good Morning America was a pinch-me moment for sure. Seeing the behind-the-scenes process firsthand and getting to share CLOVE + HALLOW with such a large audience was an amazing opportunity. I’m not shy or scared of public speaking, but I was so proud of myself for having the courage to say yes to an opportunity of that scale. It was a lot to prepare for and I was so proud of my small team for all the work we put into it!”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cloveandhallow.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cloveandhallow/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloveandhallow/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cloveandhallow?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
