Q & A with Founder of Ecooking, Tina Søgaard

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.

Originally, I’m trained as a typographer, but when I was in my late 20s, I was in a car accident which meant I was no longer able to maintain this profession. Following the car accident, I got an opportunity to work in the personal care industry and I’ve been doing so ever since. I was also born with a nose that’s able to distinguish different scents from each other and this was one of the reasons why I found the personal-care industry interesting.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO START YOUR OWN COMPANY?

In 2008, I went through a difficult divorce which caused me to lose a lot of weight and made my skin completely collapse. Therefore, I brought some ingredients home from my lab and started mixing creams, serums, and oils in my kitchen that could improve my skin and give it the boost that it needed. At night, when I had put my girls to bed, I mixed a portion which I put in the fridge, without preservatives, and then two days later I made a new portion. And quickly my skin went back to normal. Friends and family started asking me what had happened to my skin and I told them about the products. Then they would come to my house with schnapps glasses, jam jars, and one time even a Tupperware bowl. This was how the very first seven Ecooking family members were born.

WHAT MAKES YOUR BRAND DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BEAUTY BRANDS?

There’s no overall concept to our products. We make products for all types of people and therefore we have products with fragrance and that are fragrance-free, we have certified products, we have products for young people and for mature skin – we almost have products for everyone. We also add as many natural and organic ingredients as possible. The only thing we will not compromise on is results.

DESCRIBE YOUR BRAND IN THREE WORDS.

Effective, informative, and sustainable.

WITHOUT GIVING AWAY TOO MANY OF YOUR SECRETS, WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE YOUR GROWTH TO BE THIS YEAR AND WHAT IS YOUR DIRECTION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE BRAND?

This year we’re launching a new series made for young people – both to provide them with some good routines and to help them with skin problems that are common in teens. We’re also launching a makeup line which we’re very excited about. For the future, I would like our products to be available in more countries and to suit people of all ages, 0-100 years old. Therefore, we’ve already created different series, within the range, that target different groups of people and we’ll continue to do so. Our aim is that everyone can use Ecooking, regardless of their needs.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE SOMEONE GAVE TO YOU? WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A BUDDING ENTREPRENEUR?

I’ve received many good pieces of advice, but one piece of advice that I’ve really lived by – during my divorce and other situations in my life – is to not waste energy on things you can’t change. If I were to advise a budding entrepreneur, I would tell that person to create a network and to really use that network because it is everything. Also, don’t be afraid to ask. Many people are ready to help you if you just dare to ask.

WHAT DID YOUR COSMOPROF NORTH AMERICA EXPERIENCE MEAN TO YOU?

The Cosmoprof North America experience has been a milestone in the Ecooking journey. We also attended the Cosmoprof fair in Bologna in 2017; and I think the Cosmoprof fairs overall have been milestones in our business.

FINALLY, WHAT’S AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOU PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO HEAR?

To take good care of my hair and scalp: I only wash my hair once a week since water contributes to dryness.

ABOUT ECOOKING

Launched in 2015, Ecooking is Danish skincare designed to deliver results and with natural and organic ingredients. Made with you and the environment in mind. Ecooking products are developed as a series of products to solve certain problems with the skin. Their approach has been to troubleshoot any specific skin challenge. Step by step, they have formulated and developed products to meet any need, and now their range is wide enough to tackle any particular skin care difficulty.