Sasha Suresh

Meet Sasha Suresh, founder of cosmetic brand Jolii and dog mama based in Los Angeles, CA.
Get to know Sasha through our Q/A below
and make sure to check out her brands: Jolii Cosmetics & Full Ritúal

Tell us about your childhood, background, and where you’re from?

I was born in India and grew up in India and Thailand. I spent three years of my high school life in a boarding school (Woodstock School) in the foothills of the Himalayas. My family then moved to Thailand and I ended up switching schools during my senior year which gave me an opportunity to explore new opportunities. College took me to New York and I spent some of my best, most memorable years there (13 to be precise) before making my way to LA.

What inspired you to launch Jolii Cosmetics?

I always knew I wanted to work for myself. Growing up I watched my mom wear makeup, like most little girls do. She has a very subtle and elegant way about her. Beauty was always in the back of my mind. Living in NY I was working as a real estate agent, but as I mentioned the beauty industry always fascinated me. I thought about it and talked myself into taking a risk. Giving up everything to start something new. It was a scary feeling but I had nothing to lose, so I took that chance on myself. The desire to create something beautiful paved the path to my career path.

Were there any difficulties with creating an all-around clean, eco-conscious makeup brand? How important is sustainability for you?

Quality and sustainability define luxury for me. I look for products that are meaningful and can last and be in my space. This philosophy applies to all aspects of my lifestyle. It’s also the more environmentally friendly approach to living a meaningful life which isn’t always easy considering the options. I use this same approach when working on Jolii because whether people see it or not, clean beauty is the future. I know that the lines are so blurred when it comes to clean beauty and what it really means but it truly is a very long, tedious process to attain formulas that are both clean and can perform brilliantly.

We see you’re working on a new project; Full Ritúal. Can you tell us a little bit more about it?

I’m so excited to share my next project - Full Ritúal is a ritual focused community and product essentials for the mind, body and soul. Our simple goal is to build an unfiltered community where your wellness and lifestyle accountability is held in high regard and to make ordinary daily routines extraordinary by making our products aesthetically pleasing and functional at the same time.

COVID-19 has affected us all. What are some habits or routines you’ve created to stay on track?

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t struggle and maintained a routine during the pandemic. I truly struggled to keep up with the most minimal tasks. I went from being addicted to working out to not wanting to do the bare minimum. Like many others, it took a toll on me mentally and I took it upon myself to fix it. With so much time on my hands, I reconnected with an elementary school friend and our frequent conversations made me realize that we shared the same sentiments. I came to the conclusion that if you can understand what motivates you best, what makes you stay accountable, you can develop habits and ways of sticking to them that will last. This was an aha moment for me when I realized that all I needed to do was change my perspective towards this whole ordeal and continue doing my thing. I love creating and building brands and this was the moment Full Ritúal was born as well.

Now that things are opening up again, is there anything you’re excited to do first?

Absolutely! I’m looking forward to going to visit my family whom I haven’t seen in three years. India is not doing as well as we are so that will have to wait, but I am so looking forward to it and all the other traveling which I’ve missed so much.

What advice would you give to other female entrepreneurs or small business owners?

I live by a quote that reads “You have to know yourself well to see things as they really are”. I stand by this because it personally took me a while to get comfortable in my own skin and to really understand and come to terms with who I am. The decisions you make stem from them and can either make or break you, so knowing yourself and making sound decisions can be life-changing! Every choice or decision I’ve made knowing my true self, I own! Also, learn to laugh at yourself. It Helps!

Describe yourself in one word & why?

Resilient because I never take no for an answer. I’ve had my shares of ups and downs and my downfalls have made me that much stronger and I keep going.