LENUS Handcrafted
Encinitas, California
Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do:
Laura: LENUS Handcrafted
Photo Credit: Dainius Macikenas
I'm a mom, former runway model and an interior designer who after having a third child decided to do away with commercial skincare and start the research on formulating with plant based ingredients. After falling in love with the process I created LENUS handcrafted, which is now a top rated all natural skincare brand. Ever since 2014 products have been crafted in small batches in a home lab for happy clients all over the US.
Let us know more about your business name - how did you come up with it?
LENUS is a Celtic Healing God and LINAS is my sons name who's birth inspired me to create this business. The Lithuanian names Linas pronunciation is very similar to English Lenus, so it was a no brainer, I picked LENUS and added Handcrafted, to let people know it's an artisan brand.
What is your signature style / item? How did it become so?
Face moisturizers seem to be the most popular items, as they are an everyday necessity and clients truly care about ingredients that stay on the skin all day long. I'm also very proud of the honey mask collection and honey cleanser, where I use a raw local organic Honey from Mikolich Farm.
Photo Credit: Veronika Grechman
What makes your business unique to the industry?
Many skincare brands don't have the ability to offer a variety of ingredients due to large scale manufacturing requirements. I believe that LENUS offers the high tech ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Retinol and Peptides formulated in a base of pure and natural oils, aloe vera and hydrosols as suppose to water and synthetic silicones. It's a brand that offers the best from both advanced cosmetics and natural worlds.
What's been your biggest roadblock when it comes to business and how have you been able to overcome?
Big tech companies like Google and Amazon is still the biggest roadblock for any small business as search results are bought and paid for on both platforms making operating costs lean toward marketing more than ingredients. Customers may never know that a small maker is creating a unique and amazing products in the same town. I refuse to fall in to the vortex of marketing spending, and rely on word of mouth, organic website growth and thankful customers on social media to sell my organic skincare products.
How has your business had to adapt amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic? What are you doing to navigate the situation?
The markets were not only fun events but great to meet the clientele and explain the products face to face. That is no longer the reality, all sales have migrated on line which makes the process of reaching new customers very difficult. It's a challenge and hopefully a temporary one.
What is your favorite part of what you do?
Weighing and measuring product batches while listening to a podcast about viruses, or world events, or tech, or science ... After working in a corporate office as a commercial interior design for over 16 years I truly enjoy and appreciate being my own boss.
What is your *must do* local activity?
Oh I must do many things, Encintas is a very exiting place to live. Running at Swamis Beach is great, and the giant stairs is an extra workout in the morning. One of my favorite things to do is to pretend to work at Encinitas Peet's or Lofty, or Coffee Coffee in Leucadia, you get the idea. I love meeting new locals and hanging out. On the way back home to actually work, I hit a local nursery like Cordova, Garden's by the Sea, Weidner's Gardens or Sunshine Gardens. I consider it mommy's pleasure time; something I could never do working in a corporate world.
Where to find LENUS Handcrafted:
Website: www.ShopLenus.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lenus_handcrafted_skincare/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LENUShandcrafted