Sometimes you are just simply lucky. Thus being the case of meeting Trice Angie. We were lucky. Right time, right place and actually, it was not us who were in the right place and time, no it was my hubby. He was positive that she would be an inspiration to us. And so we reached out. Even though she was in the last trimester of her pregnancy, without hesitating, she immediately got back to us. And we were ready for the interview.
Then the Pandemic hit. We were all scrambling to get our lives in order or something of that sort. Social distancing, retrieving from all interaction and waiting for this to pass. Well, it didn’t pass and is very much present in all our lives. In all this turmoil Trice gave birth to a beautiful baby and didn’t forget about us. Even though we really would have understood the circumstances being more then challenging. So we didn’t want to pressure her and yet, she reached out to us, found the time and we had this lovely interview. But read for yourself.
BMS: It’s great to have you as one of our interview partners Trice. Thank you for your time. We’re curious to learn more about RAAW and why you started the company. What was the first product you launched and why did you create it?
TC: Well… It all started when I moved to New York. I was living a healthy life, ate organic and took good care of myself – except when it came to the beauty products, I assumed, I was pampering myself with everyday. For some reason, I never thought about all of the harmful chemicals they contained and they actually go straight into our bodies. One morning I woke up with a horrible rash on my face – it came from an expensive high-end brand I trusted. The skin around my eyes was purple, wrinkled and flaky. It was horrifying. In that moment I decided I would never put any harmful chemicals on my skin again. I wanted a beauty routine
that was good for my skin, my body, and my environment. I began studying herbal medicine and the healing properties of plants and herbs as practiced in traditional Chinese and eastern cultures. I created a product that healed my eczema right away and my skin looked even better than before actually. And that’s how it all started. The first product was the award-winning facial oil, Blue Beauty Drops.
BMS: Is this a product that can be used on any skin type?
TC: YES any skin type! But especially irritated and acne prone skin. It’s great for men as
well, as it absorbs super fast and it calms the skin after shaving.
BMS: How do you decide when it’s time to create a new product. Do you develop it based on your personal needs and experiences, or do you get feedback from your customers on what else they would love to see at RAAW?
TC: I create whatever I need for myself… I always consult my team and girlfriends for advice, if this is a product they are missing as well and then they test all of my batches.
BMS: Are there any products you create that don’t end up in your product line?
TC: So many… I think I have 20 formulas waiting. I could easily have a collection of 100products, but wouldn’t make sense as a sustainable brand. I try to have one of each – at the most two of each product.
BMS: Your dad and you shared a mutual passion for holistic self-care. Did he encourage and inspire you on your path to start RAAW?
TC: It started pretty much as a hobby if you could say so, but he definitely inspired me to continue and make it a real business. Failure was never an option and he would help me to only focus on the positive things. “You become what you think” was his motto.
BMS: How important is where you live and work for your creative process?
TC: My surroundings mean a lot for inspiration… New York inspired the apothecary feel and L.A. definitely inspired fragrance and ingredients and of course the palm tree. When I travel I get inspiration for new products… I think it’s hard to say for sure where you find inspiration, but of course new input is always like fresh energy for the creativity.
BMS: I personally love LA and California very much, this is where my heart lives. When I used your fragrance, Blackened Santal, for the first time, on a rainy grey day in Berlin, I instantly felt transported to this beautiful place. I felt happy and at ease. Why did you create this fragrance and what was the idea behind it?
TC: My father’s weary soul passed away at a young age of 63, but had the stories from a long lived life. Creating and recreating stories and moods on film had taken him to every corner of the planet and left him full of memories. Large candles burned like a big, melting forest on his terrace in the Hollywood Hills and in the flickering lights he would tell about his adventures. Many stories, glasses of wine and memories were shared, while we mixed the fragrances to his latest and more stationary passion – handmade scented candles. It was a very special time for me. Every fragrance had a story or a memory. His wish was to create a series of candles, fragrances and perfumes. After his passing, I knew it was the right time for me and for RAAW to adopt his vision of a fragrance series. There is a beautiful, old palm tree outside my father’s place, which became part of our daily ritual. So many moments, stories and scents were created while the palm tree observed us. Therefore, I chose that exact palm tree to become the RAAW emblem. It represents my fathers vision. Blackened Santal is the first product to carry the palm tree. A scent made from precious memories. My wish was to recreate the mood and scent from my fathers terrace in Hollywood Hills. The scent of wood, a mixture of all the big candles that burned, the flowers from the citrus trees, a breeze of summer nights and vacation.
BMS: Now off to another beautiful topic. You just had your first child. Congratulations! Things do change a bit and some women have extreme problems with their skin, adapting to the hormonal changes. Are there any tips that you have for expecting mom’s and their beauty and wellness routine?
TC: Thank you so much – it’s truly incredible to become a mom!
During my pregnancy, I only usd the Blue Beauty Drops – also as a cleansing oil. My skin seemed “confused” about more than one product and especially makeup. All pregnancies are so different, so it’s hard to say, but my advice would be – less is more! Find one or two favorite products and stick to those, to avoid weird breakouts. Eat clean and make sure to get healthy fats and loads of antioxidants, it will help your skin more than you know. And good for baby too of course.
BMS: As a kids fashion blog, with a strong focus on sustainability, we love to learn from our interview partners how they incorporate it into their personal- and business life. What is important for you personally and for RAAW?
TC: Super important! Something I think about and try to improve every single day – one can always do better. I have just moved my production from New York to Denmark, to make the freight shorter. We only source sustainable ingredients and try to keep everything as local as possible. I just had to discontinue one of my favorite products, because one of the ingredients became endangered. For me personally I try to only
invest in sustainable brands – it can be hard to know who to support etc. because some brands make a lot of empty promises and it can be hard to differentiate. I found a sustainable stroller for my baby Venice – this brand is so cool and I have to recommend them as they truly deserve some credit for their work. Naturkind Kinderwagen made the first organic stroller on the market. Even their raincover. Best investment and then you also support a sustainable and ethical brand. Win win!
BMS: Apart from the brand features, interviews and trend stories we post on our blog, our main business is our second hand market place for kids fashion, that we are currently building up. Do you consider buying 2nd hand for your baby? How about Preloved fashion for yourself?
TC: Oh Yes! When I lived in New York I only bought vintage clothes – its the best thing. Every piece becomes so unique. I have inherited most of my baby’s clothes from friends. They wear it for a few weeks and then they grow out of them. It should be a rule that baby clothes should be recycled or passed on. I bought a very cool vintage wool jacket for her – it will fit her when she’s about 2 years old, but I had to get it. That’s the thing with 2nd hand, there is only one of each!
Thank you very much for this lovely interview Trice.
Find out more about RAAW by Trice on her Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/raawbytrice/?hl=en and under https://raawbytrice.eu/
