Career Diaries: Giselle Chirinos, Co-Founder of Overt Skincare, on How the Brand Is Giving Back to the Environment and Community

January 27, 2021

By: Genesis Rivas | skincare.com by L'Oréal

One of the reasons we love applying our daily skin-care regimen is because it always feels like a moment of self-care for our skin, mind and spirit. Giselle Chirinos, co-founder of Overt Skincare, wanted to take those feel-good moments and share them not only with those purchasing her serums, but with the greater community and environment. “At a personal level, we want to give our community all the information they need to make a good decision for their skin and morals, but we also want them to know that we think about the greater picture,” she says.

Chirinos has prioritized being sustainable throughout every step of production and partnered with Anti-Slavery International to donate 10% of the brand’s annual profit. Ahead, we spoke to Chirinos to learn more about Overt Skincare and the importance of giving back.

Can you tell us about your background and how you got started in skin care?

I have a background in marketing, luxury and brand management, but have always been fascinated with skin care, and I owe it to my grandmother. Since I was a teenager, I struggled with acne, hyperpigmentation and scarring. I tried tons of over-the-counter medication and customized lotions, and nothing seemed to work until I tried one of my grandmother’s homemade remedies. By that point, my skin was super irritated by all the products I had tried, and I will never forget the soothing sensation and relief I felt as my grandmother applied one of her homemade lotions. In a way, that was my first encounter with clean and natural beauty.

Can you tell us about the brand’s sustainability efforts and why that was important for you?

We try to be sustainable throughout every step of our production and supply chain process. At a personal level, we want to give our community all the information they need to make a good decision for their skin and morals, but we also want them to know that we think about the greater picture. That is why we decided to make all of our packaging recyclable, chose the shipping method with lower carbon emissions, and partnered with a facility that shared our values. Our goal is for Overt to leave a positive footprint in every step of the supply chain and to enable our community to be game-changers.

You donate 10% of your annual profit to Anti-Slavery International. Can you tell us more about why you picked this organization?

Anti-Slavery International’s (ASI) mission is to end modern slavery and human trafficking. They want to achieve that by bringing back accountability and honesty into the supply chain. ASI is a perfect fit because their mission is aligned with ours. Overt is a different kind of skin-care company because we want to transform the industry through transparency, efficacy and charity. Overt and ASI both want to be an agent of change, and our missions are aligned in that.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is interacting with our community. It has been very reassuring to see that people like what we stand for and are very supportive of our mission of bringing back transparency into the skin-care industry. I love the bridge we have built with our community because we want them to know that we are always here for them.

What’s your daily skin-care routine?

I like to think about my skin-care routine as less is more. In the morning I try to prepare my skin for the day so I always use The Brightener, our 20% vitamin Cc serum and follow up with moisturizer and SPF. At night, I am all about double cleansing and prepping my skin for some deserved rest time. Every night, I apply The Renewer, our EGF solution, and always follow up with The Hydrator, our hyaluronic acid serum.

What’s your favorite product from your line?

My personal favorite is The Renewer, our plant-based EGF serum. I just love how multifaceted it is because it helps me with my hyperpigmentation, scarring and texture all at once. I use it every night, and when I wake up I can just see a huge difference on how plump and glowing my skin looks!

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What inspires you?

2020 has truly been a learning experience. I am inspired by human resilience, by our ability to adapt, and by how strong we have all proven to be. Even though it wasn’t the year we expected, going forward gives me inspiration to try and be the best version of myself.

What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

I would tell aspiring entrepreneurs to persevere. Even if everything goes wrong at some point, remember your mission, remember what you stand for, who you are and why you are doing this. Savor every accomplishment and celebrate it. One day you will look back and see how far you’ve come.

What does beauty mean to you?

For me beauty means to feel comfortable in your own skin and embracing your uniqueness. It isn’t about fitting a mold, but creating your own.

Photo: Courtesy of Overt Skincare, Design: Hannah Packer

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