Interview with Bahar Krahn
By Bahar Krahn, Founder of NOELIE
Many people keep asking what drives me, what inspires me, and how NOELIE came to be. In truth, it was a very long journey, one also tied to self-discovery and values. We women play so many roles in one lifetime that sometimes we don’t even know where we came from, where we wanted to go, and who we actually are. But what is often interpreted as a weakness is also our superpower. I love drawing from my primal feminine energy and all its complexity! And the numerous customers who have been with me for over a decade have also helped inspire me and strengthened the source from which NOELIE was allowed to emerge.
Today, March 8th, is International Women's Day – so today I am sharing how I found my path, and I hope to encourage you to follow yours and to trust in your own primal feminine energy!
Your life motto?
“Transformation starts inside – every change begins within ourselves.
It doesn't matter what issues you carry within you, what challenges you want to tackle, or what specifically you want to change in your life. True change, the kind that makes a difference in your life, begins from within.”
How would you describe yourself in three words?
“Appreciative, open-hearted, detail-oriented.”
How would your employees describe you?
“Inspiring, determined, and full of knowledge. It is incredible how much is in her head. No matter the product or the plant, Bahar knows everything about it!”
Is there anything you would like to change about yourself?
“I would like to be better at switching off. I simply carry my company in my heart, and that’s why I take a lot of it home with me. If people let me, I could spend 24 hours a day in the lab testing great active ingredients. In my head, I’m developing new products every free minute, mentally shifting ingredients around and looking for the best possible formulation, all while I would like to enjoy more time with my loved ones. I still need to learn a bit about finding that balance.”
What do you want to bring into the world?
“Joy of life – and very importantly: It is never too late to START ANEW!”
Why did you found NOELIE?
“I felt that a 100% promise was missing from the natural cosmetics scene: pure, effective, and certified natural cosmetics didn't exist in this form yet. Now, I can offer uncompromising fans of the clean beauty movement and all my customers exactly that 100%.”
What was your key moment for seeking alternatives?
“During my training as a pharmaceutical technical assistant, a professor once mentioned that residues of toxins are always found in biopsies of the breast and uterus, but especially in the bladder. Synthetic color pigments that enter the body when dyeing hair particularly stood out here. They tend to settle in these three organs because the body cannot break them down. I was completely shocked and realized immediately that, first, I would warn everyone I knew and, second, I definitely had to find an alternative. My mother was also dyeing her hair naturally at the time, and I definitely didn't want her to continue exposing herself to these poisons.”
Why plant-based hair colors?
“Today, we know from studies that regular hair dyeing or working with corresponding products significantly increases the risk of breast and bladder cancer. It is not just suspected; it is proven. And yet, it remains tolerated because everyone does it. It is mercilessly downplayed.
Another motivation is our environment. You have to imagine how much poison ends up in our environment every day from a conventional salon or cosmetics store. Packaging, toxic substances – not to mention micro-plastic particles. These super-small particles contained in dyes, shampoos, and conditioners cannot be handled by our sewage treatment plants. So they end up in our groundwater. I want to contribute to my daughter being able to grow up in an intact world.”
What was your biggest challenge on your journey?
“It was so difficult to find clean ingredients that I was truly desperate at times. My standard was to find an alternative for every toxic and harmful substance – but they weren't easy to find. Even raw materials grown under certified organic conditions are sometimes genetically modified or chemically altered after harvest, which is all completely allowed. And then I wanted one hundred percent: cultivation, processing, extraction, bottling, sustainable plastic-free packaging that doesn't release toxins into the product, Made in Germany. To me, everything had to be uncompromisingly clean. You can only be certain with certified natural cosmetics, as everything is clearly regulated here. If I should have gray hair, then it's from that time.”
What is the meaning of the lines on the packaging?
“Every NOELIE product contains 100% love and all of my skill and knowledge. Each product has been ‘breathed’ with life, and the lines on the packaging are its lifelines, which I was allowed to give it. I drew the lines on the packaging myself and made it clear that every single creation bears my signature and was made with love. Life runs according to its own rhythm: sometimes it goes up, sometimes it goes down. It doesn't just go in a straight line.
When you are in the bathroom in the morning and see the lines on the NOELIE packaging, remember – no matter what is moving you in life right now, a new beginning is always possible. Every day, every hour, every second. That is my message to you – a symbol intended to give you the courage to get up again and again and keep going, because a new beginning is possible at any time.”
What does sustainability mean to you?
“To me, sustainability has nothing to do with green packaging. Just as little as vegan necessarily means healthy – silicones are also vegan (laughs). Sustainability for me means living in a way that conserves resources. That is, consciously and deliberately. I don’t want to be unconsciously steered by the short-winded spirit of the times—be it business, advertising, or constantly new ideologies. I always think about what effects my actions and conduct will have on my fellow human beings, the environment, and our future. From this, it is necessary to draw the appropriate consequences and take responsibility. If you want to, you can find ways to deal with resources mindfully while still respecting and preserving people, animals, nature, and culture. That is sustainable to me.”
How do you start your day in the bathroom?
“I start by brushing myself free – I need my morning brush massage to clear my body, my mind, and thus my soul, to be receptive for the day. When my head is tense, my energy simply doesn't flow. The brushing relaxes me. And the first thing I apply is the Grow & Shine Treatment Essence. I massage it into my scalp because it absorbs super well then.”
What is your favorite active ingredient?
“Oh, that’s difficult because there are so many great active ingredients! I have several – in hair care, I love the Rose of Jericho because it can store an unbelievable amount of moisture and transfers this property to the hair. For skin care, I choose the retinol extract from the moth bean: It has all the positive properties of retinol but none of the side effects that occur with the synthetic version. The cells are completely regenerated and collagen synthesis is stimulated – a true hero in the lifting sector!”
How will NOELIE continue to develop in 2023?
“My vision, my wish for NOELIE is to continue to take on a pioneering role for sustainable and effective natural cosmetics at the highest scientific standard. We also want to develop further in terms of climate and environmental protection: conserve resources, become a climate-positive company, use the natural cycle of nature.
The topic of efficacy & product performance is at the top of my agenda. We want to create the best effect for skin, hair, and well-being while having no negative impact on people or nature. The functionality of our products should also become easier: Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to mix our Healing Herbs Hair Color separately anymore? It gives me wild joy to work on solutions here! Will it work? It remains exciting…”
Do you have personal goals for 2023?
As I said, I have a tendency toward perfectionism. By the way, that is also an overwhelming theme for us women. This makes me set big goals and also achieve them – but it also creates dissatisfaction.
Because there is nothing in the world that is “perfect.” But “whole” (vollkommen). Therefore, I am allowed to grow internally and externally this year too, and I am practicing being “whole.” Perfectly good as I am, perfectly individual, perfectly content. And by being whole, I will then also be more content.