Amina Kocabiyikci is the creator of her skincare line called La Solution. Amina created La Solution last October, and her skincare line comprises cleansers, serums, moisturizers, and night creams. Her brand’s organic and vegan selection makes La Solution unique. Their purpose is to find organic alternatives to chemicals used in the skincare industry.
When did you start your business? What was your mission at the start of your company?
Seven years ago, I started experiencing skin problems (cystic acne). Every product I used to treat my acne irritated my skin even more. I thought about creating a solution for acne one day but had yet to set a time for myself to start working on it. When the pandemic began, I wanted to take courses in aesthetics to further advance the knowledge that I had gained from the time I was treating my acne. I also used to have an Instagram page, tracking my acne journey and treatments to help others who went through the same. I knew I wanted to change, so I began planning during the pandemic and officially launched in October 2022.
How has the brand evolved since the beginning?
I first wanted to be a brand as a beauty salon/spa. However, the pandemic taught me that the future was in e-commerce, and I chose the hard path and started creating each formula with the help of Canadian chemists to formulate the perfect “Solution” to be the Solution to skin problems. It will take time for the brand to evolve, but I am 200% sure that La Solution will be where it deserves to be very soon.
How did you come up with the name of the brand?
The “La” in the name La Solution comes from my French background, and “Solution” has two meanings for my brand. It’s the “Solution” to skin problems and “Solution” as a liquid mixture that emphasizes the formula created from scratch. I tend to be a perfectionist sometimes, and choosing my business name took way longer than it should have because I wanted it to be a unique and memorable name.
How much of yourself do you dedicate to your business?
My life has been La Solution for the last six months. Last year I was still working as a Clinical Administrator full-time while creating my brand on my own time at home. Today, my time, money, and creativity are all for La Solution. I realized that working as a medical assistant as a side job didn’t allow me to commit fully mentally. So, I chose what mattered to me the most; my dreams.
Which product/product categories are you the most excited about currently? What is your most popular product now?
My Favorite - Signature formula is The HA Renaissance Serum. It’s an organic alternative to Hyaluronic Acid (a natural substance found in the body to retain moisture. It's usually costly for a small bottle of concentrated pure HA). We created our Renaissance serum from a mushroom called Tremella, found in Ontario’s forests. It also is 5% more effective than HA itself.
What type of personality or attitude would you say defines your business?
I am a very emotional entrepreneur, and many people could disagree with my business mindset, but I value being a family at La Solution; seeing my personal and professional growth and being proud of myself is more important than making money for me. I want people to love their experience of being a Solutionist. We want to be a motivational company that cares and creates based on our client’s needs. At La Solution, we value staying connected to our roots. Our creation begins from the soil, and we believe that when we're given a problem, our Solution must be hidden in our natural environment. Keeping our line as clean as possible, we are proud to call ourselves “Cruelty-Free” since animals help us learn how to love life. We want to build an honest and trustworthy family by connecting beauty with nature.
Who is your target market or potential customers?
Young professionals, environmentalists, and vegans would be the easiest target to reach for La Solution. We want to also educate our community by teaching them ingredients and the importance of caring for ourselves and the environment. Facial care is the dominant type segment due to increased demand for chemical-free face creams such as anti-aging creams, sun protection creams, skin brightening creams etc., to repair the skin and reduce wrinkles. I love to add pictures and videos of men using La Solution in my ads to influence men to take part in the “skin-care and self-care” campaign. We want to break taboos by educating men that their skin also deserves to be treated. Our line is also for all skin types.
Tell us more about yourself.
I'm 27 years old. I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. My Turkish parents and I grew up in a very proud, nationalist and cultural household. I have two older brothers, one older sister and a younger sister. I visit Turkey very often. Everything Turkish is in my interest:) I identify myself more as a Turkish Woman than a Canadian. In 2017, I completed my certificate program as a Unit clerk at MacEwan University. I worked as an MOA before and after finishing school. I’m also an ESL teacher certified by TESOL to teach English as a second language abroad. I took my aesthetics course during the pandemic. Personal growth is far more important than money for me.
Any upcoming plans for your business that you would like to tell us about?
You will probably see La Solution collaborate with many known influencers from Canada and the USA shortly. I have also thought of a Skin Care podcast, but I'm still working on analytics and testing people's interest in educating themselves in this industry. I also want to add a blog section to my website to update and educate everyone as I expand my daily knowledge. We're also hoping to add new products by summer 2023.
Where can people find you online?
People can find me On Instagram; Lasolutionn. On TikTok; LaSolution. I stream live often to answer questions publicly regarding skincare and organic products and my brand’s story. My Website; LaSolutionskin.ca
