The Interview: Christina Trusty Ross of Troos Skincare & Apothecary
Christina Trusty Ross launched her line, Troos Skincare & Apothecary, in January 2018 in Boulder, Colorado dedicated to creating a sustainable line of clean-label skincare. We discovered her Fine Botanical Facial Oil on Instagram and are so excited to share her beautiful products with you.
Why did you decide to create your brand?
As a woman with a graduate degree in toxicology, focused on consumer products including skincare, I was never satisfied with the clean-label skincare products available. In my never-ending hunt for clean-beauty brands, I found that what was available to conscious consumers was either a clean-label but with incorrect ratios to be effective, or products that had unsafe formulations such as high amounts of essential oils or a lack of anti-microbial ingredients. I wanted to create a product that paired luxury expectations with safety and sustainability expectations.
Tell me your first beauty memory.
Watching my Grandmother apply makeup in her gold makeup mirror mounted to her bathroom wall (the wallpaper was this fabulous pink and gold floral print I wish was still available!). I would sift through her lipstick drawer which was full of dozens of colors and formulations, completely mesmerized, while I waited for her to finish.
Why is beauty and/or skincare important to you?
Beauty and skincare have always been an important part of my life. Personally, I have found that investing in small moments to build my confidence and care for my skin brings so my joy to my life. When I spend time on myself, whether it’s beauty, exercise, or meditation, I feel more centered and whole. As a woman with a graduate degree in the sciences, I would sometimes feel frivolous or as if I was wasting time when I focused on beauty – but now I realize that this investment in my confidence is part of what has provided me success in a male-dominated field.
Beauty, especially clean-beauty, is a positive choice for women, that doesn’t sacrifice health or the environment.
Where are your products made?
All of our products are made in Boulder, Colorado.
Please tell me about your product’s ingredients. Which one/s are your favorites, and why?
All of our product’s ingredients are carefully selected, single-origin, and tested to ensure strict purity and quality standards. My favorite ingredient is our lavender essential oil, we traveled to the South of France to study this amazing plant. Lavender has so many amazing skin benefits, including reducing inflammation, not to mention provides our Botanical Facial Oil with a fabulous scent. Skincare can be an amazing sensory experience when natural ingredients are used!
What is your favorite beauty trend?
Clean-beauty, of course! Meaning, skincare that is effective but also safe for long-term use. The average women uses over 6 products daily on her face… multiply that by an adult lifetime and imagine the importance of the ingredients in the products you use.
I am inspired by the fact that consumers are beginning to become their own advocates and are directing the beauty industry to hold higher standards in terms of safety, efficacy, and environmental responsibilities. I also love and respect that skincare specifically has been at the forefront of leading cosmetics to follow green chemistry principals.
What other emerging beauty brands do you enjoy using, and why?
I love using Osmia Organics products, created by a former ER doctor who is now a leading natural skincare expert. I am so proud of women in science who are working to improve the safety of the vastly unregulated arena that is cosmetics all while bringing great, effective products to the market.
What is your morning beauty routine?
Mornings can be hectic and, to be honest, I’m often in a bit of a rush. I try to not start the day with technology, whenever possible. Instead, I like to make myself a hot tea using mint from my garden. Sometimes, though, I just need the full-strength coffee.
I bring my tea into the bathroom and put on a podcast so I can learn something as I’m beautifying and getting dressed. Right now, I’m learning French, and podcasts are a great way to train your ear to a language.
I start with a quick oil-cleanse and massage with a wash cloth (an under-rated tool – it’s a great, gentle exfoliant) using cold water. Then, without drying my skin, I pat on a few drops Troos Botanical Facial Oil.
Sunscreen is non-negotiable for me. I always apply a mineral-based sunscreen. Mine is a CC cream which eliminates any need for foundation, too! Then, I dab on a concealer under my eyes and around the nose or any areas that need a little extra coverage or brightness. Then, it’s a quick curl of my lashes, comb of my brows, swipe of highlighting blush, and a thick swipe of fiber mascara. Typically, I finish with adding a bright lip stain and a bit of rose essential oil on my wrist and neck and I’m out the door.
What’s next from your line?
We will be launching a botanical cleansing oil and a clay mask in the next few months! Just like our Botanical Facial Oil, both will be made in small-batches and sustainably and ethically sourced. Next year, we’re working on an entire new line of products created for specific skin concerns.
Shop Troos Skincare & Apothecary on Plan de Ville