· By Emily Cunningham
A Conversation with Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells + Beauty Lies Truth
Between tearing it up on stage to shaping a cleaner, more equitable beauty industry, Alexis Krauss is one busy lady! We sat down with her to learn more about the Global Beauty Butter she's included in our Autumn Gift Box
How did Beauty Lies Truth get its start, and what makes your way of doing business unique?
I started Beauty Lies Truth with my partner Jessica Assaf in 2013 after an extremely serendipitous meeting. After reading a New York Times article on microplastics I was determined to find a more sustainable exfoliating face wash. I was connected to the brilliant Adina Grigore, founder of SW Basics by my best friend Nora Pittenger who works at Fair Trade USA. Adina kindly offered to let me try some samples of her truly natural and non-toxic skincare products. Jessica happened to be working for SW Basics at the time and we met at a local Brooklyn coffee shop for her to pass along the products. After one coffee the meeting had turned from a simple product drop to an epic brainstorming session and we decided to launch Beauty Lies Truth shortly thereafter. Beauty Lies Truth is a labor of love for us. We are completely independent and don't answer to donors. Our goal is to educate consumers and share the truth about what's really inside our beauty and skincare products.
Any funny stories to share from your early startup days?
Me learning how to blog and start a website was pretty comical. I'm rather technologically impaired. I remember calling Jess one night and asking her how to embed a link in a blog post. I was that clueless.
What's one fun fact about you personally that we might not know?
Despite being extroverted on stage I'm quite reserved. People always assume I'm going to be a maniac based on my persona in Sleigh Bells but I'd much rather spend a night drinking tea, reading, cuddling my dog Riz and going to bed before 11pm.
What's your personal self care routine?
I like to keep things simple. That's one of the things I love so much about shea butter and plant based body oils. You can literally use them for everything, from makeup remover to moisturizer.
Tell us a bit about the Global Beauty Butter initiative
Like True Moringa, Global Beauty Butter is more than just a versatile skincare product. It is a product that empowers its producers and actually creates sustainable, systemic change. I've been so fortunate to meet the women behind every stage of Global Beauty Butter and I'm in awe of how hard they work. I've also had the privilege of working closely with Global Mamas, one of the most inspiring organizations on the planet.
What advice do you have for aspiring bloggers?
Be disciplined and set a schedule even though you are working on your own terms. I could be better at this so it's the advice that I'm constantly trying to heed myself. Those blog posts aren't going to write themselves!
What's the next big thing for you?
Sleigh Bells is getting ready to release an album on November 11th and we gearing up for another US tour. Beauty Lies Truth is continuing to educate and highlight the work of badass women entrepreneurs disrupting the beauty industry. I'm also excited to see what Jessica is going to launch now that she has graduated from Harvard Business School. She's really interested in exploring the skincare potential of CBD oils.
What do you love most about your job?
I love when women realize that they can still look and feel beautiful without relying on harsh synthetics in their products. Simplifying and cleaning up your beauty routine is one of the best things you can do for yourself and the planet. It's an honor to be a part of the process of educating women and helping them make healthier choices. I feel equally grateful to be in Sleigh Bells. Getting to jump around on stage in front of a dancing, sweaty, happy crowd is one of the best feelings in the world!