She’s an actress, an author, a busy mom – and somehow Jessica Alba still found time to co-found a company devoted to creating natural and non-toxic baby products.
Along with Christopher Gavigan, the 31-year-old “Fantastic Four” actress started The Honest Company to provide parents with safe family essentials including diapers, wipes, bath, skin care and home cleaning products.
She was inspired to start the company – which recently partnered with daily deals site zulily to offer kids’ fashion, accessories, toys and gear – after the birth of her daughter Honor, now 4. Alba and husband Cash Warren are also parents to 16-month old daughter Haven.
“When I became a mom, I finally became the person I am, that I always should have been,” she says. “It’s the most satisfying job in the world. But, it can also be overwhelming and confusing. I created The Honest Company to help moms and to give all children a better, safer start.”
We had the chance to talk with this lovely lady about parenting, The Honest Company and more. Check out the interview below:
Why did you start The Honest Company?
When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I read the book Healthy Child, Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home by Christopher Gavigan and learned about toxic chemicals in everyday products like baby shampoo, diapers, home furnishings and household cleaners.
Shocked about this discovery, I spent hours upon hours researching products and trying to shop around the problem in Europe and Australia. I’d shell out way more money for the supposedly green products only to get home and find out the natural diapers I just bought still had the ingredients I was trying to avoid. And the few products that were safe never seemed to effectively clean. It was beyond frustrating. So, I created Honest.com because I needed and wanted it as a mom and I knew I could do it better.
What’s one piece of advice you would give new moms?
Research everything from clothing to mattresses to cleaning products (read labels!) to find out what’s really inside them and make sure what you’re bringing home is safe for your baby.
Frustratingly, I learned that many of the “green” products I bought still contained the toxic chemicals I was trying to avoid. Now, I stay away from items with chemicals like flame-retardants, harsh preservatives, plasticizers, or those made with petroleum-based ingredients.
And so you can share what you learn along the way, consider participating in a mom group – whether it’s a blog community or a in-person class – because it’s a great way to find friendship and support since everyone is transitioning through the same stages at the same time.
Why partner with zulily?
Like The Honest Company, zulily understands the needs of busy parents and has created a site to make shopping easy, bring customers the best of the best, and offer it all at an affordable price. By partnering to deliver Honest’s products to the zulily community, we’re able to engage new customers and expand our mission of providing families everywhere with unquestionably safe, healthy, and natural products.
What are five things you don’t leave home without?
I don’t leave home without my wallet, keys, a scarf, Honest hand sanitizer, and my Windows 8 phone.
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