As the founder of botanical skincare brand, Sodashi, Megan Larsen is passionate about bringing natural solutions to her customers.
With a background in aesthetics, aromatherapy, Ayurveda, Transcendental Meditation, biochemistry and natural healthcare, Megan is a fountain of knowledge and a pioneer within the natural skincare space….
The Sodashi values are almost so simple, they are the most powerful values I’ve ever seen in a company. Did you create them or did you do this as a team? And do some mean more to you than others?
- I think they are simple as well – sometimes simple is powerful because values shouldn’t be over-complicated. I like Sodashi to treat our staff, our customers and our spa partners in the same way we’d like to be treated. I believe stress is one of the major issues in our world, so our goal is to eliminate as much stress as we can.
Sodashi means “wholeness, purity and radiance” – how do you bring these elements to life day-to-day?
- Wholeness, Purity and Radiance are the pillars of our philosophy at Sodashi. In my own life I follow the 80–20 rule – 80 percent of the time I do what’s good for my health and wellbeing and then 20 percent of the time I can indulge. Although sometimes holidays in Europe tip the balance. I like to keep my thoughts and my mind healthy as I believe this radiates positivity and good vibes to others.
Sodashi has led the way for truly natural skincare and a natural lifestyle since 1999 – when it was ‘alternative’ and ‘hippy’. How excited are you to see the larger beauty community catching up with your long-held beliefs?
- Yes! 1999–2001 was a time probably everyone expected me to turn up in a floating kaftan (even those are on trend now!). I am beyond thrilled to observe how the larger beauty community now considers natural to be mainstream.
When I started Sodashi, I wanted to disrupt the skincare industry and I believe that’s really happened over the past 19 years!
How does your meditation practice impact your life and your business?
- Goodness, I cannot imagine my life without it. For me, meditating is such a routine, it’s a bit like brushing my teeth! It supports me in so many ways, it prevents stress building up in my physiology, it makes my brain happy and alert – and I think it absolutely makes me a better person to be around. My technique of Transcendental Meditation is also my sacred time – the time twice a day that’s just for me.
What does inner beauty mean to you?
- It means looking after yourself from the inside, so the outside glows. It means conscious eating (again, my 80–20 rule) and keeping the gut happy. Taking care of gut health is really important and I think this is driven by what you eat and what you think!
Can you give us an example of a time you’ve listened to your gut instinct?
- So many times… There have been times when I’ve known some relationships have run their course, so I’ve let them go with love, grace and honesty.
What do you do to get your daily GLOW on??
- I meditate, I take probiotics, do at least 10 minutes of yoga each morning, practise self-love, grace and gratitude as much as I can and I also start the day with Tibetan Five Rites, as well as finding things to smile about all day.
I would… travel to Provence… in a heartbeat (or less than a heartbeat!)
I would… I do most of my thinking when I’m… feeling very relaxed.
I would… Sometimes when I wake up I… wonder where I am! My travel schedule is pretty busy.
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