Meet Shannon Aydar | Founder and Chief Formulator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shannon Aydar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, what matters most to you?
Oh, what a great topic. In my personal life, one of my highest core values is honoring my commitment. So much so, it can sometimes become a fault. If I am absolutely exhausted from the week and I’ve committed to go out with a group of friends, I’m pretty much going to kill myself to be there. That’s not to say I don’t have boundaries. I’m happy to say I have become so much better at saying “no” to things that don’t fulfill me or enrich my life or the lives of my family. However, once I commit with a resounding “yes”, it’s game on. It’s important to me people know my word is truth and if I say I’m going to do something, you can be sure it is happening!

My core business values are to provide amazingly effective, mood-boosting skincare and do it in a way that has the least impact on the environment. I know sustainability is at the forefront of so many minds and I am no exception. The skincare industry, like many others, can leave a significant ecological footprint from excessive packaging and harmful ingredients. By prioritizing sustainability at koloré, I am constantly aiming to minimize our impact on the environment and protect our planet for future generations — way beyond the world my kids and even their kids will see. While I haven’t been able to yet achieve zero impact, I’m constantly examining packaging and ingredient sourcing to make improvements at every step. Every product in our line comes in beautiful, curbside-recyclable glass, our shipping boxes are 100% recyclable and even our packing peanuts are fully compostable.

Also at the top of my value set is sourcing our ingredients from only highly-regulated countries like Italy, Spain and Australia. My commitment to using only organic and natural, non-toxic ingredients means my customers can trust our products are safe for their skin *and* the health of our planet.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Tom Petty said “the waiting is the hardest part” and I think he nailed it on the head. I’d say the hardest portion of my entrepreneurial journey is I had to shelve my passion for my business idea for over a decade while I raised my kids. You see, my journey into skincare actually started about 12 years ago, when I was pregnant with my first child. It was the first time I actually thought, “Wow, what is all this junk I’m putting on my skin?! Is it even safe?” In 2010, non-toxic beauty wasn’t really a priority here in the U.S. When I wanted to switch out my skincare routine for healthier options, I set out on a 40+ hour journey to source safe skincare from New Zealand, Australia and beyond. It took about 2 – 3 weeks to receive everything via international mail and I spent an ungodly amount on shipping. I thought, “This is crazy! When my kids are in school, I want to make an impact in this market”.

Heading into 2019, my kids were now grown a bit and I decided it was time to go back to school for my diploma in organic skincare formulation. As you know, Covid-19 burst on the scene soon after and everything started feeling pretty heavy. Even the normal daily routine felt exhausting. By instinct, I began formulating with oils which contained uplifting scents like lemongrass, sweet orange and peppermint, coupled with naturally-derived vibrant colors like golden buriti and blue tansy oil. Every time I worked in the lab, these amazing colors and scents would boost my energy and give me legitimate happy vibes. I felt nourished, I felt optimistic and I felt hopeful again. My skin was glowing and I felt like my true self — full of creativity, driven by joy and energized.

When I looked at the skincare market, I didn’t see anyone combining the beauty of color therapy and aromatherapy in the skincare routine and had the coveted “ah-hah” moment. Why wasn’t this a thing?! Leaning into the science of scent and color, I was inspired to develop koloré, a line of skincare products to help achieve naturally glowing skin with that little “bump of happy”. I’m so pleased with how it is being received by customers! Especially those looking for an all-natural pick-me-up in their self-care routine.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh, what a great question! First things first, gotta get us some good coffee. So, we are heading to either Pinhole in Bernal Heights or Excelsior Coffee. Depending on what weekend it is, we’d hit some great artisan shops or fairs. Some of my favorites stores are Gravel & Gold in the Mission, Reliquary in Hayes Valley or Siren in West Portal. If we get lucky, West Coast Craft or Renegade Craft Fair is going on and we have a few hours to kill perusing the best of all kinds of handmade goods.

Then we are definitely making plans to go see some live music. For recognizable bands, I’d take you to Great American Music Hall, The Fillmore or The Warfield. For smaller, intimate shows with up-and-coming artists, we’d hit the Rickshaw Stop, The Independent or Bottom of the Hill.

Of course, we’d want to have dinner first at either Saru Sushi in Noe Valley, Gialina’s Pizza in Glen Park or Cuisine of Nepal in Bernal. Then, we’ll want a quick cocktail at Arcana in the Mission where we can pick up some cute succulents and a Moscow mule in the greatest invention ever — the plant shop bar.

Alright, so let’s jump right in! The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there a person, group, organization, book, etc. that you want to dedicate your shoutout to? Who else deserves a little credit and recognition in your story?
If you keep your eyes open, inspiring people are all around you! Over time, I’ve been shaped by a crazy mix of family, teachers, work colleagues and career mentors and I was definitely molded by all of them — in both positive and negative ways. I think the hardest part is sorting out what you keep and what you toss from all the life lessons. Hopefully, you come up with a unique mix of strengths and weaknesses that align with your passion and set you on the right path.

From the get-go, I grew up in a sports-minded family and learned early if you want to succeed you have to work hard, constantly refine your game and get up out of the dirt when you’re knocked down. I guess that grit helped me go after the harder things in life. Things like business school, life as a gigging musician, moving across the country on my own and eventually starting koloré skincare.

Living in San Francisco now, it’s nearly impossible not to be inspired by the people around you. I have an amazing network of friends who are crushing it at life and keeping me fueled with inspiration. About 16 years ago, I also met my husband Ali who has been a constant source of inspiration and encouragement to start my own thing. He is a bit of a serial entrepreneur and watching him grow his own businesses has given me the confidence to go out on my own. I have a 20-year background in marketing at some of the best companies out there (Pepsi, Levi Strauss, Microsoft, etc) and that should have been enough to spur me on. At the end of the day though, I’d say it took living with another entrepreneur to help me take the leap on koloré!

Website: kolore.co

Instagram: instagram.com/kolore.co

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonferry/

Image Credits
All photos taken by Ella Sophie, with exclusion of headshot