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

Hi Robin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Starting SILKTÁGE was a journey rooted in my passion for natural beauty and my fascination with unique tropical ingredients. My thought process was driven by several key factors:

1. I’ve always been passionate about natural hair care, skin, and organic beauty products. As a beauty stylist working in the entertainment industry for over two decades, I became increasingly frustrated with the prevalence of harsh chemicals in many mainstream products I was using. This personal and professional experience motivated me to create something that would fill this gap in the market with healthier, natural alternatives.

2. My Caribbean heritage has always been a significant inspiration for me. Growing up in Trinidad, I discovered the incredible benefits of tropical ingredients like soursop, plantain, acerola cherries, and moringa. These ingredients, among others, often overlooked in the beauty industry, have amazing properties for skin, scalp, and hair health. I wanted to bring hidden gems like these to a broader audience, celebrating and elevating the natural beauty secrets of the Tropics around the world, including the Caribbean, South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa.

3. I saw a significant opportunity in the market for natural and organic products that combined the efficacy of tropical ingredients with a focus on rejuvenation for dry, dehydrated, and damaged, stressed-out aging skin, hair, and scalp. Dehydration is the root cause of many beauty concerns: aging, dry skin, and dry, damaged hair and scalp. Many products on the market were either too harsh or didn’t provide the holistic care that I believed was essential for overall beauty and wellness. This realization was a pivotal moment in my decision to start SILKTÁGE.

4. My vision for SILKTÁGE has always been to create high-quality, natural beauty products that celebrate the beauty of diverse and multicultural skin and hair types. The mission was clear: to develop a brand that not only delivers results but also empowers customers to embrace their natural beauty and glow at every stage of life, especially women over the age of 40 and beyond. This involves creating pure, clean, truly natural, organic, vegan, cruelty-free, and nontoxic products.

In essence, starting SILKTÁGE was about more than just launching a product line; it was about creating a brand that resonates with people, offers genuine benefits, and has a purpose. My journey with SILKTÁGE continues to be one of growth, learning, and unwavering commitment to sustainability, quality, and pure, clean, truly natural beauty.

What should our readers know about your business?
SILKTÁGE is a tropical-inspired beauty brand dedicated to solving the problems of dehydration, dryness, and damage in skin, hair, and scalp care. We create high-quality, rejuvenating, and nourishing pure, clean, and natural products that deliver lasting hydration and enhance natural beauty. What sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to using unique tropical botanicals like soursop, plantain, acerola cherries, tamarind, and moringa. These treasures from nature celebrate the beauty secrets of the Tropics, from the Caribbean and South America to Southeast Asia and Africa, bringing their time-proven benefits to our customers.

Growing up in Trinidad, I developed a deep appreciation for the healing properties of tropical ingredients. After sustaining a burn on my arm as a child, my grandmother used aloe vera and soursop leaves to heal it, leaving a lasting impression on me. This profound experience, combined with my professional journey as a makeup artist, hairstylist, and photographer, inspired the creation of SILKTÁGE. My background in the beauty industry and continuous learning about natural ingredients played a significant role in shaping SILKTÁGE. I combined my knowledge with a desire to innovate and bring something unique to the market. This blend of professional expertise and personal passion was the driving force behind SILKTÁGE. I’m incredibly proud that my expert advice has been featured in prominent media outlets such as Time, Newsweek, Essence Magazine, and Byrdie, among others, showcasing our dedication to offering natural beauty solutions.

Starting a business is never easy, but perseverance and staying true to my vision were crucial. Each hurdle reinforced my determination, from sourcing sustainably harvested, ethically sourced, fair trade tropical ingredients to perfecting my formulations, marketing, and securing retail placements. These challenges shaped SILKTÁGE into a brand that stands for authenticity and transparency. One significant achievement was getting SILKTÁGE into Whole Foods Southern California within six months of launching, a relationship that lasted over a decade. We are refining our product assortment to expand our presence in Whole Foods Market and other retail outlets in 2025. I credit God for sustaining me and helping me through this journey, and the support of my husband, Jarrod Bunch, has been invaluable. Ever since I graduated from college, I have always felt the need to work for myself. Being an entrepreneur is the only working life I know, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of authenticity and being purpose-driven. All our products are hand-crafted and proudly made in California, ensuring the highest quality and standards. I formulate all of my products myself; while it would be easier to outsource or use private labeling, I am committed to creating products that are clean and fresh, knowing exactly what’s in every product to ensure our mission is fulfilled. Our mission is to create pure, clean, natural, organic, vegan, cruelty-free, and nontoxic products that deliver real results, rejuvenation, and a natural, enduring glow.

SILKTÁGE is dedicated to solving the problems of dehydration, dryness, and damage in skin, hair, and scalp, which are the main causes of aging. By addressing these issues, we empower our customers to embrace their natural beauty at every stage of life, especially women over 40. Our products serve multicultural and diverse individuals, providing deep hydration, nourishment, and a radiant glow for all ethnicities and backgrounds through the power of tropical botanicals. Ultimately, SILKTÁGE is about offering effective solutions to these pervasive problems, helping our customers achieve healthier, more vibrant skin, hair, and scalp wellness.

At SILKTÁGE, our ethos is rooted in a commitment to the well-being of both people and the planet. We support women’s cooperatives around the world and prioritize sustainable practices, ensuring our products are not only beneficial for our customers but also environmentally responsible. SILKTÁGE is more than just a product line; it’s a celebration of natural, timeless beauty, a commitment to quality, and a dedication to creating products that are safe for the skin, hair, scalp, body, and planet. My Caribbean heritage and professional background as a makeup artist and hairstylist have deeply influenced the brand, and my passion for beauty, especially all things natural and organic, is at the heart of everything we do. This tropical inspiration drives our commitment to creating products that elevate natural beauty and well-being. My journey with SILKTÁGE continues to be one of growth, learning, and unwavering commitment to pure, clean, truly natural beauty. I am excited about expanding and growing and look forward to sharing the beauty secrets of the Tropics with the world.

Envision a beauty ritual that nourishes your skin, hair, and scalp care with nature’s most nutritious tropical ingredients, delivering rejuvenation, enhancing natural beauty, and supporting sustainable causes. That’s not just miraculous—it’s SILKTÁGE. Tropical-Inspired Beauty. Infused with wild tropical botanicals, ethically sourced, fair trade, and free from artificial preservatives and toxins. Our pure, clean, cruelty-free, and vegan products are hand-crafted and meticulously formulated to reveal the healthiest, most radiant glow.

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?
If my best friend were visiting Los Angeles, I would start by exploring Beverly Hills since I live there. We’d begin with a stroll down Rodeo Drive and the surrounding streets for some window shopping, followed by a delicious meal at Spago Beverly Hills. I’d also make sure she gets to experience other renowned restaurants in Beverly Hills like Maestro’s.

To cap it all off, we’d enjoy cocktails at The Polo Lounge and soak in the luxurious ambiance of The Beverly Hills Hotel.

We’d definitely check out the Century City Mall, where there’s always something cool going on.

We’d spend a relaxing day at Zuma Beach in Malibu, followed by a beachside lunch at Paradise Cove Beach Café and a visit to the Getty Villa. In Santa Monica, walk the pier and dine at The Lobster with stunning ocean views.

For cultural experiences, we’d explore the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and The Broad Museum, followed by a night out at Perch, a rooftop bar with amazing city views.

Of course, if there is anything going on that involves a red carpet, that’s on the agenda—everyone, especially out-of-towners, loves a celebrity sighting.

This mix of shopping, dining, beach time, and cultural exploration would be an unforgettable visit.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I give all the credit to God for sustaining me, bringing amazing people into my life, and helping me maintain a healthy perspective. My spirituality—through prayers, affirmations, and balancing my energy—keeps me aligned with my higher purpose. I focus on the positives and purposely avoid negative influences. I also have a supportive husband in Jarrod Bunch, a former NFL player and actor, who has stood by me throughout our 25 years of marriage, encouraging me in whatever I pursue. I met him in New York City while doing his makeup for a photo shoot, and since then, he has understood my passion for beauty and my obsession with all things natural and organic. This gives me the ability to focus on the growth and success of SILKTÁGE, my tropical-inspired beauty brand, enabling me to stay true to my values and commitment to sustainability and purity, creating products that elevate natural beauty and well-being.

Website: https://www.Silktage.com

Instagram: @Silktage

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-emtage-b0749821/

Facebook: @Silktage

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