Introducing Vita Liberata’s Alyson Hogg
We grabbed a minute with Vita Liberata’s Alyson Hogg and had a great chat with her. Find out all about the founder and CEO of our favourite new tanning brand Vita Liberata.
Tell us about your background
I was born and raised in Northern Ireland, it’s where I got my start and where my heart will always be. I went to drama college, dabbled in modelling and worked in TV for the BBC and UTV. I went to University late, and had children early! I ran a guest house whilst raising three children and studying for a philosophy degree – I’ve never been one to take the easy road! I decided to move in to skincare when I noticed a gap in the market for multi-active products, similar to the multi-active health supplements that were becoming popular, and I’ve never looked back.
How did you get into this line of work? How did you start VL?
My mother suffered terribly from psoriasis, so she was what drove me to want to make better, longer lasting topical remedies for skin conditions. It was a short move from there to creating beauty products that would make a real difference to confidence and therefore quality of life. For super pale girls with translucent skin, tanning products that offer a truly natural glow easily fall into that category.
How does fake tan work?
Sunless tanners rely on an ingredient called DHA (Dihydroxyacetone). DHA is a simple carbohydrate that reacts with the oxygen in the air and the amino acids in the top layer of the skin, causing it to darken gradually through a natural chemical reaction.
At Vita Liberata we only ever use natural, organic DHA in our products and, to create a totally natural result (and combat the dreaded orange stain that has become synonymous with fake tan) we have balanced our formulae to activate all 9 colouring amino acids. This enables the skin to develop the most natural, and bespoke, shades of sun-kissed tan.
We have also boosted our tans with advanced organic technology, giving them the anti-aging, conditioning and moisturizing properties of skincare as well.
How has VL become a Hollywood favourite?
As a luxury, organic brand we are a natural pick for Hollywood, and anyone who is mindful of what they are putting on their skin, and a wants the very best from their products. Absolutely everything we make is non-toxic, and free from parabens, alcohol, perfumes and any chemicals of concern. Our products are also vegan and never tested on animals.
Top VL products you can’t live without?
One of my favourite products is our Ten Minute Tan. I formulated it specifically for women with hectic schedules, and yet an unwillingness to compromise their beauty regimes. I pop it on while planning my outfit for the day, shower it off 10 minutes later, and can get dressed without any worry of transfer. It develops in to a stunning, natural bronze while infusing my skin with super-charged hydration unlike anything else! It contains Matrixyl 3000, which promotes the production of collagen and elastin, Rose Oil, which is rich in Vitamins A, B3, C, D and E, and Rosehip Oil, which aids skin regeneration and the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles.
I also never travel without a Body Blur in my bag – it goes everywhere with me. Body Blur is literally an Instagram filter in a tube! It’s a moisturizing primer and skin finish, that minimizes blemishes, covers imperfections and smooths the skin. It gives a natural looking tint that lifts your skin tone, adding a healthy, radiant glow. It’s packed with organic ingredients and makes legs literally flawless!
Is Fake tanning a trend or is it part of our beauty outlook?
Sunless tanning is essential to your skin’s wellbeing if you’re looking for a natural, healthy glow. People are finally becoming more aware of, and informed about, the dangers of traditional tanning – over 72,000 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the UK annually – and our tans are a viable alternative to sun exposure.
We all want to be tanned, to banish the pallor associated with sickness, and “glow” with good health, and you don’t need the sun to do it. You can be bronzed and beautiful all year round regardless of the weather, and without once putting yourself in front of the sun’s harmful rays.
How can the beauty world develop and improve the environment at the same time?
I am passionate about organic products, both in terms of what I put on and in my body. When I first went in to skincare in 2003, I was determined that anything I made should contain the highest possible concentration of organic ingredients.
Organic farming doesn’t use chemical fertilizers or pesticides, it therefore doesn’t pollute or damage our soil, our waterways, our wildlife, or our bodies. In the absence of chemical support, plants boost production of their own phytochemicals (vitamins and antioxidants) to strengthen their resistance to bugs and weeds, and thus contain more nutrients—vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and micronutrients—than traditionally grown plants. This makes them better for us and the environment.
What is the most important issue facing the environment and how can we fix it?
There are so many environmental issues that deserve our attention and support right now that it seems foolhardy to pick just one. However, something that we at Vita Liberata are trying to focus on at the moment is the reduction of single-use plastic, and a move toward more of our packaging being recycled or reusable.
Every year more than eight million tonnes of plastic enters our oceans, and every year 100,000 animals in the sea are killed by it. Scientists say the situation is getting close to a tipping point, a sudden, substantial and possibly unstoppable change. This must not be allowed to happen, and it is something that all governments and industries, not just beauty, should be addressing.
Your beauty icons are?
Skin is my thing. It’s always about the skin, and the smile – much more than the arrangement of the features. As you get older you realise beauty is about letting the real you, your personality, shine through. So for me that’s Michelle Obama, who radiates warmth, Sofia Vergara, her smile is luminous and reaches every inch of her face, and Emma Watson, who’s beauty is so natural and effortless.
First beauty habits in the morning? and at night?
In the morning: cleanse, peptide mist, and moisturise. I lightly exfoliate every third day.
In the evening: cleanse, peptide mist and moisturise. I mist A LOT, it’s powerful stuff! And I use the Vita Liberata Self Tan Serum every 5 days.
Head on over to one of our social media channels to enter our Vita Liberata Competition. Get the perfect tan in time for summer! There will be 3 Prize winners. Competition will end 20th April 2018.
