Fashion / Beauty

Cancer-Free Skincare: A Beauty Guru Opens Up on Her Search for a Healthier Glow

BY Karlie Morris // 07.13.16

When it comes to beauty, our cabinets are full of potions and lotions, many with lists of ingredients we can’t even pronounce. Tata Harper once had the same problem. She loved testing new products, but when her stepfather was diagnosed with cancer she quickly learned that health isn’t just about what you put in your body — it’s also what you put on it.

Many skincare products contain cancer-causing ingredients, so Harper created a luxurious and effective line packed with natural, nontoxic elements. Below, our conversation with the skincare guru, who recently stopped in Dallas for a beauty event at Neiman Marcus.

How did you become interested in beauty?
I’m from Colombia. As a Latin person growing up in that culture, there is a lot of dedication to your beauty. We see it more as a pampering ritual, something that is automatic, like brushing your hair. We don’t approach the whole beauty process as a huge chore that no one has time for; we enjoy making ourselves more beautiful.

Tata Harper, who hails from Colombia, takes a natural and non-toxic approach to skin care.
Tata Harper, who hails from Colombia, takes a natural and non-toxic approach to skin care.

Why did you choose to make your products natural and organic?
When my stepfather was diagnosed with cancer, I ended going up with him to a lot of centers and clinics. He did a lot of Eastern and Western [medicine], and everywhere I went with him, I realized that lifestyle plays a huge role in our health and well-being. Back then, I thought the natural movement was more about the environment.

I didn’t realize it was something that had to do with your health and with the little things that you do. You start really paying attention. It becomes important to you, because if you don’t have health, you don’t have anything.

Must-have skincare products from your line.
The Regenerating Cleanser, Elixir Vitae, and the Elixir Vitae Eye Serum.

What are your tips for taking care of skin in the summer?
It sounds very cliché, but SPF is essential. In the summertime people get really sweaty and there is a lot of humidity in the air, so you might want to switch your regular daytime moisturizer with a hydrating essence, like liquid moisturizer. The other thing is exfoliation, not only for your face but for your whole body.

Favorite makeup look.
I take a very minimalistic approach. I love the skin to be fresh and clean. I love the radiant glow, makeup that looks like you’re not wearing anything.

What is your definition of beauty?
You can look the best that you can, whether you like the natural look or the super made-up look. However you choose to express your beauty, it comes in a very original way. Everybody is different; we all have our pros and our cons, but we can all find that spot where we look our best.

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