
Meet Tata Harper, Mother of the Green Skincare Movement
Written by Erin Feher
Photography by Photographed by Erica Allen
While many of us are just waking up to the importance of non-toxic skincare—that what we put on our bodies is just as consequential as what we put in them—Tata Harper was at the forefront of the clean beauty movement. She launched her eponymous line of luxury serums, lotions, and cleansers nearly 15 years ago, and has since inspired a whole new industry of farm-to-face skincare. The beating heart of her clean beauty empire is a 1,200-acre farm in Vermont, where she grows and harvests the organic ingredients used in her Tata Harper products, and where she lives and is raising her three young children: Hunter, Grace, and Tata Mia. The Colombian native invited us onto her magical property to talk inspiration (it’s everywhere), organization (it’s essential), and the entrepreneurial spirit passed down by the women who came before her. Click though for a closer look at this very special person and place.
- "I have three amazing children—Hunter, 9, Grace, 8, and Tata Mia, 6. We live on a farm in the Champlain Valley of Vermont. Because of this, we have a lot of animals and pets! Right now, we have two rescue horses (Hollywood and Dolly), eight dogs, barn cats, around one dozen sheep, a miniature goat, a permanent family of ducks, and roughly one hundred Scottish Highlander cows."
- "Every day is a different adventure and I get to watch my three kids grow up into unique individuals."
- Tata wears a Nili Lotan jumpsuit. Hunter wears U.S. Polo Association shorts and J. Crew shirt. Tata Mia wears a Bon-Ton dress.
- "I feel that 'nervous' is not the right word. Perhaps what I think about the most is raising children that share similar values and know the importance of being kind and compassionate. I think about giving them the right examples and showing them how to be good citizens of the world. I also feel it’s so important for children to learn to love themselves, and love what makes them unique…I think these are a few of the things I think about most often."
- "That’s a tough question. I think one change is you realize how selfish you once were with your time and operating your schedule. Once you have children, it’s so important to manage time really well. It’s also so important to get the support you need so you can continue being productive and do all the things you still need to do for yourself, your career, etc. There are definitely sacrifices—and perhaps one too many trips to Disneyland—but motherhood is such a beautiful gift…no two days are ever the same!"
- "People always told me how everything would change when I became a mother, but I feel the reality is that what changes the most is how you spend your time. Being a mother is all encompassing, so scheduling my time and staying organized has become key for me. "
- "It’s important to me that I teach them to be considerate, kind, and compassionate people. I help them set boundaries and try to teach them how the world works. At the end of the day, I want them to have fun and enjoy their childhood and use their imagination as much as possible. "
- "I'm the co-founder and co-CEO of Tata Harper Skincare. When we started Tata Harper Skincare, my goal was simple: to create the best, most luxurious skincare company in the world. One that was natural, non-toxic, and completely non-artificial. Back in 2010 when we launched, the idea of an all-natural non-toxic luxury beauty brand was revolutionary. Today it’s no longer the exception, it’s the rule and we’re proud to have pioneered the movement. We don’t outsource or take shortcuts, we do it all ourselves. We formulate, batch, and fill every single one of our products in our own Vermont lab on our 1,200-acre Certified Organic farm. It’s this hands-on craftsmanship and vertical integration that guarantees our freshness, the purity of our ingredients, and the transparency of our process."
- Tata wears a Pippa Holt dress and Sensi Studio hat.
- "As a young girl growing up in Colombia, I grew up in a household of women where beauty and self-care were very important. To be honest, I never thought I would be where I am today. I actually studied to be an industrial engineer! It was when cancer hit someone close in my family, and through helping them change their lifestyle, that I started to examine everything that I was putting into and on my own body. I realized just how important lifestyle is—the things we continually do day in and day out, our habits play such a big role in our health."
- Tools of the trade.
- "For both mothers and fathers, you adapt and change to make parenting and your career work. My kids are very connected, they understand what their mom does. They are exposed to so many people and ways of thinking, I incorporate them into my work life fully. "
- "Creating skincare products that make women look and feel beautiful without a single drop of artificial chemicals. My customers will never have to choose between natural and high performance or safe and effective."
- "Staying super organized—I spend a lot of time planning my time."
- "I hope to continue doing what I’m doing. I want to continue to innovate without taking any short cuts and providing my clients with the best 100% natural and non-artificial products with high-performance ingredients from around the world."
- "Yes, having a support system is so important. Surrounding yourself with family, friends, people who can make you laugh on a bad day is essential."
- "I am a maximalist and not a minimalist when it comes to skincare. That said, as a working mother of three kids I like to get my skincare routine finished in under 5 minutes in the morning. I save time by layering products and not waiting for each one to absorb before applying the next. I start by polishing dry skin with the Regenerating Cleanser to remove buildup—I’m a firm believer in daily exfoliation. Then I really drench my skin with Hydrating Floral Essence. I like my skin to be really saturated when I apply serum, it helps it penetrate further. Next is one of the most important anti-aging steps: serums. Right now, I’m using two serums, our Elixir Vitae and Boosted Contouring Serum on my face, neck, and chest. Then I do eye care—I really like to layer on the eye area and keep it super hydrated. I start with Elixir Vitae Eye Serum followed by Restorative Eye Cream on top. Finally, I apply Illuminating Moisturizer, and finish by massaging Retinoic Nutrient Face Oil on top."
- "My wellness routine is extensive. Everything from nightly baths, supplements, lots and lots of water, working out daily, meditation, yoga, etc."
- St. Agni shoes and Sensi Studio hat.
- "I always make time for self care and do everything in my wellness routine regularly."
- "Comfortable, colorful, chic."
- "Yes, comfort and practicality are key! Keep it simple with denim, flats, t-shirts, etc. Jewelry wise, the smaller/more delicate the better."
- "My go-to are jeans, a t-shirt and blazer, with loafer. I am always colorful—I never wear black."
- "Kite, Nili Lotan, Ulla Johnson, Stella McCartney, SEA, Tome are a few designers I’m loving right now."
- "I’m all about a lot of colors and patterns in my outfits, which I’ve loved seeing trend this summer. Also, a beauty trend that’s here to stay and I am a major fan of is the no-makeup trend. There's nothing more beautiful than to have healthy glowing skin and the confidence to show it."
- "When I travel I love stopping by local boutiques or vintage shops, but otherwise I do all my shopping online."
- "Integrate your children into your life as much as possible…your job, travel, and different experiences."
- Tata wears a Goop G. Label shirtdress and Jil Sander sandals. Hunter wears Gap jeans and shirt. Tata Mia wears a Stella McCartney dress.
- "I grew up in Colombia in a household full of women in a very entrepreneurial family. My mother and grandmother would host weekly spa parties using DIY masks and homemade skincare concoctions. This fostered a love of beauty and self-care in me from a young age. 'Self Care Sundays' is a tradition that I’ve continued and now do with my children every week."
- "Honestly, no one can fully prepare you to be a mother. That said, some of the best advice I got was the importance of making time for myself and doing what I love. I feel this helps me to be a better mother overall."
- "Same as my previous answer!"
- "I read a lot of books, but nothing fully prepares you. One book that a number of mothers and expecting mothers who work with me rave about is Bringing Up Bébé ."
- "Hunter is really into ice hockey, Grace loves dancing and hip-hop, and Tata Mia loves ballet and violin classes."
- "Hunter—we loved the name and that its unisex. "Grace—my Colombian name is Graciela, which is Grace is Spanish. Tata Mia—is named after me."
- "Our farm property, which is both where we live and where Tata Harper Skincare is headquartered, was an old dairy farm from 1820. It is on 1,200 acres of land and had been abandoned for quite some time when we bought it, so it had a lot of character and charm. We kept as much from the original 1820 structure as possible, including the wood floors. Instead of a dairy farm it is now a skincare farm!"
- "Colorful, comfortable, and rustic chic. It’s a mix of antiques and Americana—easy and comfortable to live there with three kids."
- "No."
- "Kid friendly is the most important factor when decorating. Beyond that, my décor focuses on being comfortable, warm, and inviting, and that everything has its place."
- "My favorite pieces of furniture have a story and memory behind them. For example, our red velvet couch I bought on a trip to Maine, I have a dresser that I found during a motorcycle trip in South Dakota, and my bed frame was built in a Pennsylvania Amish Community out of white birch. My favorite artwork is anything my three cubs make for me."
- "Of course, they can play in any room of the house! We did convert our garage into a playroom that is totally theirs to keep their toys, puzzles, Legos, paints, dolls, etc. It’s a kids’ zone!"
- "I’m lucky that my kids are open to trying different foods. We eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, salads, nuts, chicken, fish, and rice. Right now we love to cook Spanish tortillas or roasted cauliflower with cheese."
- "Probably the playroom—we are always in there together weeknights and weekends."
- "The back porch in summertime. It’s where we gather to relax and spend family time together."
- "Love it!"
- "There is so much room to run around, the kids can explore and play in the farm and gardens. It’s peaceful and private."
- "I’ve lived in a lot of places throughout my life. Having our farm in Vermont was always a dream and something we decided to do while living in Miami. I’m always open to new things and new places, but our Vermont farm will always have a special place in my heart."
- "Shopping, antiquing, getting ice cream, and spending time together in nature."
- "Living in Vermont, a lot of what I do with my kids happens outdoors and in nature. We love hiking, rock climbing, exploring, going to the lake, etc. I love antiquing and so do my daughters, that’s a weekend activity that we do together often."
- Tata wears an Odd Molly shirt and Ralph Lauren jeans. Tata Mia wears a J. Crew shirt and Gap jeans.
- "Any sort of spa or wellness retreat is my go-to for 'me time.' I love Mii Amo in Arizona—I go there for a mind, body and soul reset."
- "Waking up with my cubs in bed, cooking breakfast together. We love being outdoors and spending time in nature together—hiking, going to the lake, day road tips, antiquing together. We love finishing our day with a movie, dinner, and ice cream to cap it off, of course!"
- "I love how different they are from one another. In addition to everything we do together as a family, I also make plans with each of them individually where we do something that they love. Hunter I can talk to about anything, he is like a little adult. I forget he is only nine sometimes. He loves to learn, ask questions, and understand things. He is super inquisitive. He loves what I do and loves learning about the company. Grace is so witty and free spirited. She’s a people’s person and makes friends super easily, she always makes me laugh. Tata Mia is my baby and is super girly, loves fashion, and playing dress up."
- "My mother taught me since I was very young to see skincare as a way of taking care of yourself. I’m grateful she taught me to see beauty not as an extravagance but as a way to better yourself and make yourself feel and look great."
- "Honestly, so many different mothers from all over the world inspire me for different reasons…it’s impossible for me to just pick one!"
- For more on Tata Harper and her clean skincare brand, check out her site and follow her on Instagram.
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