Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Zareen.
Hi Sarah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Love, Healing, and Heritage: The Story Behind Ishq Organic Skincare
Ishq (ee-shuh-quh) means love in Urdu, and that’s exactly what I want every product to carry. I’m Sarah Zareen, founder of Ishq, a first-generation, immigrant woman-owned micro business here in Oregon. Our mission is to make organic skin & hair care simple, sustainable, and accessible for everyone, while supporting racial and social justice causes locally and globally.
Rooted in a family of healers
I come from a long line of Healers in Southern India. Half of my family were gifted Yunani (Greek medicine) healers, and the other half were renowned Sufis, spiritual advisors to kings and guides to their disciples. I grew up absorbing wisdom from both branches, passed down in little and big ways. That’s the heart of Ishq.
Organic, non-toxic, and sourced locally in Oregon
Our skin and hair care is organic, non-toxic, and phthalate-free, and we source our ingredients from local Oregon farms and companies. Helping other small businesses grow while we bring you sustainable, accessible products makes me so happy!
Our values are the ancient values of my family, and they’re practiced by Indigenous people all over the world: buying local, eating seasonally, rotating your skincare with the seasons, and making sure the people who grow and make your goods are paid a fair living wage. That mix of Ancestral recipes and hyper-local, pure ingredients is what makes Ishq feel magical.
Products with a story
Each product has a story, and our local and international customers have shared how they found relief when nothing else worked. Customers tell us our Organic Scalp Oil has soothed chronic scalp psoriasis, reduced dandruff, and helped stop hair fall. Others tell us our Organic Face & Eye Night Serum has reduced under-eye pigmentation and smoothed fine lines. Our products are travel friendly, too.
Giving back at every step
Every part of production gives back to a community of makers and artists. It’s an honor to work with the Trans Women Artists of the Aravani Art Project, traditional toy makers of Channapatna, women learning to sew in a slum in Bangalore, tribal artists in West Bengal, tribal farmers in the Nilgiri mountains, the reclusive Toda women of Tamil Nadu, and farmers and artists right here in Portland, Oregon. Having their energy and soul infused into Ishq products is magic, and it adds to the healing our products bring to you.
A parting wish
Whatever stage of your healing journey you’re in when you use Ishq Organic products, my prayer is that they envelop you with the love and goodness we put into them.
Learn more at ishqskincare.com.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Building an Ethical Skincare Brand: Struggles, Self-Doubt, and Staying Grounded
No, it hasn’t been smooth, and I don’t think anyone building a values-driven small business would tell you it has been. Running a woman-owned, immigrant-owned micro business in Oregon has been some of the most meaningful work of my life, and some of the hardest.
Self-doubt and imposter syndrome
Imposter syndrome has been a constant companion. There were many days I asked myself, “Who am I to build a skincare brand? Do I belong in this space?” Even with generations of healing wisdom behind me, I questioned whether I was enough. Self-doubt can be loud, especially when you’re a first-generation founder carving out your own path without a roadmap.
Unlearning a colonized mindset
One of my biggest struggles has been dealing with a colonized mindset and its limitations. It’s the quiet belief that Western ways are the “right” ways, and that ancestral knowledge, like the Yunani and Sufi traditions I grew up with, is somehow less valid or less professional. Unlearning that has been a journey. Every time I choose to honor my family’s recipes and values, like buying local, working with the seasons, and paying fair wages, I’m choosing to decolonize my business, my beauty standards, and my own mind.
Standing up for justice has a cost
Ishq was built to support racial and social justice, and that means speaking up. I stand for the liberation of Indigenous peoples everywhere, including Palestinians. Taking those stands has cost me sales. Some customers, and stores, have walked away, and as a micro business that hurts. But I can’t separate my values from my work. A skincare brand rooted in love, Ishq, can’t stay silent when people are suffering. I’d rather have fewer sales and full integrity than the other way around.
What keeps me grounded
What gets me through is the foundation my parents and family gave me. They taught me humility, service, honesty, and compassion, and that your worth is never measured by profit. My faith keeps me solid. It reminds me why I’m doing this work and that I’m part of something bigger than myself. When doubt creeps in, I return to those teachings, and I’m steady again.
I share all of this because if you’re a founder who feels like an imposter, or you’re wondering whether your values are worth the cost, I want you to know you are not alone. The struggle is part of the story, and it makes the work more honest.
Explore Ishq’s organic, non-toxic skin and hair care at ishqskincare.com.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Ishq-Ancestral Healing for Skin & Hair?
Honest Skincare, No False Promises: What Sets Ishq Organic Apart
From the start, I wanted Ishq to stand out for the truths we tell. How many times in the beauty world have you been promised “clear skin in 2 weeks,” “healthier hair and skin in 4 weeks,” or a product that “gets rid of hyperpigmentation”? And how many times have you been disappointed?
We don’t make promises, and here’s why
At Ishq, we don’t promise results, because you can’t put a timeline on healing. We’re all beautifully unique, and our skin and hair are shaped by sleep, genetics, hormones, and what we eat and drink. One product rarely fixes everything.
There are two things we do promise:
– How good an Ishq product will make you feel
– That the entire making process stays true to Indigenous ethical values
Client results that speak for themselves
What we share is feedback from fellow clients:
– Clients using our Organic Face & Eye Night Serum have seen a visible reduction in under-eye pigmentation.
– Clients with scalp psoriasis have found a marked improvement in scalp health with our Organic Scalp Oil.
– Clients have seen a calming of their eczema with our Organic Indian Sandalwood Moisturizing Cream.
These are tried-and-true organic, non-toxic products, and the results speak for themselves.
Community over competition
Coming from a family of healers, I know community is the soul of everything we do, including how I run my business. I love shouting out and celebrating fellow small businesses, and I’ve even collaborated on a CBD face oil with another small skincare brand. There’s tremendous love and respect for others here. If my fellow skincare businesses do well, Ishq does well.
I’m well aware that the lack mentality was planted by those in power to keep us down, and I make a conscious effort to go against it. I buy from my peers, and I recommend them at every chance I get. A follow on Ishq’s Instagram ( @ishqskincare) will show you how much I value them. 🙂
Known for speaking truth to power
Ishq is known for speaking truth to power and for being unafraid to take a stance. We’re principled, and we stay that way even when it’s hard. That integrity is what our community counts on.
A place where you feel safe, included, and heard
I’m proudest of how safe and included people feel at Ishq. Our clients’ concerns are validated and listened to, never dismissed. Whatever you’re navigating with your skin, hair, or healing journey, you’re met with respect, honesty, and care.
Discover Ishq’s organic, non-toxic skin and hair care at ishqskincare.com.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Audacity, Tenacity, and Community: The Qualities Behind Ishq’s Success
If I had to name the qualities that matter most to my success, it would be audacity and tenacity. They’re the heart of how I run Ishq.
Audacity: daring to do it differently
It takes audacity to build an organic skincare brand on your own terms. Ishq doesn’t follow the usual beauty industry playbook. We don’t make big promises, we source hyper-locally from Oregon farms, and we take public stands on the issues we care about. Every one of those choices took nerve, and I’d make them again. Audacity means trusting my vision, even when it’s not the easy or popular path.
Tenacity: showing up and keeping going
Audacity gets you started, and tenacity keeps you going. As a micro business owner, there are hard days, slow seasons, and moments that test you. Tenacity is what has me getting up and showing up for my clients, my makers, and my community, no matter what. Ishq exists today because I refused to give up.
Honesty: the foundation of trust
Honesty is another big one. It’s why Ishq doesn’t make false promises, why we share real client feedback, and why we stay true to our values. People can trust what we tell them, and that trust is everything to me.
A hunger to learn
I’m hungry to learn new things. Whether it’s a new ingredient, a new way of working with local farmers and artisans, or a lesson from a fellow small business owner, I stay curious. Growth keeps Ishq alive and evolving, and it keeps me humble.
Community centered and driven
Community drives everything I do. My success has never been just mine. It belongs to the farmers, artists, makers, fellow small businesses, and clients who are part of Ishq. When the community thrives, Ishq thrives.
Audacity, tenacity, honesty, curiosity, and community make up the ingredients of Ishq, just as much as the botanicals do.
Explore Ishq’s organic, non-toxic skin and hair care at ishqskincare.com.
Pricing:
- $39
- $49
- $139
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ishqskincare.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ishqskincare/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ishqskincare/
