Long before she built her eponymous skincare company, Tata Harper’s story began in Colombia. She grew up in a culture where self-care routines were a non-negotiable. “People take pride in caring for themselves through routines, treatments, and wellness practices for the whole body: hair, skin, nails, and more,” she said.
But it wasn’t until a major turning point in her life that she thought of starting a skincare company. In 2003, her stepfather was diagnosed with cancer. His doctors cautioned against using harsh chemicals and toxic ingredients. When Harper looked for clean alternatives, she found that the skincare market was mostly dependent on synthetic, lab-created compounds.
Determined to make a change, Harper didn’t just start a brand; she sparked a movement. Since traditional manufacturers couldn’t produce her formulas, she applied her engineering background to building her own lab and manufacturing facility that would make skincare products with only natural origin ingredients. Today, her brand is a huge success because she refuses to cut corners and insists on full transparency.
Here, she shares her journey of discovering how true luxury skincare means harnessing the power of nature.
American Essence: You were born in Barranquilla, Colombia, and later built a global brand in the United States. What first drew you to the United States and inspired you to start your business here?
Tata Harper: I came to the United States in the fall of 2000, following love. Growing up, I was surrounded by entrepreneurs, and many members of my family owned businesses, so entrepreneurship was always part of my life. What drew me to the U.S. from a business perspective was its unique entrepreneurial culture. In many countries, starting and growing a business can be much more difficult, but in the United States, entrepreneurship is widely embraced.
AE: What parts of your Colombian upbringing still influence the way you think about beauty, wellness, and entrepreneurship?
Ms. Harper: From a very young age, my mom was always finding ways to keep my sister and me busy and working toward something. In Colombian and Latin American culture, there is a strong sense of pride in hard work. As a teenager, I made and sold things, and those experiences were incredibly formative.
AE: The idea for Tata Harper Skincare emerged from a very personal experience within your family. Could you share how that experience influenced your understanding of health and everyday products?
Ms. Harper: After my stepfather was diagnosed with cancer, he would travel from Colombia to the United States for treatment at some of the country’s leading hospitals. I vividly remember going with him to one of his first appointments and being surprised when the doctors began asking detailed questions about the soaps, cleaning products, food, and everyday household items he was using. They even asked us to bring in the products so they could review the ingredients.
The medical team had a long list of ingredients they no longer wanted my stepfather exposed to. They spoke about toxic load and environmental exposures, including pesticides and plastics. Today, people are increasingly aware of issues like microplastics, but I have been thinking about these concerns for more than 20 years.
That experience completely changed the way I looked at health and everyday products. As I began searching for skincare products that met the standards I was looking for, I realized there were very few luxury products that were both highly effective and pure. We wanted to harness the power of natural compounds and formulate products with a high level of purity, transparency, and performance.
AE: What were some of the biggest challenges in building an on-site formulation and manufacturing operation from the ground up?
Ms. Harper: It was incredibly challenging, but for me, it was the only way to do it. When we started developing Tata Harper products, no one in the world knew how to make what we wanted to create. It took five years of research and development and close collaboration with 12 to 15 scientists to figure out how to naturally preserve, emulsify, thicken, and combine high-performance active ingredients into effective skincare products.
Having complete control over quality was incredibly important to me then, and it still is today. We formulate, develop, and manufacture our products in our own lab and batch room. Being directly involved in every step of the process allows us to maintain the integrity of our formulations and ensure that every product meets our standards and also rigorous third-party certifications like Cosmos and ECOCERT [for organic and natural cosmetics].
AE: What were some of the most important principles or standards you established early on that still guide the company today?
Ms. Harper: From the very beginning, one of our most important principles was creating products with an exceptionally high concentration of active ingredients. We were never interested in creating single-active products or following a minimalist approach to formulation. Instead, we made a deliberate decision to create products that are fully loaded with powerful ingredients that work together to deliver results.
Another foundational principle was our commitment to 100 percent natural origin ingredients. We chose to work directly with ingredients derived from nature (and all over the world) and develop innovative ways to maximize their performance. Those principles continue to guide every decision we make today.
AE: How do you define “luxury” in skincare today, especially in a world where the term is often used in very different ways?
Ms. Harper: I define luxury in skincare as creating the best product possible without compromise. It’s about exceptional ingredients, meticulous manufacturing, and a relentless focus on performance, not cutting costs. The experience and results come first, and that naturally costs more. Tata Harper products are for people who want the highest level of quality, performance, and craftsmanship—and, of course, trust.
AE: What trends in skincare do you feel are most misunderstood or overlooked today?
Ms. Harper: One example is that daily exfoliation is often misunderstood. Many people assume exfoliation has to be aggressive or irritating, but when done gently, it can be one of the most important steps in a skincare routine. Every day, dead skin cells, environmental particles, and buildup accumulate on the surface of the skin. Gently removing that layer helps keep skin fresh, smooth, and radiant.
AE: Looking back on your journey so far, what feels most meaningful to you about what you have created?
Ms. Harper: What feels most meaningful to me is connecting with our customers and community. There is nothing more rewarding than meeting people who truly understand the products, appreciate the level of care that goes into creating them, and recognize how special they are. Seeing how our products become part of people’s lives and routines is incredibly fulfilling.
On a personal level, it’s also been meaningful to show my children that it’s possible to create something special from end to end. Building a company from scratch has taught them that important things can be accomplished through hard work, passion, and perseverance.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
From Sept. Issue, Volume VI
