Hey there,
I’ve never been very good at pretending. It’s why I’ve never been interested in the kind of fear-based or unattainably-aspirational marketing that would probably sell more skincare but would feel bad in my bones.
So let’s be honest: 2025 was a hard year. It started with closing our facility for a week because the LA wildfire smoke made the air inside unbreathable, which certainly set a tone for the year. Tariffs, economic uncertainty, and a changing beauty landscape hit Stratia hard, just like so many other small businesses in the US.
But as hard as it was, this year has had a lot of blessings, too.
- As a company born, bred, and based in LA, we were able to give back to our city in a big way after the fires. This whole year, we’ve worked closely with Mutual Aid LA Network, serving as their storage and sorting facility as they connect donations with affected communities. We’re also working with Save the Tiles, which salvages craftsman tile from the Eaton fire in Altadena, then remediates, restores, and returns the tiles to the homeowners.
- Our small team (Evan, Grecia, Amy, Daisy, Asia, and Shayda) have made this Stratia dream a reality, creating not just the skincare you know and love, but a genuine community at our little LA facility.
- We’ve continued to do everything ourselves, from formulating (me) to manufacturing (Grecia and Amy) to shipping (Daisy and Asia). That means we’re more sustainable, more reliable, and we have more freedom to create the products we’re truly passionate about.
I’ll end with what became my mantra for 2025:
A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.
Thank you, from the bottom of my soul, for your support this year.
Wishing you a happy new year, and that the seas of 2026 are maybe a little less turbulent.
- Alli
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