AINA REIG / ARTISAN SOAP CRAFTER

WE RECENTLY COLLABORATED WITH 33 TO CREATE A SMALL CAPSULE OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND SUSTAINABLE SOAP BARS. THE BRAND’S FOUNDER, AINA, IS AN EXTRAORDINARY HUMAN BEING: WHILE BEING A FULL-TIME YOGA INSTRUCTOR, SHE IS DEVELOPING A BRAND OF HANDMADE SOAP BARS - FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, ALL BY HERSELF. SOUNDS EXCITING? THAT'S WHY WE DECIDED TO MEET AND THROW SOME QUESTIONS AROUND, AND WE FOUND EVERYTHING SHE SAID WAS INTERESTING AND MEANINGFUL. HOPE YOU ENJOY!

DEFINE AINA IN 3 WORDS.

INTENSE, EGOCENTRIC AND SENSITIVE.

WHAT MADE YOU SEE AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE WORLD OF HANDMADE SOAPS?

I DIDN'T SEE AN OPPORTUNITY. I ALWAYS LOVED MAKING POTIONS, CONCOCTIONS, ELIXIRS, NATURAL REMEDIES... I AM A GREAT DEFENDER OF HOLISTIC AND NATURAL MEDICINE. ONE DAY I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SOAP. HOWEVER, IT IS TRUE THAT, AFTER DOING IT FOR A WHILE JUST FOR THE LOVE OF ART, MY PARTNER HELPED ME SEE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

DO YOU THINK HYGIENE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR DAY TO DAY? LIKE HAVING A DAILY CARE ROUTINE...

OF COURSE. I AM VERY INTO ROUTINES OR RITUALS, AS I LIKE TO CALL THEM. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT I ALWAYS DO WHEN I WAKE UP AND BEFORE I GO TO BED. I REALLY ENJOY DOING IT. SOAP IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE USE IT WITH WATER. WATER HAS THE CAPACITY FOR MEMORY AND CONSCIOUSNESS. THE WATER MOLECULES BECOME EVERYTHING THEY COME INTO CONTACT WITH. IT TAKES EVERYTHING YOU NO LONGER NEED; NOT JUST DIRT OR SWEAT. WE CAN USE IT TO CLEAN UP WHAT HAPPENS TO US. IF YOU NOTICE, WHEN YOU FEEL BAD OR YOU ARE VERY TIRED AND YOU TAKE A BATH, THEN YOU FEEL MUCH BETTER, RIGHT?

YOGA INSTRUCTOR, A SOAP BRAND... IT ALL SOUNDS GREAT... HOW DO YOU FACE THIS NEW STAGE OF YOUR LIFE?

YES, I WAS ON MY WAY MANY YEARS AGO, BUT IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO SEE. ALTHOUGH THE PURPOSE OF THIS LIFE, FOR ME, IS TO LIVE IT, NOW I AM FINALLY BEGINNING TO SEE MORE CLEARLY WHAT I CAN PROVIDE AND HOW I CAN EARN MONEY. I AM CURRENTLY HEALING MY PAST RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY. I DEMONIZED IT AND NOW I AM FINALLY READY TO LURE HIM OUT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. DO YOU THINK THAT, THROUGH SMALL INITIATIVES, BIG CHANGES CAN BE MADE? CAN WE, THROUGH DAILY GESTURES, MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

YES, OF COURSE. IT'S WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO. I DID NOT LIKE MANY THINGS ABOUT THIS DISINTERESTED YET SICK SOCIETY IN WHICH WE LIVE IN AND I SUBSTANTIALLY CRITICIZED EVERYTHING. THAT IS, UNTIL I GREW WEARY OF MYSELF, WITH THAT ATTITUDE, AND DECIDED TO BE THE CHANGE I WANTED TO SEE ON THE OUTSIDE.

WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY FOR YOU? ALL THE PRODUCTION PHASES OF YOUR PRODUCT TAKE GREAT CARE OF THESE DETAILS.

YES, THAT’S WHAT I LIKE THE MOST ABOUT WHAT I DO. MY FATHER IS A LIFELONG CRAFTSMAN AND I LEARNED THAT FROM HIM. FOR ME, ARTISANRY IS SUSTAINABILITY.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SOAP AND WHY?

THE ONE WITH COCOA AND COFFEE, BECAUSE IT IS EXFOLIATING AND REALLY SOFTENS MY SKIN.

33, THE AGE OF CHRIST, WHY THAT NAME?

JESUS OF NAZARETH IS A CHARACTER THAT I LIKE. I AGREE WITH HIS TEACHINGS, BUT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. IT IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE OUT OF THE UNDERSTANDING OF OUR MOST RATIONAL AND ANALYTICAL MIND. THE 33 IS LIKE A GUIDE, SUDDENLY IT WAS EVERYWHERE. I READ A BIT OF NUMEROLOGY AT THE TIME AND UNDERSTOOD MORE. THE 33 IS ALWAYS THERE AND I WANTED TO CALL THE BRAND THAT, ANY NAME SEEMED PRETENTIOUS TO ME.

CITY OR COUNTRY?

CITY AND COUNTRY AT THE SAME TIME HAHA.

SEA OR MOUNTAIN?

MOUNTAIN!

YOUR BEST TOOL TO RELAX?

MEDITATING EVERY DAY, NOT WHEN I WANT TO RELAX, BECAUSE IT THEN BECOMES A DIFFICULT TASK. MEDITATING HELPS ME TO BE AT MY CORE AND NOT DISTORT REALITY AS MUCH.

WHAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT ROUTINE FOR YOU?

THE FIRST THING I DO WHEN I WAKE UP, NO EXCEPTION, IS WASH MY TEETH AND FACE. AFTERWARDS I DRINK HOT WATER WITH VINEGAR, GINGER, TURMERIC AND PEPPER.

WHO WOULD YOU LOVE TO TEACH A YOGA CLASS?

MY GRANDFATHER.

WHY?

BECAUSE HE IS A MAN WITH BRUTAL ENERGY AND LOVES TAKING CARE OF HIMSELF.

A MOVIE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED TO LIVE IN?

2 FAST 2 FURIOUS, THE DEVON AOKI ONE... LOL NO, I DON'T KNOW. ASSASSINATION NATION. EYES WIDE SHUT. COYOTE BAR HAHAHA.

MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC, IF YOU COULD ONLY CHOOSE ONE GROUP / SINGER?

DANCING IN A PLACE WITH LOUD MUSIC IS ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE THE MOST. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CHOOSE, I ADORE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MAKE MUSIC. I LOVE TRANCE, HARDCORE, SEXY LATIN FEMALE MUSIC...

AND FINALLY, TELL US SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO IN THE COMING MONTHS.

PUT PRACTICALITY INTO PRACTICE, STOP THINKING AND ANALYZING SO MUCH AND DO MORE!

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