Twenty years.

Two decades of handcrafted, USDA-certified organic skincare, rooted in something beautifully simple: the understanding that what you put on your body should be just as clean and nourishing as what you put in it. 

As we celebrate this 20-year milestone, we wanted to do something that felt as personal as the products themselves: a proper sit-down with co-founder Christina Sirlin to take us back to where it all began.

We asked Christina everything, from her earliest memories of starting Honey Girl Organics to the one product she'd bring to a deserted island (her answer did not disappoint).

This is twenty years, in her own words!

Time to Spill the Honey

When you think back 20 years, what’s the very first memory that comes to mind about starting Honey Girl Organics?

I was sitting with Gwen Maxfield and Anthony Maxfield, fellow co-founders of Honey Girl Organics, on their deck one afternoon, enjoying the outdoors, talking about how happy we were to have created products for ourselves that solved so many of our skin issues. We felt so fortunate that they were made with food-grade ingredients, worked so well, and lasted a long time, that we were inspired to find a way for more people to experience the same relief we found with these gentle and powerful formulas.

Did you always know that Honey Girl Organics would become what it is today, or did it evolve in unexpected ways?

Well, it definitely evolved in the most wonderful, unexpected ways!

We honestly felt lucky that we weren’t in a rush to grow the business. The slow-and-steady pace gave us the freedom to obsess over the quality of our mission and ensure that every cream and serum was perfect.

We started out by talking to local health food store owners and sharing our story at farmers’ markets, where the “buzz” around our products grew faster than we imagined.

What started as a few jars for friends soon grew into sharing our story and products with customers across the US, and educating folks on why clean, simple, and organic ingredients matter, especially when you don’t use synthetic preservatives. It was truly inspiring to see how well our products were being received, even though clean beauty was a rather new concept back in 2009. 

When you started Honey Girl, clean beauty wasn’t really a thing yet. What did it mean to you back then?

After many years of eating clean with as much organically and locally grown food as possible, our bodies were feeling better – more limber, improved mental clarity and creativity, better sleep, etc. The next step was natural – to clean up what we put onto our skin. Clean beauty is important because so much of what we put on our bodies goes directly into our blood stream. Since skin is a filter and absorbs much of what you put on it, from birth control patches to lotions, we wanted to make sure everything we made was loaded with nutrients and free of harsh chemicals like parabens or silicones.

How did becoming USDA organic certified in 2011 mark a new chapter for Honey Girl?

Becoming USDA Organic certified in 2011 was definitely a turning point—it was like turning our already-clean skincare into a full-blown detective story! While we were already using amazing organic ingredients, this new chapter meant documenting everything. We’re talking tracking every single batch from ingredient to final product with extreme precision, plus yearly, deep-dive audits and site inspections. It was more work, but it proved that our commitment to purity wasn't just talk—it was legit. It brought a lot of credibility to our mission of creating the cleanest skincare on the planet.

I am so proud of our incredible team for passing these audits with flying colors every year. When you see that USDA Organic seal, you know we haven't just checked the boxes; we’ve lived up to the highest standard of organic and clean beauty!

What makes working with beehive ingredients so special?

Beehive ingredients smell sooo good! The beeswax has such a deep honey fragrance, and the raw organic honey with royal jelly floating through it also smells amazing. The beeswax, honey, and propolis are all packed with beneficial skin ingredients, and I feel very fortunate that Anthony was able to find a way to blend them into formulas that were so effective for Gwen and my skin, and now for so many others, many of whom have struggled with issues that are now resolved.

What’s something customers might not realize about the care that goes into each product?

Customers may not realize the precision with which we formulate our products. They are USDA-certified organic and food-grade, and all ingredients must be properly handled and kept at low enough temperatures during the formulation process to retain their nutritional value. This provides our customers with bio-available ingredients, meaning more effective skincare and better results. 

If you had to pick just ONE Honey Girl product to take with you on a deserted island, what would it be and why?

This is a tough question, and I really had to think about this one because I love all the products and have many favorites. I guess I’d say if I had to choose one, it would be Super Skin Food. It’s the richest and most healing cream we have and can easily be used as a face cream when applied to damp skin (the damp skin thins it out a bit). It’s also great on any and all trouble spots you might have, like cuts, scars, eczema, etc. On a deserted island, I’d probably need the most healing cream available due to the lack of modern amenities!

What’s your ideal spring skincare routine?

Since spring usually brings increased humidity, sweat, and allergens, skin can experience increased oil production, clogged pores, acne, and sensitivity.

I’ve found that following this simple routine works perfectly:

Cleanse → Tone → Moisturize → Protect

For the moisturizing step, I recommend layering any of our facial serums and then following up with one of our Face & Eye Crèmes.

However, if you have acne-prone skin, I recommend using Matte or Super Skin Food during the day, and don’t forget to use Protect as the final step. And then at night, switch to one of the Night Crèmes  for deeper nourishment.

I also love pairing either spring routine with the Facial Scrub and Rejuvenating Mask 1-2 times per week, which helps enhance the effectiveness of the entire routine.

Spring is the perfect time to free your skin of dead skin cells and help even your skin tone!

A helpful tip: Start with small amounts (about pea-sized) since HGO products are very concentrated. Applying products to slightly damp skin immediately after toning helps maximize hydration and allows them to absorb beautifully.

What’s one product you wish more people knew about?

The Mana After Shave is one of our new products and currently my favorite serum. Although I don’t shave my face, I use this serum daily, followed by either the Rose Night Crème or Matte, which are two additional products that I wish more people knew about.

The Rose Night Crème is also one of our new products. It’s incredibly luxurious and smells divine. 

Matte has been around a while, and the reviews say it all. It absorbs quickly and leaves a long-lasting protective matte finish that’s noncomedogenic (doesn’t clog pores).

I’ve been enjoying using both of these products this spring (alternating) after the Mana After Shave Serum.

Getting a chance to sit down and talk with Christina felt exactly like using a Honey Girl product: intentional, genuine, and leaving you with that warm glow you didn't know you needed.

Twenty years in, the heart behind this brand is stronger than ever, and if this conversation is any indication, the next twenty are going to be just as inspiring!

PS If you loved this little peek behind the honeycomb, we want to hear from you! Drop a comment below and let us know, because we have two more founders and a whole hive of amazing team members with stories worth telling. The more buzz we hear, the more sit-downs we'll bring you! 🐝

Aloha,

Christina Sirlin
Co-Founder of Honey Girl Organics