Beauty Boss: Kate Fish, Founder of Katari Beauty, Is Known as the Indiana Jones of Beauty and Travels the World Searching for the Purest Ingredients
Kate Fish.
Our latest Beauty Boss is Kate Fish, Founder of Katari Beauty—a clean beauty brand known for its elemental nature. Her products—ranging from skin and hair oils to floral waters and perfume—are each made from one pure, exceptional ingredient such as jojoba oil or Tunisian green clay.
Nicknamed the “Indiana Jones of Beauty,” Fish has traveled the world in search of the purest, best ingredients—and it all started with a life-changing trip she took to Tunisia, where she learned the locals’ simple yet effective approach to skin care. All her products are free of any harmful ingredients, fillers, colors, and mixers,
Katari Beauty also has a positive impact on the earth and are created sustainably by artisans, including their glass bottles that are hand-blown in Egypt. Fish regularly meets with the artisans she works with and maintains close relationships with them and their families.
We chatted with Fish who shared her favorite beauty and wellness tips, secrets for success, best advice, and much more.
When was Katari Beauty founded and what does the name mean?
Katari Beauty was founded in 2010 and the name is a spin-off from my name, Ekaterina. In Greek, Ekaterina means “pure.” And the idea behind Katari was to re-introduce the world to the “pure, timeless, and elemental” beauty of the ancient Mediterranean.
What inspired the creation of the brand?
When I traveled to Mediterranean Tunisia for the first time in 1997, I absolutely fell in love with the simplicity and uniqueness of beauty rituals and recipes. Everything was “elemental.” Most beauty recipes had single ingredients that were not mixed, but used “as is” individually, like rose water, clays, and oils. This reminded me so much of the arctic North where I grew up, minus the gorgeous sea and warmth of Mediterranean sun.
We used simple natural remedies for most things as well. As life seemed to become more complex and everything even in beauty became processed and complicated, I wanted to share timeless staples that effortlessly worked for thousands of years.
Each of Katari Beauty's products are made from simple yet powerful natural ingredients.
Does Katari Beauty have a hero product?
When I had one kid, I did not know that it would be possible to love more than one kid. But once I had another one, it was only natural. The same happened with Katari products. My first “baby” was our Tunisian Green Clay, or as we call it “Argil”—from French Argile Verte (green vlay). It took me many years to find a clay with this unique chemical composition. It is short of a miracle—a multi-tasker for any skin type, hard-working to clear skin yet super gentle for anyone to use. And I started Katari with just this one product.
The second product I fell in love with and I absolutely cannot live without is Hoba or jojoba plant wax. It is a must-have for anyone with skin. It is my second “baby.”
Where are your products sold?
As of this year Katari Beauty can be found at 25 stores of Ten Thousand Villages across the U.S., at multiple beauty stores, boutiques, spas, refill stores, zero waste stores, medical and organic spas, gift stores, and home accent stores. Our customers come from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia. We sell wholesale at katariskincare.com and retail at kataribeauty.com. And we are so proud to do everything in-house. We source every single ingredient directly through long-term relationships we have built with our artisans. We make hand-blown glass and use sustainable cork instead of plastic for closures. We hand-fill and hand pack everything with love in Denver, Colorado.
Future plans for the brand?
Slow and steady is our mode of operation. We are not trying to become the biggest beauty brand in the world or cater to everyone. We are adding products very slowly. We just launched a 2-scent oil perfume line called Amatevi “Love One Another” we crafted in the capital of perfumes, Grasse, France; and our customers are obsessed. Apart from that, we hope to grow organically and continue delivering ancient Mediterranean beauty staples made with love, packed with gifts and with handwritten notes. We want to keep it special for every customer!
Fish has been nicknamed the "Indiana Jones of Beauty" because she travels the world in search of pure ingredients.
Who inspires you?
For years now, I think my inspiration has been Richard Branson. In one of his interviews, I read just after I launched Katari, he said that, “You don’t have to be an a**h*le to be successful.” I love this so much! Everything his team and he does is creative, fun, and inclusive.
Secret to success?
Honesty and hard work, owning every mistake, and putting customers first every time. It’s a challenge when packages get stolen or are delivered in bad shape or when we make a mistake and have to reship products. We always fix it at our cost. No questions asked. And we stand behind our products unconditionally. That is the policy. Even if your newly purchased bottle of oil spilled when you were using it and it was not our fault at all, but you let us know, we ship another one to you for free. We just do it. Maybe it is not the most economical way to run a company, but in my heart I know that it is the only way I would do it. .
Beauty secrets?
Before I started Katari, I asked my grandpa who was then in his 70s, why did his skin look so good and so young? And he told me this story: “Once a face asked a butt, how come you are so smooth and plump; and I use all kinds of creams and potions and still look so wrinkly and dry? What is your secret? And the butt answered: “Because I do not give a s**t!”
Fish regularly meets with the artisans she works with and maintains close relationships with them and their families.
Wellness tips?
Hydration, walking, exercise, learning new things to keep your brain engaged. I’m not saying I have always been good at doing all these things, but as years go by, I put more and more emphasis on health and self-care. As we age we do not recover as fast, we’re not as limber, and we’re more prone to injuries. What works for me is waking up before kids to do 20 to 30 minutes of exercise or yoga. And squeezing a walk into my day, during which I practice Italian. And not being lazy to run up and down the stairs and treating every physical activity, even cleaning and moving furniture, as being great for my body!
Best advice?
When I was 20, coming to the U.S. for the first time, I heard someone say that no one dies in the U.S. from hunger, there is food in dumpsters behind Starbucks. When hunger is out of the equation, there is no ceiling to what you can achieve. This country gives you help, grants, mentors, education—you just have to go after it. All this help and resources were there for me, an immigrant, and it is here for anyone and everyone to create their own American Dream! It just takes a lot of hard work.
Favorite way to relax?
In winter when I’m not traveling, I love knitting (if my kids let me!) When I’m traveling, I love being close to the water—I love walks on the beach and emptying my mind. When your mind is empty of daily chores, it fills up with creative ideas.
For more information about Katari Beauty, visit their website and follow on Instagram: @kataribeauty_
[Images courtesy of Katari Beauty]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk