Our latest Beauty Boss is Anisha Khanna, President and CEO of Sonäge—a line of professional grade skincare that is natural, effective, and cruelty-free. The award-winning spa brand is known for its its minimalistic skin routines and high-quality innovative ingredients for every skin type. They offer a Skin IQ test on their website to help customers find the best products for their specific skincare needs.

Working with top scientists in Europe and Los Angeles, Sonäge balances the best in modern skincare science with the incredible healing powers of Mother Nature. Their products are manufactured in small batches on a frequent basis so they can incorporate new research and best practices into their products, and they’ve also perfected their revolutionary formulas with botanicals, active plant enzymes, and pure essential oils minus the harsh chemicals in order to achieve beautiful, healthy, and radiant skin.

Sonäge also has a flagship skincare studio in Santa Monica, CA where they offer a wide variety of treatments including their Glow Rejuvenating Facial, which promotes cell turnover and stimulates collagen production in order to reveal hydrated and healthy skin.

We chatted with Khanna, who shared the inspiration behind the brand, secrets for success, wellness tips, and much more.

When was Sonäge founded and what does the name mean?

Sonäge /sôn•äge/ (n) is derived from the French expression, “Bien porter son âge,” which translates to, “To look good for one’s age.” But our mission goes beyond that. Sonäge advocates a holistic lifestyle, changing the way we treat our bodies to feel good for our age. Sonäge was founded in 1994.

What inspired the creation of the brand?

At Sonäge, The New Natural is all about working with the finest skincare chemists in Paris and Los Angeles to combine advanced scientific efficacy and deliver results. The New Natural is based on proven research and is formulated with the safest and best healing natural ingredients like botanical oils and naturally occurring enzymes to deliver real improvements to the texture, function, and appearance of the skin. We leave out toxins, harsh dyes, and chemical preservatives. We create a balance of fabulous, affordable, and effective products that are fantastic for your skin and are packaged in eco-friendly containers that are kind to the environment. 

At Sonäge, with every day and every product, we are uniting the finest natural healing ingredients with the science behind the best skincare delivery systems. The brand was originally created as safe and effective systems for the day spa professionals (estheticians). We have a progressive treatment protocol that improves the quality of our clients’ skin without being aggressive or sensitizing it. In 2016, we started selling products and home care routines direct to consumers. Over the pandemic, our DTC business overtook our wholesale business 3X.

Does Sonäge have a hero product?

The one product that encapsulates the essence of our brand is our bestseller exfoliant, Glow to Go Glycolic Acid Peel Pads. Having our roots in spas, we are known for our signature proprietary glycolic chemical peel formulations. Glow to Go is the lower-strength home use version of the same professional formulation. It allows clients to continue their spa experience at home.

What are your favorite products from the brand?

I change my routine seasonally. Currently my focus is targeting my fine lines and plumping my skin. My routine is as follows: cleansing with Sonäge Hydrating Cleanser, toning with our Hydrating Mist, exfoliating with our Glow to Go Glycolic Pads (once a week), nourishing with our Vegan Collagen Serum and finally moisturizing with our recently launched bakuchiol based Refixion Sans Retinol Crème.

Where are your products sold?

Sonäge is sold in over 750 spas nationwide, Amazon Premium Beauty, and via our own website.

Future plans for the brand?

We are a small company, and integrity is everything to us.  I personally test every product, and so does each member of our team.

We take incredible strides to make sure the ingredients in our products are rigorously tested and can coexist in balance and harmony over an extended period of time, especially when exposed to different environmental conditions. Most importantly, our primary goal is to make sure our products are safe and remain safe for even the most sensitive skin.  

We manufacture in small batches every 90 days, which in this industry is a blink of an eye, and we guarantee the efficacy of all our formulas, which means they do what we claim they will do for two years!  

We are at the intersection of being small enough that we can change and adapt, but we also have a deep history which is usually enjoyed only by legacy brands. We have consistently delivered superior products with amazing results to our customers.

Our future continues to prioritize innovating safe and effective formulations and routines for our clients so they can live their best life.

Who inspires you?

I am inspired by my mentor and first boss Lavinia Errico, the founder of Equinox. Working with her inspired in me a passion for wellness. And I think of Sonäge as a wellness business. Our whole approach to skin care is about things that work, that have both practical utility and are also good for your skin. Sonäge is non-toxic, natural, holistic, and it is also influenced by the way I grew up in India, and my interest in Ayurvedic principles of balance and wholeness. 

And, something else that is very important to me is that Sonäge is affordable. And we are always struggling with that—to keep the highest quality and level of product that is still natural and affordable. So Sonäge isn’t just a beauty brand to me, it’s the apex of my passion for wellness, my commitment to quality and efficacy, and my belief that natural skincare should be available and affordable to everyone.

Secret to success?

I have the quintessential immigrant success story.  I grew up in India, with my grandmother’s remedies and purely holistic approach as a daily part of my life. At the age of 19, I moved to New York City with $20 in my pocket and picked up the habits of a typical American college student. Within months my body went into complete shock, with massive weight gain, skin breakouts and immune deficiency. 

It was through this health scare that I began my journey back to holism. I joined Equinox as one of the first employees in the early 90s.  Considered to be the first curated boutique fitness club, Equinox was founded by my boss who was someone seeking “wellness. This accompanied me on my own path of discovery; I became immersed in healing methods from different cultures and developed a support system of holistic, naturopathic healers. This became a tremendous eye-opener for me. I recognized that the root of all inflammation and reaction within the body and skin is a result of lifestyle, diet and environment. I made a commitment to find the root of my health concerns and to look at natural ways to heal—rather than immediately responding with a prescription for a quick fix. 

Being an entrepreneur, I wear a lot of hats and finding balance in my own life is the absolute holy grail. Understanding the power of the smart pivot, knowing what great collaboration looks like, understanding the role that consciousness plays in making good choices. I have built my success on being completely open to new experiences, persevering in the face of any obstacle, and recognizing that behind every roadblock there lurks genuine opportunity. 

Beauty secrets?

Beauty is definitely an inside job. To look and feel my best, I am intentional about my routine lifestyle activities like maintaining a healthy diet, regularly exercising, having a consistent skincare routine, and scheduling quiet time. These simple steps form the key to the glow on my face and to living a more fulfilled life.

If I am traveling or dealing with a family or work emergency and stop prioritizing my self-care, everything else follows suit. I feel physically and mentally depleted. My energy is down, my skin breaks out, and my self-esteem is in the toilet.

Wellness tips? 

Every part of our lifestyle and the decisions we make around diet, environment, and what we use topically affects our skin. The immediate conversation around us is that if something is wrong, go to a doctor and get a prescription rather than first taking a step back to address what is happening at the root. How do we encourage the mother to take her 13 year old to an esthetician? Or the woman, like myself, who has discovered a skin abnormality to pursue a safer, natural-alternative?

If I can offer a face wash that is $20 to get people off the chemically-laden commercial products they are using, this career path is worth it to me. We need to talk to consumers about the availability and effectiveness of natural products and routes to address health concerns.

Best advice?

Covid has been an emotional rollercoaster for all of us—but it’s been especially challenging for our industry. The spa industry has undoubtedly faced a series of setbacks with the business restrictions put in place during the pandemic. But I live by the old saying: “When life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, break the surface, and breathe again…choose joy and meaning!”

Favorite way to relax?

Gentle exercise helps me relax, taking a walk outdoors or hatha yoga. I also schedule 10 minutes daily for deep breathing and meditation.

For more information, visit Sonäge’s website and follow on Instagram: @sonageskincare

[Images courtesy of Sonäge]

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