Like a Mother: An Interview with Lisa Dolan of LARK Skin Co.
We’re thrilled to begin a new interview series on The Daily Wild called Like a Mother, featuring a St. Louis woman that is truly inspiring. Lisa Dolan is disrupting the beauty industry by building a skincare brand with radical intentions. Her plan is to encourage confidence, instead of showing women what they need to fix—definitely something we can get behind. And she’s doing it all in St. Louis while raising her sweet little boy.
We chatted with Lisa about being a mother, an entrepreneur, and what it’s like to build a business. She also gave us a few great date-night recommendations. Meet Lisa Dolan of LARK Skin Co.
Tell us about LARK and what it means to you. Also, tell us a bit about your background.
LARK means a lot of things to me. I started the company shortly after my mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The idea for the brand came to me during meditation, and honestly, for that first year, it was really just a way to distract myself from the grief. It kept me motivated and moving forward which was something I needed so badly at the time. Now it is so much more, and I cannot believe what we’ve accomplished. I’m so proud of our team and the new messaging we’ve created with our Campaign for Confidence. Our goal is to create a space in the beauty industry to make women feel not only beautiful but also empowered.
A bit about me: I grew up in St. Louis and after graduating college went to school for cosmetology. I started doing hair but quickly realized I wanted more and went back to school for photography and sociology. After graduating with my degree I pursued a career in photography for about five years before starting LARK. It definitely hasn’t been the most linear career path, but I’ve had a lot of experiences and the flexibility was great when my son was young.
Tell us about your children (or pets!).
I have a six-year-old little boy named Liam, and we have two dogs, Teddy and Cooper.
How has motherhood informed your career, if at all?
It’s made me want to work harder and give my son experiences I never had. Travel is something that I try to prioritize because I feel like he learns so much when we travel.
What does being an intentional mother mean to you? What about an intentional or conscious business owner?
To me, it means slowing down and being present (as much as possible!) which is incredibly difficult when you are self-employed and own your own business. There is always something competing for your attention. I try and put boundaries in place as much as possible so when I’m with my son I can be as present as possible. I’m far from perfect, but it’s a work in progress.
As far as being an intentional/conscious business owner, we try to be as conscious about our ingredients and packaging as much as possible. Environmental sustainability is important to me, as well as clean ingredients. We want people to get a great product at a reasonable price point from a brand that has a strong message. We really want to take a stand against traditional beauty messaging and how terrible it makes women feel about themselves. For so long we’ve accepted this idea that the beauty industry can tell us we’re ugly and need to “fix” something about ourselves. It’s time to embrace what makes us unique and truly love the skin we’re in. It’s important to me to build a company that inspires women and builds them up instead of breaking them down. I think we’re on to something.
I think so too! How has becoming a mother changed the way you think about your own mother?
IT HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING. I used to hold such high expectations for my mother and definitely didn’t see her as an actual person [laughs]. I realize now--and especially since she has passed away--that our parents are just people going through their own struggles and trying to keep it together for their kids. They have good days and bad days and work drama and conflict in relationships. Looking back, I don’t know how my mom did it all. I have so much admiration and respect for her now.
I don’t know who said this but it’s so true, “Parent the child you have, not the child you thought you’d get.” I feel like it’s so easy to get wrapped up in this idea of who our children should be, that we forget to just accept them as they are.
-Lisa Dolan, LARK Skin Co.
How do you decide what products to use on your children, pets, self, and in your home?
I do A LOT of research. I’m kind of a freak about ingredients. The majority of the products we use in our home are products that I’ve vetted and sell in the shop. That’s one of my favorite perks of the job. I reference the EWG skin deep database a ton to check ingredients. I used to be better about making a lot of our home products (laundry detergent, cleaning products, etc) but I’ve found that there are so many good products on the market now that I don’t have to!
Your brand and shop are beautifully designed. Talk about the ideas behind that messaging. Does that philosophy extend to other areas of your life? For example, how you dress? Or, how you decorate your home?
Thank you! Everything about LARK is inspired by California. I feel most at home there. I try and visit at least once a year. The brand came to me during meditation while I was in California, so it’s kind of been a theme for my life! I love that light and bright vibe with lots of natural elements. I love the simplicity of the shop and that it’s open and airy. We try and curate it with items that are unique and that we truly love. Everything I bring into the shop also ends up in my own home. I wish I were more of a minimalist in my home and wardrobe, but it’s more of a work in progress!
You live in St. Louis, right? Tell us about your neighborhood and why you like the city.
I live in Webster Groves. I feel like WG is having an awakening! There are lots of neat new things coming to the area and I’m happy to be a small part of that. I’ve spent a lot of my life wishing I could live anywhere but St. Louis, but I’m realizing that it’s not bad, and I can be a part of the change I want to see here. As midwesterners, we can be slow to change, but I think Webster has its finger on the pulse. We live about 3/4 of a mile from the shop and love to walk to restaurants like Clover + The Bee and Balkan Treat Box. I’m excited for what’s to come, especially on our little strip.
What's your favorite thing to do with kids in St. Louis?
I’ve really started to appreciate all of the parks and trails this year. My son is finally old enough to be able to go for a decent hike and we’ve been heading to places like Powder Valley and Emmenegger Park. I never realized how close we were to such great hiking spots! Liam also loves to eat so trips to new restaurants and the Tower Grove Farmers Market is always a favorite.
What's your favorite thing to do without kids in St. Louis?
Haha, I don’t know - it’s been a while! Probably just have a date night with my husband at Big Sky Cafe in Webster! I also love the rooftop at Angad Arts Hotel.
How would you describe your brand aesthetic and your personal aesthetic?
California - is that an aesthetic? Ha!
Trust your gut. As women, I think it’s easy to second guess ourselves, but that instinct you have inside you is always right.
Also, don’t pay attention to what people around you are doing.
Do what’s best for you.
-Lisa Dolan, LARK Skin Co.
Share some parenting advice with us or simple philosophies you might have.
I don’t know who said this but it’s so true, “Parent the child you have, not the child you thought you’d get.” I feel like it’s so easy to get wrapped up in this idea of who our children should be, that we forget to just accept them as they are.
Great advice. What's some good advice you've been given by a woman?
Trust your gut. As women, I think it’s easy to second guess ourselves, but that instinct you have inside you is always right. Also, don’t pay attention to what people around you are doing. Do what’s best for you.
What is your beauty routine? And how does your wellness routine inform your beauty regimen?
It’s pretty simple. Mornings are usually just a quick wash with LARK’s Lavender + Neroli balm, followed by some Clove + Hallow concealer. Nighttime I usually cleanse with the balm, tone with our Tulsi + Rose toner, then apply our CoQ10 + Seabuckthorn Oil. Weekly I’ll use our Rose + Glycolic mask. It’s amazing this time of year! I think beauty is wellness, and what is going on internally is always reflected externally. Whenever I’m not getting enough water, or have been drinking too much caffeine or alcohol or eating too much sugar it shows up on my skin almost immediately.
What excites you about motherhood? What makes you the most nervous?
What excites me the most is watching Liam grow and understand the world. Seeing him learn to appreciate nature and travel makes me so happy. The coming teenage years make me the most nervous, especially thinking about him driving and being exposed to things like drugs and alcohol. I hope I can raise him to be strong enough to have a solid moral compass and to do the right thing.
I know you will! Can you name a few mother or women icons you have?
My mom definitely. She overcame so much and truly never gave up. She was a career woman and an amazing mother and I truly do not know how she did it all! I just got to meet Kerrilynn Pamer (the owner of CAP Beauty) and I was pretty starstruck. She’s making waves in the industry and she is a genuinely nice person which is very refreshing!
What advice would you give a budding entrepreneur?
Keep your head down, and trust your instincts. Don’t pay attention to what others are doing. Also, don’t compare yourself to others. It’s easy to see other entrepreneurs highlight reel and think that they had it easy or had something you don’t. All that you need is inside you and it takes a lot of hard work and time to get to where you want to be. Just keep on going!
What's next for Lark?
Eek - lots of things. We’re looking forward to the future. Expanding our line and getting our products onto the shelves of major retailers hopefully!
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Visit LARK Skin Co. to learn more about their wonderful products. And read more articles about motherhood, entrepreneurship and so much more on The Daily Wild blog.
The LARK shop is located in Webster Groves at 8709 Big Bend Blvd.
All photos are courtesy of Lisa Dolan and LARK Skin Co.