Ikram Elharti

Founder & CEO

SAHARA ROSE

Why is CEW membership important to you?

CEW is an important trade organization in the beauty industry.  It is important to belong to for 3 main reasons.  First, as a small Indie beauty brand it allows me to learn and keep updated about the industry news and regulations.  Second, the  networking opportunities are invaluable.  You can have access to industry leaders, press, and even vendors and suppliers. Third, as a trade organization,  CEW also fights and has the objective to advance the beauty industry in general.

Do you have any tips for getting the most out of CEW membership?

Being active and involved in events can be very rewarding.  The quality of people you get to meet is exceptional. A mentorship program is also offered by CEW and is also another invaluable benefit that can tremendously impact a person’s career or business.

What is the most exciting aspect of your current role?

The most exciting aspect of my role as a founder of the SAHARA ROSE skincare brand is that I get to dream, create, and execute to achieve my vision.  It is so exciting to be able to live and realize your dream and learn everyday new aspects of the business and meet incredible people that I might not otherwise have had the opportunity to even know about.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working?

The women I grew up with really believed in taking good care of themselves.  I grew up as a little girl, at the entrance of the Sahara Desert, in environments that are not good for our skin, such as dry air, or extremes of heat or cold.  I would watch my grandmother and her friends gather to indulge in lush products that made their skin soft and helped them relax too.   When I became a new mother, it was such a busy time taking care of others, that it was hard to find time to take care of ME.  I saw that this was a challenge for so many women I met.

When I am not working, I like to take a moment of pure indulgence for myself. I indulge from head to toe in Sahara Rose. It is an experience, a treat, that I look forward every time I have a moment for myself. It’s like a mini vacation because the smells and feel of the products transport you.