Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cristina Guerra. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cristina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I am a native Austinite and grew up shopping at Whole Foods when it was a tiny store on N. Lamar. I was used to shopping in bulk and bringing my own bags. I knew that single-use plastics were causing so many problems from environmental to health issues. I also saw Austin go through rapid non-stop growth in a short period of time. I remember seeing the rivers and lakes when I was a little girl and they were clean and clear. Austin still had a very small-town feel back then. Today that is not the case. The waters are murky and dark and full of litter. As much as I tried to reduce plastic in my own home, it felt like I should be doing more. I also grew up with two parents that were politically active and believed that it is our social responsibility to take action when necessary to affect change. One year, in an effort to stop the holiday cycle of waste created from gift wrap and excess packaging, my family decided to have a travel experience instead of buying gifts. We flew to Seattle and then took a bus to Vancouver. I was instantly impressed with the Seattle airport and even the streets because they had separate bins for Recycle, Compost & Landfill throughout the city. On the bus ride to Vancouver, I kept seeing social media posts about animals in the sea and the woods that had stomachs filled with plastic. I saw an article about the Great Garbage Patch that is larger than Texas. It made my heart hurt and compelled me to find a way to do something about it. I started thinking about all the different products we use daily and how they all come in single-use plastic containers. Whole Foods and other natural grocers had plenty to offer in the bulk food department, but no one was offering non-food items in bulk. I decided that items like shampoo, conditioner, and cleaning supplies should also be available in refillable containers. I set out to find a way to make that happen, and Luxe Refill was born!

Cristina, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was a stay-at-home mom with my 3 children before I started my business. My family has been in Austin for several generations, so I grew up with Whole Foods and understood the importance of organic foods and clean ingredients. I love cooking, learning about nutrition, and creating new healthier versions of traditional favorites. This led me to take that passion into body care products. I started making gifts for family and friends like Body Butter and After Shower Oil. I researched every ingredient I used and continued to improve my recipes over time. I also helped my daughter start a Bath Bomb business to raise money for a school trip to Italy. We created recipes for several products with clean ingredients and plastic-free packaging. During that time, I became acutely aware of the Plastic Epidemic. Austin had gone through a plastic ban that was then overturned in court. Locally, it seemed like people were just giving up on reducing plastic waste, but everything on social media was pointing a spotlight on the problem to raise awareness. I knew that something had to be done, and if I had the ability to take action, then it was my social responsibility to do so. I made the decision to start a Refill/ Zero Waste business. My passion for creating body care products along with a desire to teach my daughters what it looks like to have an idea, create a business plan, and then bring it to life was what drove me to start Luxe Refill. My daughters have been a part of this business from day one and still work with me at the store today. I am proud to say that we are the largest Zero Waste store in Austin. We offer everything you need to reduce plastic waste for your home and body care! Luxe Refill also has the largest selection of refillable body care products that are all made in Austin, Texas. We teach classes and even offer our classroom space for other educators to rent. My dream & goal was to create a space that felt like a community where we could collectively solve the problem of how to reduce plastic waste. So far, we have hosted classes for groups like girls night out, book club, bridal shower, and teens who wanted to learn about sustainability. We are actually coming up on our one-year anniversary in October and I am humbled every day to see the support and growth we’ve achieved!

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

Luxe Refill has products that I manufacture myself as well as some that are made by a local Austin manufacturer for us. Initially, I wanted to be able to manufacture all the products myself, but as I began adding more to the line, I quickly realized this was not sustainable and I wouldn’t be able to scale quickly. I took some online classes about formulating products and was able to learn how to source a manufacturer. In my search, I was so thrilled to find a company in Austin that has been creating clean, vegan, eco-friendly products for over 20 years. This was a huge help because one of my goals was to reduce carbon from shipping liquids long distances. It was also important to me to support local businesses as much as possible. What I have learned is that many of the products we use on our bodies have harsh chemicals that can be highly toxic to us and the environment. It took me nearly a year to research and choose the ingredients that we use in our products. I had to make sure that the manufacturer I worked with was in alignment with my values and was equally committed. I learned that working with a manufacturer is like having a business partner that you completely trust. I have to put my trust in them to create my products in a consistent and timely manner. I am so grateful to have found a local company that fulfills all of our needs.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Early on in my journey, I discovered a Facebook group called Biz Chix. It was also a podcast that I listened to and from there I learned about another podcast called The Product Boss and The Brainy Business. I eventually took a mastermind class with the Product Boss which was a huge help in teaching me tools to help grow and scale my business. The Brainy Business is a great resource for learning the “why” of how people buy. It focuses on behavioral psychology and helps me understand how my business is essentially asking people to completely change the way they consume products. I also enjoy the feeling of being a part of a community that is experiencing the same things I am on the entrepreneur journey. Finally, I also belong to a Facebook group for Zero Waste Shop Owners. This is such a niche business that having a group to connect with, share wins/ losses, ask questions and get support from has been invaluable.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.luxerefill.com
• Instagram: @luxerefill
• Facebook: @luxerefill
• Linkedin: Cristina Guerra

Image Credits
J. Love Photography