In the studio with... Ripe

 My name is Adriana, the maker behind Ripe. I live in Southern California and I make bath and body products such as lip balms and lip scrubs, perfume oils, sea salt soaks, skin cream, cuticle oils, aftershave, and lots more.

Thrive: What got you started on this creative path and how long have you been at it?

Adriana: I started in the summer of 2012 after I was searching for a coconut lip balm but could not find one to my liking. I figured that I could make my own and from there I did lots and lots of research and started my line of products with 10 lip balms, 10 perfume oils, and 4 bath salts. I focused on fruits, florals and other “ripe” things and took inspiration from scents, flavors and fragrances that I have always been drawn to.

T: What is your favorite thing about being a business owner?
A: My favorite thing is being able to get an idea and make it happen. When you are the owner you have the freedom to do so and this makes the creative process much more limitless and enjoyable.

T: Explain your creative process.
A: Looking back I think that the most inspirational thing for me is food and drink. I get a lot of creativity from what I enjoy eating and drinking. If I am consuming say a fresh kiwi juice I’ll get an idea in my head that it would make a great lip balm and then I think what other fruit might pair well with it, and in that case passion fruit came to mind which is how I came up with that flavor combo for a lip balm. From there I look for flavor oils that would work and then wait patiently for them to arrive before I get in my kitchen to experiment with ratios to get the blend just right. Sometimes it is trial and error and I’ll start again, but most times I’m pretty good at picking good combinations of flavors and scents.

T: Favorite thing about your studio space?
A: My favorite thing is that my dogs and my husband live there, so when I need to take a break they are not too far away.

T: What keeps you motivated?
A: My customers keep me motivated because I love the idea that something I created is working for them and is reminding them of a certain person, mood, place or time in their lives. That is the wonderful thing about scent and flavor – it is memory.

T: What music do you play in your studio get you in the creative mood?
A: I love Pandora radio and I tend to alternate between M83 radio and The Psychedelic Furs radio.

T: When the sky is falling and work is overwhelming what do you do to relive stress?
A: I take a walk. I get out of the house and unplug from my phone and computer and spend time with my family and friends. A good slice of pizza and some I Love Lucy episodes help too.

T: What’s the best advice that you have been given?
A: You can’t please everyone and you have to do what you love and what inspires you.

T: What is your favorite place in the world?
A: Any beach on Maui.