Founder Cindy Barberes’ experience of a family member struggling with addiction inspired a commitment to clean products created with quality, safety, and transparency in mind. Cindy’s goal with each H. Honeycup product is to exceed the current practices in the U.S. beauty and cosmetics industry to ensure H.Honeycup’s products are supportive of a clean and nontoxic lifestyle. In fact, H. Honeycup donates products to those in recovery with the hope that it helps them heal mind and body naturally.
Our exclusive interview with Cindy provides insight into the motivation behind creating her plant-based body care company H. Honeycup, and their newly MADE SAFE® Certified products.
What inspired you to start this venture?
When I launched H. Honeycup in 2017, I knew I wanted to focus on natural ingredients and giving back to the community. After a successful corporate career, I was ready for a change. I didn’t plan to become an entrepreneur although my father and grandfather had their own businesses.
I decided to leave the financial sector and pursue something entirely new. I wanted to create a tangible product that you could hold, feel, and smell. I combined my expertise with that of my husband, who has over two decades of experience manufacturing personal care and similar products. We’ve been a great team. I’m truly amazed by this opportunity and how we’ve become a true wellness company.
Our company values include cruelty-free and sustainable practices as well as avoiding ingredients like parabens. Having my own company allows me to support those in recovery – which is important to our family. In fact, H. Honeycup donates to recovery centers to help the residents with their clean-living journey.
Why is giving back to recovery and sober living centers important?
We had an immediate family member struggle for many years, and I feel it’s a daily battle. Observing their recovery for a few years, and the lifestyle of people in sober living, I see how focused they are on a clean lifestyle. And their friends are similarly focused…it’s a really great community. So, I knew that it made perfect sense to donate products to those in recovery, because I’m creating clean beauty.
How are your products different than other products in the industry?
The mission of our company – to help those in recovery by donating safe, nontoxic body care – is at the core of who we are. Our body care products are developed by an experienced formulator and are manufactured in a facility that complies with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Now we are adding another layer of credibility with the MADE SAFE certification for specific products. We strive to educate consumers about what safe beauty is so they know what to look for and can find high quality products.
What do you wish shoppers understood about the kind of products you make?
Nontoxic beauty products can be as effective as other beauty products. We see products that claim to be natural yet include “fragrance” in their ingredient list – which often means chemicals. Other products have images of fruits and herbs on their packaging but do not contain these natural ingredients. All H. Honeycup products are vegan and cruelty-free. Some are purposely made without water. We also share upcycling ideas for each product on our social media. It is very important for H. Honeycup to demonstrate our commitment to safe beauty to consumers.
Why is it important for you to have third party validation for your products?
I want consumers to trust H. Honeycup to provide safe body care products. Because there are no legal definitions of the words “clean” and “natural,” these words hold very little weight. The little U.S. regulation of ingredients in the beauty industry means that having a third-party validation offers clarity and builds trust. We believe that by having products certified by MADE SAFE, we’re clearly conveying what we mean by safe and nontoxic body care.
What is your concern around chemicals in our daily lives?
Chemicals in beauty products soak into our skin and can affect our health. Many people have sensitivities to these chemicals. There are so many safe alternatives now that there is no need to introduce these chemicals into our bodies.
Having a family member who embraces sober living gives us the inspiration to use safe ingredients and vetted suppliers. We feel confident that our MADE SAFE Certified products can be safely used by anyone pursuing a clean lifestyle.
Thank you, Cindy, for helping us introduce the MADE SAFE community to H. Honeycup. We’re so thrilled to share about these MADE SAFE Certified products!
► For a current list of MADE SAFE® certified products from H. Honeycup, visit this page.
► Use the code MADESAFE for 20% off your purchase of MADE SAFE Certified products by H. Honeycup – offer does not expire.