An Interview with Sara of Alima Pure

We love being in the same city as Alima Pure and are so grateful that we have been able to work so closely with them. Recently we had the opportunity to interview Sara, brand director of Alima Pure and daughter of Alima Pure's founder, Kate. Below we're sharing all of her thoughts on the questions that we asked!

What has been your favorite experience with Alima Pure since it has launched as a business?

I have two tied for first: working so closely with my mom and traveling to meet our customers around the world.

What have you enjoyed most about working with your mom at Alima Pure?

I learn so much from her example. She expertly balances strength and kindness.

What is your vision for Alima Pure for the next 5 years?

I just had a flash-forward and realized that in five years I will have been working at Alima Pure for 17 years! Without revealing too much, there is an initiative that is close to my heart that I would love to see launched and flourishing in 5 years time.

What was your vision for Alima Pure today, 5 years ago?

Five years ago we only had loose powder products and a tinted lip balm. Our goal was to grow and expand the product offering to include refillable compacts, mascara, pencils, and liquid products.

How has Alima Pure changed as a brand since the business was first launched?

The look and feel of the brand has evolved, but our goals and values have remained the same.

What is your favorite part about living in Portland?

The food! We have such an abundance of good food. And Forest Park.

Are you and your mom Portland natives?

Neither of us is actually; we moved here when I was a toddler.

What is your biggest dream for Alima Pure?

My wish for Alima Pure is to provide people with a tool that can be used to help them feel confident and comfortable in their own beautiful skin.

What are some of the reasons that you and your mom decided to do a rebrand for Alima Pure?

We wanted the external representation of the brand to mirror how we viewed it as a team. We were SO excited to tackle that project and to finally see her vision fully articulated.

What was included in the rebrand and how did it change the company and the brand?

The brand update included all of our primary (jars, tubes, etc) and secondary packing (boxes), our brand colors, our brand fonts, and a subtle refresh for our logo. It was a holistic update to the visual representation of our brand. For me, it also felt like the moment we really came into our own.

What are your favorite hangouts in Portland?

I have so many. Accanto, Noraneko, Nongs, Wilder, Good Coffee, Santa Cruz in St Johns for tacos, Coopers Hall for wine, Laurelhurst Theater, Rontom’s Sunday Sessions, Forest Park, Powell’s, and any and every grocery store as I have yet to find one that doesn’t fascinate me.

What is your favorite Alima product?

Like choosing a favorite child! I love Satin Matte Foundation and recommend it to everyone. I find myself reaching for our Lip Tints most frequently (I love Calla and Currant). There is also a new product I’ve been working on that I can’t stop wearing, but it’s still top secret.

What is your role at Alima?

I’m the Brand Director. We’re still a small, indie company, so in practice that can look like a lot of different things. We all wear a lot of different hats, sometimes simultaneously. For me that looks like a healthy mix of marketing, product development, graphic design, photo editing, and travel.

Come on in to Echo next time you are in The Pearl District to try on some of Alima Pure's natural and game changing make up products!