Get to know Angela Ubias, co-founder of Common Heir.
Byrdie/Angela Ubias
Welcome to Byrdie’s new series, The Hustle.
Angela Ubias is a name in clean beauty you should know.
Byrdie/Angela Ubias
And by 2016, her career reached new heights as she became the vice president of special projects.
But after spending nearly a decade building other brands, Ubias felt called to create something of her own.
You studied communication, media studies, and English in college.
Byrdie/Angela Ubias
What did you initially want to do professionally?
What were some of the roles you held after graduating?
Even with those interests, I still had no idea I would wind up in beauty.
Byrdie/Angela Ubias
Then, I began studying communications and media studies.
I thought I might do PR or something adjacent to the entertainment industry.
I went to Texas State University and Stony Brook University.
So, it was good to figure that out while I was that young.
And that led me to think that fashion was the lane I wanted to be in.
After college, I was a buyer for a couple of years at a boutique in Austin.
But, I realized that still wasn’t what I wanted to do.
I knew I wanted something different.
They were hiring for an entry-level sales position.I applied and went in for an interview.
I was so underqualified for the position but somehow managed to win over the founder and CEO.
She called me later and offered me the job.
And that’s how I fell into clean beauty.
You spent seven and a half years with Texas Beauty Labs.
Tell me about the various roles you held there.
At the time that I started, there were maybe 9-10 employees.
It was a very small company.
I quickly fell in love with learning how manufacturing works and how products are made.
While I was there, we had a very large account come in.
But, something about that call just felt very right.
And that wound up helping us scale Texas Beauty Labs.
That experience helped us land on INC’s top 500 list twice within 18 months.
What are the three biggest career lessons that you learned while at Texas Beauty Labs?
One big thing I learned is there is no substitute for on-the-ground learning.
For example, some days, I was washing dishes and helping to fill products in the back.
So there’s something to be said for on-the-ground training and learning in that way.
Another thing is it’s all about relationship building.
At Texas Beauty Labs, I helped build this reputation for really great customer service.
It allows for honest and open lines of communication.
Lastly, it’s important to have fun and ask questions.
That’s why I learned all the things I did.
Was there a specific moment you realized you wanted to venture out and start your beauty brand?
Around year four or five at Texas Beauty Labs, I realized I have a knack for product development.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stay in beauty or learn something completely different.
Then, a former client turned close friend introduced me to my now co-founder Cary Lim.
Cary and I had what I thought was going to be a throwaway conversation.
She flew to Austin, and it went well.
And then, in February of last year, I flew out to LA to meet with her again.
And that was a trip that I decided I was going to move forward.
But during that time, I found myself super passionate about building it.
Common Heir didn’t look like everything else coming out in the next two to four years.
So, in May of last year, I moved to Common Heir full-time.
My friends and family believed in me but thought I was a little crazy.
But, I always trust my instincts.
With Common Heir, you’re focused on building the future of sustainable beauty.
What does that mean to you?
You know you’re going to be able to recycle it or compost it.
The supply chain has been thought all the way through to be the most sustainable it can be.
We saw no luxury or premium brands tackling sustainability with the same level of thoughtfulness behind it.
But, we also want to be transparent and say we’re not perfect.
For example, I don’t consider myself a zero-waste person or anything like that.
I think it’s impossible to achieve that.
But we also draw attention to the third-party certifications that back up our biodegradability and recyclability efforts.
As the co-founder and CPO, what do your typical weekly duties consist of?
A lot of things I do during the week are not glamorous, to be honest.
I handle our fulfillment center and check that all of those things are running smoothly.
Being a front-facing founder is also a new thing for me since I previously worked in the background.
People will DM me on our brand account and my account asking skincare questions.
Beyond that, I focus on product development.
Right now, I’m in development with a few new products.
The development cycle can take a while because of the diligence I take with each of our raw materials.
When work feels stressful, what do you do for self-care?
I take time for my skincare every day.
But doing my skincare routine relaxes me.
It just feels like a lovely reset.
Outside of that, I do make a run at shut my computer off at a reasonable hour.
I’ll place it somewhere away from the common areas of the house.
That signals to my brain that it’s time to relax and binge-watch something on Netflix or Hulu.
What does beauty mean to you?
How have your experiences and identity shaped your philosophy on beauty?
Beauty is anything that makes you feel fabulous.
On the weekends, she would let me go into her bathroom with her and watch her get ready.
What are your current favorite beauty products?
Obviously, our Vitamin C Serum is one of them.
My favorite cleanser is the Eminence Organic Stone Crop Cleansing Oil.
Cleansing oil is amazing for the skin, and I think that it makes a world of difference.
I’m also into brows and have probably tried every brow gel.
Right now, I’m feeling theKosas Air Brow.
I’m into any kind of blush.
I’m also always about a red lip.
I feel it’s so powerful, and everyone looks amazing in a red lip.
My all-time favorite is Fenty Beauty’s Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored.
As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Angela Ubias is passionate about supporting LGBTQIA+ organizations.
