SpaBeauty - Interview with Marina Miracle
Marina Took A Chance
Marina E. Engervik, the entrepreneur behind Marina Miracle, shares her personal experiences, helpful hints about social media and her top 5 must-haves for those who has a webshop.
Marina (27) is originally from Båtsfjord (Northern Norway) but living in Oslo. She has always thought of herself as a strong-willed person. - If I have a thought, an idea, I always do something about it. I am a sensitive, dreamy and creative person. I'm not a realist, but I'm a positive person. If it doesn't go my way right away, it will eventually, I just have to continue on my way. This setting has always driven her, but what helps her the most is her personal mentor and life partner who always supports her, her husband Martin. - Without him entrepreneurial life would have been very difficult. All entrepreneurs need a person who always stands by your side and help you through the roller-coaster-like syndrome that occurs when you start to make your dream come true.
Severe Atopic Eczema Was The Beginning
Marina was born with atopic eczema. When she was 4 years old, her whole body
was covered with eczema. - My skin was inflamed and I had to lie in hospital for several weeks. She had treatments that would remove inflammation, in the form of creams with cortisone and other synthetic drugs. She got better but still had eczema covering large parts of her body. After a while with many trials
of all sorts of medications and creams, her loving parents got the advice: oil from the Evening Primrose plant.
- I started taking this oil every day, and eczema withdrew. I also applied the oil on my skin and the eczema were finally under control.
A poor snob!
Marina grew up with loving, kind parents who always did the best they could. For long periods they had very short of money. - I've been a real ''poverty
snob'' as we northerners of Norway call it. I have very little or no money, but still I have to have ''the best''. Luckily I was taught that if I don't have the money, I can't buy it.
- So I saved up money and bought ''the best'' my money could buy of creams from the large, well-known brands where the products are tempting you with their shiny wrappers, says Marina. After several years of using skin care products with synthetics her skin said stop. Marina got red rash, deep acne, oily and dry areas. Her skin was damaged, but positive as she is, she thought that this probably was just a phase. After several months with doctor visits and expensive skin therapy. The skin was still damaged and she was tired.
- I found out that I was over-sensitive, perhaps allergic, to synthetic substances that are most common skin care products. I looked at myself in the mirror and decided there and then that I would take care of this problem myself.
The Road To The Miracle
Google, You Tube and skincare blogs focusing on 'Do-It-Yourself' recipes were her obsession the next year. - I had in mind how Evening Primrose oil treated my eczema. Oils can indeed heal diseased skin. This idea spins in my head.
Marina gradually discovered the effect of different herbs. She read a lot about active plant extracts. This was all-consuming. She began to mix oils together with herbs and plant extracts. After a year of this, she had researched to a formula and her skin was healthy again! - I started talking to all my friends and family about my discovery. I shared my oil mix with those I knew that had skin problems. After a few weeks my oil got the nickname ''The Miracle Oil ''. I was so happy when I saw that all my friends and family who used ''The Miracle Oil '' got healthy skin. Word spread quickly. Friends of friends began to contact her because they had heard what oil mixture could do. Then she saw an opportunity. She clearly saw the market needs around her for effective, all-natural face oils and took a chance.
From Idea To Reality
- Early one morning I had the day off, my husband, Martin, was on his way out the door to get to work and I told him that I would spend the day to create a logo because I wanted to start selling the oil I made. I'll never forget his reaction! He smiled at me and said: ''That's so exciting, It will be a success!''After a week of thinking and long lists of name suggestions for her new ''gold mine'', she came to the name; Marina Miracle. - I was inspired by