Meet Gisela Rocha, Founder of Untamed Naturals
We met Gisela years ago through social media while searching for women-owned brands to collaborate with. Since then, we’ve had the privilege of witnessing her brand grow, evolve, and strengthen its impact. We’re incredibly proud to see her building while staying true to the core of her mission and her “why.”
From Crisis to Creation
DCG: Your journey with Untamed Naturals began amid immense emotional weight, your husband’s cancer diagnosis while caring for a newborn. In that moment, what did motherhood and responsibility teach you about care, and how did it redirect your clarity toward creating something for others?
Gisela: That moment highlighted what I knew and felt my whole life, caring for others is part of who I am at my core. Every friends group has the “mom” character and even in High School I was always her so creating something that allowed me to care for others on a bigger scale came naturally and was so fulfilling.
DCG: As a Latina who immigrated as a child, how does your cultural heritage shape your mission to create accessible skincare? How do those roots continue to fuel your vision today?
Gisela: Caring for others is huge in the Hispanic culture. As soon as you walk in someone wants to feed you, make you a tea, give you a sweater even when it’s not cold lol Every single product is made intentionally with this feeling from our home to yours.
“Untamed Naturals has become our way of wrapping our community up in all the love and care that our Hispanic culture is known for.“
– Gisela Rocha, Founder
DCG: You decided that clean, safe skincare shouldn’t be a luxury. How do you see affordability as a form of care and perhaps even social justice for mothers and families who might otherwise be overlooked by mainstream beauty?
Gisela: For Untamed this translates into offering wellness essentials that help take care of you and yours and in this accessibility plays a major role. We are all aware our Hispanic communities are more often than not under paid. We know that women earn less than men. We know that families like ours are budgeting just like we do. We know what it’s like to have to choose between diapers or a good face cream, spoiler alert, Moms are putting back the face cream every time. I wasn’t about to create a brand that priced out the very people who we are trying to care for.
DCG: From ingredient sourcing to packaging, how do your values show up in the smallest decisions? Can you share an example of a tough choice you made and what it taught you?
Gisela: First thing that comes to mind is my packaging. Caring for people and for our planet can and should go hand in hand. Our jars are glass, the only plastic container we have is 100% reusable and made from recycled materials. It costs more all around to purchase, to ship and to work with but its worth it. You can’t take care of your skin at the cost of the planet, it just doesn’t work that way.
DCG: You describe Untamed Naturals as “generational wellness essentials for you, for them, for us.” What are the intergenerational bonds you’re hoping to nurture and how do those bonds breathe life into your brand’s soul?
Gisela: When my daughter was 3 I started to let her join my skincare routine. Using my products I started to teach her that self care is a non-negotiable. My sons both are hitting puberty and use our products to help clear their skin, these are the same products my husband uses when he has a breakout. When the products are safe, clean and efficient you can share them and use them as tools to create rituals and build bonds all while teaching the next generation to care for others and themselves.
DCG: As a mom of three, wife, and entrepreneur, what has your rhythm of work, rest, and family looked like and how has it evolved through stress, joy, and the growth of your business?
Gisela: Grace, discipline and resourcefulness. When I started I was so hard on myself and still today I have to remind myself to chill out! Discipline because when you’re your own boss staying in bed late, skipping that zoom, all of those things are possible but then where will your business be or will you even have one? Resourcefulness because small business constantly evolves and wants you to go with it which sometimes means figuring it all out as you go and being ok with that.
DCG: You’re deeply connected to community your story, your mission, even past fundraisers reflect that. How has nourishing your community informed your leadership, and in turn, what moments of connection have nourished you?
Gisela: During Covid every day seemed like it was unprecedented right? Seeing our community struggle but not being able to connect outside the digital world, I wanted to help but how? I decided I couldn’t show up IRL but my products could so I sent out care boxes to members of our community who were struggling. Nurses, teachers, college kids, I sent out 30 mini care packages with hand written notes and received so much amazing feedback from this. It’s been 5 years and I still smile so wide when I think of this.
DCG: Resilience shows up when we lean into possibility even when everything feels uncertain. What has been the most surprising moment of strength you’ve discovered in yourself along this path?
Gisela: Saying NO. There are moments where sales are slow, where you wonder if entrepreneurship is the right path and then along comes an amazing opportunity for you yet it’s so wrong. This has happened several times but one that stands out is a specialty grocer chain in my area that would take my products but would more than double the price, I said no. I couldn’t win the account but lose my integrity.
DCG: For someone carrying a calling be it rooted in family, identity, or change but is hesitant to step forward, what would you say to them?
Gisela: What ifs will break you. Don’t let fear and self doubt win. All those thoughts and feelings are normal and everyone around you is or has felt them at some point we just push past them and so can you.
DCG: Five years ahead, what do you hope Untamed Naturals stands for not just as a business, but as a movement, an example, or a vessel of wellness for families everywhere?
Gisela: 5 years from now I hope Untamed Naturals continues to stand for wellness with integrity created by and for families who just want to take care of each other. I hope using Untamed feels like one of those big, tight hugs you get when you haven’t seen someone in a long time. I hope that people continue to use our products as tools for self care and teach the next generation all about it. I hope in 5 years and beyond our community continues to feel the intent that each product is made with and that it becomes a staple in your home like it is in ours.
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