Meet the Founder, Emi Uno Schemmer

By: Ella Stansfield

MOSAIK is all about making an impact. The all inclusive, vegan, and dermatologist approved skincare brand that’s ‘for all spectrums of skin’ is dedicated to delivering noticeable results, while being safe (suitable) for those who are pregnant, and individuals struggling with sensitive skin. This new brand is worth the wait! Additional to noticing an instant glow and the feeling of soft supple skin, you’ll love what the brand stands for!

We were able to find a moment with the constantly on-the-go founder, Emi. Here’s a little bit of what she shared with us.

How did you find your way into the skincare space?

I found my way into the skincare space because I was born into it. My father is a Dermatologist and so growing up, skin and skincare was always a part of our dinner table discussions. After working in my father’s clinic, and also running an after-school acne clinic for students, I realised the  impact our skin and state of skin health has on how we feel about ourselves - our confidence, behaviours, even performance in school or at work.  I wanted to start a skincare company initially to work together with my father and I know it may sound a little silly, but to find a way to eternalize his knowledge. 

Learning from my father throughout my lifetime, listening to his diagnosis and treatment stories, or hearing about his ideas and beliefs about the commercial market of skincare, motivated me to create something that not only worked, but also checked off certain boxes that I thought were needed within the space. Vegan, safe for pregnancy, gentle, preservative free… these are only some of the value points that are so important to me. 

In the end, I wanted to create a product line that was formulated for all skintypes, including mixed race skintypes, that I would of course love to use myself, but also have the confidence and assurance that I could, without a question recommend to my family and friends, and know that they too would love it!

What was your parents' approach to health and skincare growing up?

I grew up in a bicultural household. My father was Canadian German and my mother Japanese. My father was a physician and so everything was science and factual, whereas my mother was more ritualistic, cultural and in a way artistic and emotional. I suppose this was something that she brought from Japan to Canada - the Japanese approach to life and taking care of oneself. So, I guess you could say, I grew up with a nice balance of two very different approaches. But somehow it all made sense, and if anything, I quickly developed my own way and thoughts about how I wanted to take care of my own body and of course my skin. 

How have the combined influences of your bicultural upbringing helped to define your personal philosophy today?

My personal philosophy is ever-changing. Who we are today should be important for the present and not completely define for us the future. To be flexible, or open to personal development and expansion is for me, a key to succeeding in life. Feeling a sense of fulfilment, to say the least. I think it's fair to say that coming from a German-Japanese background, that precision, attention to detail, quality, and cleanliness are all part of my foundational expectations. And I am proud of these things. 

What was the process of starting your own brand like?

A lot of work and a lot of trial-and-error! The brand has evolved drastically since I started and to this day, I am still very hands-on in every part of the business, from product formulation to content creation, marketing, and even our website backend. I truly believe it is important for me to be as involved and supportive to my team as much as possible!

And even today, we are constantly thinking about what we want to formulate and produce next. On a personal note, adjusting to life with my little one has also motivated me to continue to offer not only more knowledge and advice to mothers or busy working women, but also to provide more literature and education to our MOSAIK community so that they have the tools and methods on how to best achieve healthy and clear skin. 

Skincare has existed for centuries. But how it will continue to serve us and what or why makes a certain ‘routine’ or ‘product’ effective will be not only based on the science and advancements in formulation, but will heavily rely on a holistic and personalised approach. 

What, for you, is the brand’s hero product?

Our face scrub! I use it two to three times a week and for me, it is the perfect balance of a gentle exfoliation with a wonderful finishing touch of a hydrating mask. I really cannot live without it!

Talk us through your skincare routine.

I wash my face twice a day, however, I only use a cleansing product during my evening routine. I always use a small face cloth and make sure the water is warm, not hot. I find using a face cloth helps to remove makeup, excess oils and any dirt that has built up on my skin over the course of the day. It also feels like a little steam treatment.  

I decide what my skincare routine will look like based on a few factors: time, my skin’s condition and season. If my skin is feeling a little dry, I use the Hydrating Cream Cleanser. This product triples up as a makeup remover and cleanser, while leaving the skin feeling moisturised and hydrated. I try to use the Revitalising Face Scrub two or three times a week for a gentle but thorough exfoliation. This is my absolute favourite product of the series because without fail, my skin always feels soft and has a nice glow afterwards. If I’m having a rough week, whether long hours behind my laptop or disrupted sleep due to my baby, I make a point of giving my eyes a little SOS, with the Eye Serum+. Oh, and P.S. I like to keep that bottle in the fridge, it gives an extra cooling and de-puffing treatment to my tired eyes.

Generally, I try to keep my skincare routine simple, easy and use minimal products. I also try to follow a healthy and balanced dietary regime with the most important key point of staying hydrated with little caffeine and sugar intake. Sugar, after all, is an inflammatory substance! And sleep. The saying ‘beauty sleep’ is said for a reason. Sleep heals everything - it's our as well as our skin’s time to rest, recover and regenerate.

How do you define beauty?

To define beauty in such a definitive way is so obsolete as many factors can influence what we find beautiful or how we define it - our culture, education, environment, and/or surroundings. What is beautiful? I think we all must start our day by looking in the mirror, appreciate what we see staring back at us, and go from there…