23 QUESTIONS WITH LUMI FOUNDER HELEN HIRV

by Luxe Hapsal

23 QUESTIONS WITH LUMI FOUNDER
Helen Hirv

Helen Hirv is the founder of LUMI, the natural cosmetics brand based in Läänemaa county that uses only the best natural and local ingredients in their products. LUMI is eco-engineered, sustainable and with ethical production chains. Let's get further acquainted.

Name: Helen Hirv 
Occupation: Founder, CEO and skin expert at luminordic.com

 Q&A

  1. Mindset? 
    Only dead fish go with the flow.
  2. Favourite time of day? 
     Evenings, late evening, night. Because it's quiet then.
  3. One thing people don’t know about you? 
    There's many but I'm actually a very private person, a bit of a hermit:)
  4. Biggest weakness?
    Not being able to be anywhere on time or not being able to say no.:)   - I'm equally bad at both.
  5. Biggest strength?
    I don't know the meaning of  “can't”, there's always a way  - sometimes it's my biggest weakness too - too stubborn to let go.
  6. A cause important to you? 
    Very cliché, yes, but to make the world a better place for the children. Family. Freedom. Preservation of pure nature, pure food, pure air, pure life, sanity, peasant mindset in everything that we seem to lack of nowadays strongly. 
  7. The biggest compliment you’ve ever received?
    Not very good at getting them but appreciate the ones coming from my family the most - when my little son says “Mommy, you're so pretty today in this dress”:) . Workwise it's very important to me that I can make a difference in peoples lives - so when a client says where have you been 10 years when I tried all the possibilities and doctors with my skin and you did it in 2 months….that's a great compliment.
  8. What makes you smile the most?
    My family, children, clients' feedback, the sun. I don't “work” very well without sunshine, I'm like a broken car or a plant that grows in full sunshine but left in shade then….
  9. Favourite time of the year?
    I'm a summer girl for sure. Late spring and late summer are the most beautiful.
  10. Relationship with Haapsalu?
    Actually, life lead me here so my relationship with Haapsalu only began about 6 years ago. Now it's my hometown as it's the closest town to my home in Noarootsi so I spend a lot of time there. 
  11. Your current favourite piece from the Luxe Hapsal collection that you own?
    I have been looking at several of them for such a long time as I prefer natural and sustainable products in everything and also love the style you present in your creation. I always try to choose products made by local small businesses and it happened so that just now I got my first (but certainly not last) Anita maxi dress and it's gorgeous. Next I'm going to hunt for Theresa wrap shirt and Emma maxi dress.
  12. What’s inspiring you in life right now?
    Creating something meaningful that meets my requirements of preserving the nature and natural lifestyle for next generations. I'm always inspired by clients feedback. LUMI's products are actually very much a result of clients' feedback.
  13. Biggest regret?
    No regrets, just lessons in life....But should have travelled more when had the chance. 
  14. Favourite travel destination? 
    I love different places for different reasons. I like east, also west, south….mostly places with history and traditional lifestyle, not into modern cities at all. Somehow I have always been very into Italy, especially Tuscany.  
  15. What do you usually eat for breakfast?
    Porridge mostly, with berries. Mostly something warm. Also, I use some warming spices as I have studied Tibetan medicine and in our climate we need to keep our digestion “warm”. So I add cinnamon or cumin to the porridge for example. 
  16. A book you recently finished?
    Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic Osho.
  17. Dogs or cats?
    I have 2 of both of them. I don't like to choose and label myself with something, I like diversity.
  18. Favourite holiday? 
    The one with no phone, or computer, disconnected to everyday life and somewhere warm, outside the city and crowds but experiencing local people and lifestyle when abroad.
  19. One thing you’ve always wanted to try but you’ve been too scared to do?
    Live abroad and write a book. Will do them both at one point:)
  20. Favourite flower?
    Hard one. Some of the most favourites for sure are peonies, lilies, currently ranunculus has stolen my heart. But I'm into all flowers. Pot flowers, wild flowers, anything:) 
  21. Do you like surprises?
    Depends, not so much. Still dealing with letting go of controlling everything:)
  22. If you were not developing the LUMI brand, what would you be doing?
    I'd have a flower shop with a little café in front of it….:), maybe a farmer (too).
  23. The best thing that happened this year?
    Hmm.. it has been a turning year actually with so much happening. But by now I've realised sometimes new beginnings need to turn your life upside down first, you need to get out of the comfort zone. So this year it's a bit of a new starts year and all the things, also covid, has made us all look at things differently, appreciate things differently. So probably the best thing happened is a reminder of not to take anything for granted. Also my 5-year old son learned to swim:)

You can read more about the philosophy and values behind the LUMI brand here.

* Helen wears the Anita Maxi Dress in crisp white.
* Photographed on the lavender fields of Noarootsi in Läänemaa county
* Photography by Caroline Sada, www.carolinesada.com
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