Age Salajõe, born in Estonia and having cut her teeth as an event producer in London, arrived in Mexico in 2016 with a keen design eye. With an entrepreneurial approach, she cross-pollinates between mediums— whether it be art, design or fashion. Her most recent projects have been collective endeavors, such as MASA, a nomadic design gallery that bridges the gap between art and collectible design, and EWE Studio, devoted to the preservation and advancement of Mexico’s rich artisan heritage. She advocates for the nuanced relationship between aesthetics and functionality and is a nexus for cross-cultural ways of thinking. It is from this collaborative and rhizomatic spirit that Neta Vere emerged. Partnered with Ludovica Quaratesi and Mafalda Thiemann, Neta Vere is an on-demand beauty & wellness services and e-commerce platform.
The brand developed from their personal experiences adapting to Mexico City and by amassing knowledge of the best beauty & wellness services from working in design, advertising, and film. Ludovica, an Italian film and commercial producer, has managed photo, film and advertising campaigns and collaborated with Mexico City’s expert make-up artists, hair stylists, and nail artists. She has worked closely with directors on productions of various scales to realize their visions. With a background that branches into tech, wellness and sustainable practices in the agricultural and healthcare sector, Mafalda brings industry knowledge towards modern wellness.
Sam Ozer sat down with the founders to learn about the genesis of the brand and their process of collaborating with local experts and artists, as well as their ideas on beauty, wellness, routine, and experimentation.
Age
Neta Vere is an on-demand beauty and wellness services, lifestyle, and e-commerce platform. The initial idea occurred about four years ago. I was struggling to find salons within walking distance from my home which could offer the consistent quality I was after. I was also getting busier and busier with work and didn’t have hours to spend in salons or time to address this issue. When the pandemic hit and salons closed, I didn’t do my nails for months, and my hair was completely out of place–which, initially, I didn’t mind. This personal need and shift towards at-home services as restrictions loosened helped me realize that there still wasn’t a consolidated platform for accessing these services. I shared my frustration with Ludovica, and we bounced ideas until we decided that there was a need to disrupt the beauty market here and gather the information that we had. Then Mafalda came into our lives. Shortly after our partnership was born.
Sam
How has your conception of Neta Vere changed from when you first imagined it as someone new in Mexico City and trying to find your salons and technicians to now? What type of user do you envision for Neta Vere? Tourists, locals?
Age
It’s both. Most of our local clients are busy people—whether with parenthood, work, or travel—and need simultaneous services. For Mexico City visitors, it becomes an excellent resource for quickly finding quality services. We aim to offer services within a time frame to avoid a conflict between time and quality.
Ludovica
It is important for us to put together a network of beauticians and experts that we have built over our years of living here and to create a brand that shares that knowledge. We care for our clients, but especially our beauticians, who can pick their working days and times, the services they provide and the areas they want to work in. It’s a community where we want everyone to benefit.
Age
We also want to be a service for professionals—production companies, wedding planners, etc. Neta Vere can be a one-stop solution that brings together the best beauty & wellness service providers and connects them with clients. We also love that the platform can allow service providers to become their own bosses.
Sam
Have your routines changed since moving to Mexico City?
Mafalda
Since moving here, I’ve been more actively taking time for myself. In an energetic and sometimes overstimulating city, a self-care routine can be very grounding. I’ve established a routine where I try to wake up early and move my body. Mostly I’ve been focused on deepening my yoga practice, all thanks to the extraordinary teachers here in the city. They are true masters. While my skincare routine is quite minimalist and consistent, I have become a little bit more generous with wellness treatments. I love trying out different massages and have recently discovered infrared treatments.
Age
I do that regularly.
Sam
Is it something you immediately feel after? What are the benefits of it?
Age
It’s antioxidative. It really deflates you and firms the skin. I come from Estonia, and the sauna culture is very big—almost every house and apartment has a sauna—so it’s in my blood. After the heat, we would always jump into the ice lake or the sea or the snow. I’ve continued these rituals and today do a face massage and then apply cold. I also drink several cups of lemon water in the morning and work out. Before I shower, I dry brush my body, which I am conscious of doing even when traveling. After the shower, I have a face tonic, vitamin C & B serum, and of course, SPF.
Sam
Have you always had an interest in beauty & wellness, or was this something that developed more recently?
Ludovica
Living here in the city, I became more conscious about the air quality and how it affects my skin and hair. I like to invest my time researching and finding products that are formulated with clean, sustainable ingredients that are suitable for me. I like to experiment, but when I find something I love, I stick to it and make it my daily routine. My big obsession is massages. I see them as a form of therapy for my body and mind. We are working hard on bringing the best masseuse therapists to NETA! Sometimes, it can almost feel like an out-of-body experience, and we feel it is worth sharing that among our community.
Age
Treatments have always been part of my routine and ritual. Growing up, I was very creative, often doing homemade beauty experiments. I made face masks from scraps of coconut oil and brown sugar. When I was eight years old, I remember my mother saying egg was good for the hair, so I made a hair mask. Of course, you shouldn’t go in the sauna with it… I came out with an omelette on my head.
Sam
Experimentation is important! What I think is special about Mexico City is that a new generation of artists are very playful with their make-up and hairstyles. For your inaugural photoshoot, I love that you have this mix of pops of color with more minimalist yet gooey looks.
Ludovica
I love that people here express themselves when it comes to beauty and art. The world is now looking at Mexico–for art, design, film, and flavors. It’s a blend of cultures, styles and traditions, without boundaries. It is a powerful land known for its abundance of biodiversity and population–I think that is why we feel constantly stimulated and inspired.
Mafalda
I am intrigued by experimentative and unconventional beauty. Isamaya Ffrench, for instance, is an absolute inspiration, though I prefer to be more minimalistic and natural myself. But maybe that’s just due to my non-existent makeup skills. If I were to take matters of creating a smokey-eye look into my own hands, it would certainly end in disaster. So to have the option of a professional artist coming to my home, that would be incredible.
Sam
In terms of beauty, what are some of your references? For yourselves, for the brand? From film, art, fashion, etc….
Ludovica
Botticelli’s Primavera (1477-1482) painting represents beauty to me. Sophia Loren, with her cat eyes and curls is definitely a reference. In terms of movies, there are plenty. I am a fan of the 90s and natural French looks–Emmanuelle Seigner in Bitter Moon (1992), her character and looks stayed with me. Penelope Cruz in Jamon Jamon (1992) with her natural Latin look and red dress…Julia Roberts in Notting Hill (1999), reminds me of my time in London and the simple looks of white tees, leather jackets and small shades. She is so chic. I think Grace Kelly and Jane Birkin are iconic beauties.
Mafalda
Q’orianka Kilcher as Pocahontas in Terrence Malick’s film The New World (2005) embodies pure beauty, inside and out.
Age
Grace Jones’ looks always stay with me. Christina Ricci in Buffalo ’66 (1998), with her glossy lip and strong blue eyeshadow, is so memorable. Maggie Chung in the Mood for Love (2000) with an elegant filled-in eyebrow and a very thin eyeliner with a little bit of blush, and the classic matte red lip was perfect. Everything about Edward Scissorhands is just wonderful, from his hair to make-up, to his nails. In terms of art, of course, in Mexico, Frida Kahlo is super iconic. I love Shirin Neshat, an Iranian artist who is always very strong with her eyeliner, her hair pulled back, with long, heavy traditional necklaces and earrings. Painter Helen Frankenthaler always had a simple red lip which I love. I think the Comme des Garçons hair and make-up have been so iconic over time—founder Rei Kawakubo’s hair is so dramatic and expressive.
