A lush green picture from "Grass, Trees, Flowers and Leaves"

Grapefruit, Polygonum multiflorum, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric... these natural ingredients are familiar and close to the hearts of countless generations of Vietnamese people. Surely, in the memories of bygone days, the image of grandmothers and mothers boiling water with soapberry, Polygonum multiflorum, and grapefruit peel to wash their hair, adding a little ginger for warmth, is all too familiar to many.

As time passed and the pace of modern life quickened, convenient, time-saving industrial products gradually became popular, replacing traditional methods of health and beauty care. There was a time when the Vietnamese market was so accustomed to imported products that items like shampoos and body washes containing ingredients like ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass were considered "scarce" by Vietnamese consumers.

In recent years, the trend of using natural and organic products seems to have become popular in developed countries around the world and even in Vietnam due to their health and beauty benefits. Many "green" products from local brands are gradually being launched and gaining the favor of consumers. Co Cay Hoa La is also recognized among these local brands.

Herbal remedies - a green revolution for health, beauty, and the environment.

Choosing natural and organic products for health and beauty care is not simply a fleeting trend, but a long-term lifestyle choice. While industrial products often contain harmful chemicals, artificial colors, alcohol, and detergents with potential side effects, natural and organic products attract users because of their naturally derived ingredients, free from toxins, offering a comprehensive, safe, and effective health and beauty care experience.

From familiar ginger and turmeric roots, Co Cay Hoa La has created shampoos, body washes, and other products with unique brand characteristics. The product lines that have made Co Cay Hoa La famous, such as ginger and lemongrass shampoo gel, ginger and coconut shampoo, and organic ginger and turmeric body wash, all contain fresh ginger fiber. This is also a special feature of the brand, as it retains the raw fiber without using preservatives, making it safe and gentle for users' health.

Using fresh ginger fiber also solves the problem of waste and environmental impact, as the spicy, hot nature of ginger makes it difficult to use as fertilizer, thus harming plants. Using natural raw materials not only ensures the absence of harmful chemicals but also helps protect the ecosystem, water sources, and air. The product's unique quality lies in its mild aroma of ginger and turmeric, combined with the rich scent of coconut, perfectly reflecting its simple and familiar name, "Grass, Plants, Flowers, and Leaves."

"Cỏ Cây Hoa Lá" (Grass, Flowers, and Leaves) means that the products are made from herbs, originating from familiar and gentle "homegrown" ingredients that our ancestors have used for generations, such as ginger, turmeric, green tea, and Polygonum multiflorum... From its very name, "Cỏ Cây Hoa Lá" harbors the dream of building a cosmetics brand that is 100% made in Vietnam, a brand that will make Vietnamese people proud.

The main ingredients in Cỏ Cây Hoa Lá's products are carefully selected Vietnamese agricultural products, ensuring clear origin and quality. Although most Vietnamese agricultural ingredients do not yet have organic certification, Cỏ Cây Hoa Lá is actively cooperating with raw material growing regions that have well-controlled cultivation and farming processes.

The startup Co Cay Hoa La (Plants, Flowers, and Leaves) came about by chance for the founding duo, Lan Phuong and Kat Nguyen. Previously, the two sisters were among millions of consumers familiar with shampoo and body wash products from foreign brands. However, the story changed when Lan Phuong became pregnant with her first child.

Since 2016, to avoid the harmful effects of chemicals, Ms. Lan Phuong stopped using conventional shampoos and switched to natural shampoos. At that time, organic natural products were still quite unfamiliar, making it even more difficult to find a product that suited her needs.

Having studied Chemistry for 10 years, she diligently researched and developed shampoo formulas from natural ingredients, prioritizing health safety and aiming to provide a pleasant, comfortable, and effective experience for users. From this, the Cỏ Cây Hoa Lá brand took its first steps with natural shampoo sachets and lip balms. These were the precursors to the Cỏ Cây Hoa Lá shampoos we see today.

In 2017, with a modest capital of only 80 million VND, Co Cay Hoa La (Clover, Flowers, and Leaves) has grown into a brand producing millions of products annually, committed to providing natural, organic solutions at affordable prices for Vietnamese families. The team continuously researches and explores local ingredients, selecting organic components to create the safest and most effective formulas for consumers.

Starting with limited capital, sisters Lan Phuong and Kat Nguyen meticulously planned every step of the process. “We set extremely strict requirements for our products. While some businesses consider a product to be good if it receives 40-50% customer satisfaction, for Co Cay Hoa La, a product must have over 50% of customers returning for multiple purchases to meet our standards. In fact, some products received only slightly more than 5% negative feedback, leading Co Cay Hoa La to decide to discontinue production,” founder Kat Nguyen shared.

From caring for and nurturing a small family to establishing a strong market position after 6 years, Co Cay Hoa La has left a lasting impression and built trust among Vietnamese consumers. In season 6 of Shark Tank, Co Cay Hoa La was one of the few natural cosmetics brands to receive 4 million-dollar investment deals from the Sharks.

Vietnamese brands in a competitive market.

In the context of an open market economy, foreign cosmetic brands easily enter Vietnam through various channels such as official import, personal import, and gifts. Furthermore, the trend of using "green" products is emerging, and numerous domestic brands offering natural and organic products are creating a vibrant market with many choices. For Co Cay Hoa La, this is not a challenge but rather a positive sign.

“Healthy competition is the driving force that helps businesses with creativity to always be at the forefront of new innovations to diversify products and best meet consumer needs. Therefore, domestic brands will have a stronger foothold in the minds of consumers because they have proven their unique and unparalleled qualities. This is no longer about ‘quality over appearance’ but about ‘quality and appearance’,” founder Kat Nguyen expressed.

Beyond simply bringing safe, gentle, and effective organic natural products closer to Vietnamese consumers, Co Cay Hoa La's dream extends beyond Vietnam. They have laid the first "bricks" for their dream of conquering the world by registering their products for export to Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Taiwan (China).

Ha Mai Trinh - Photo: Provided by the subject