FOUNDERS | Bita Doagoo of The Detox Market
The Detox Market is every wellness enthusiast’s dream come true, where shoppers gaze at the array of pure skincare remedies and makeup options like kids in a candy store. Urging consumers away from chemically-laden beauty products, it was founded on the premise of “conscious consumption”, meaning consumers can add healthful items to their everyday beauty routine without compromising the product’s quality or skin’s integrity. Originating as a pop-up in Hollywood, it was only a matter of time before The Detox Market flourished in Canada, bringing its wide selection of all natural health and beauty products to three Toronto locations.
This is where Bita Doagoo comes into play.
With education and practice in naturopathic medicine, Bita is a health-conscious aficionado who works as a clinic director/founder and simultaneously as a partner of The Detox Market. During a trip to Los Angeles in 2012 where Bita visited TDM as a shopper, the idea clicked for both her and CEO Romain Gaillard to bring the green beauty brand to Toronto.
We were fascinated to find out more on how Bita leverages her naturopathic knowledge at TDM, what she anticipates future success to look like and of course, what her holy grail TDM product is.
We know you’re a naturopathic doctor, but did you ever expect to branch out as a retail entrepreneur? What are some unforeseen responsibilities you have?
Retail was never on my radar – not in my wildest dreams. Having had zero connection or experience in retail, I have developed a profound respect for those in the industry. Retail draws on a lot of passion and endurance.
What grew organically was an alignment of value between work and personal lifestyle choices with the team at TDM. This accentuated the feeling of family within our team. This, of course, created a heightened sense of responsibility towards my “new family”, but equally an authentic accountability for our team members.
What exactly about The Detox Market clicked for you while you were in LA circa 2012? What did you do to connect with Romain Gaillard to bring TDM to Toronto? How did you imagine it to be received in Toronto?
The detox market concept was exactly what I sought out for myself – botanical based, non-toxic skincare that makes you look and feel amazing.
Romain and I met the first time I went to TDM. We were introduced through a mutual friend who took me there to go shopping! Our mutual passion for Toronto (Romain was based out of Toronto for 2 years) got us talking about how forward-thinking Toronto is, and a spontaneous on the spot decision was made to plant some roots here.
Its reception in Toronto was not my focus. I was excited (and naive!) and was really just driven by having a platform to educate and empower people on choice, and what that means both short and long-term. I guess that was my naturopathic-nerd side at play…
Has operating TDM changed how you approach your naturopathic practice?
Operating TDM has mostly reinforced my approach to practice. Detoxification has always been key, and with my exposure through TDM I am more mindful of environmental contributors outside the usual suspects (i.e diet, lifestyle). Our body has to detoxify what it is taking in through the skin – and is part of my assessment alongside the quality of air and water we are being exposed to.
How did you know it was time to convert TDM from a pop-up to a permanent location?
Changing TDM to a permanent location was decided once we saw the change it was making in peoples lives. This was seen in the numbers! The demand was there. People are much more conscious of the effects of what they put on their skin. We all deserve transparency and quality.
Where would you like to see The Detox Market headed in the next 5 years? Do you anticipate your role changing? How are you measuring success when it comes to balancing TDM, your practice, and parenting?
The Detox Market, over the last 5 years, has been part of a movement gaining exponential momentum moving into the next 5 years! I would like to see TDM playing a bigger and more international role moving forward as it continues to raise awareness in the green beauty segment and provide quality choice in the cosmetic world.
I have already seen my role change over the last two years. I started off heavily involved in operations and have since transitioned into supporting the overall growth and strategy of the business. I see my role continuing along that trajectory, and deepening the educational and health impact of what we do at TDM.
Do you have a holy grail product from TDM?
I have a few!!! I will go with my oldest and newest. The Hurraw! Lip Balm in earl grey has been a go-to since day one. My new obsession has been the activated charcoal mask from Odacite. With 3 kids, booking a facial is quite the challenge these days. I do this weekly and alter the formula (comes with a little menu of what you can add to “potentize” the mask, based on your needs) as needed. Also, the Tata Harper hand cream is essential with my dry “mummy” hands.
