This month on Field Guide, we’re sharing a conversation from Stéibel Scope with Allison McNamara, founder of MARA Beauty.
From launching with a single hero product to growing through just one or two considered releases each year, Allison has built MARA with a clear point of view: thoughtful products, made with purpose, are worth taking time over. She speaks with Jenna about storytelling, staying curious as a founder, and creating a skincare brand where nature and innovation work together.
It’s a perspective that feels close to our own belief that more isn’t always better. Read on for their conversation.
Allison McNamara founded MARA Beauty after years of experience in journalism and on-camera reporting. She’d worked her way from E! Entertainment to Who What Wear and PopSugar before learning she wanted to control her own destiny at 28.
She launched MARA with the Algae + Moringa Universal Face Oil in 2018, combining marine intelligence with heritage to establish a unique point of view. Through a proprietary blend of wild-collected algae, they have continued to grow intentionally with 1 to 2 product launches a year.
I reached out to ask a few questions as I adore her thoughtful storytelling and dedication to product development and sustainability. She touches on staying curious and adaptable as an entrepreneur in addition to the intentionality behind the MARA brand world. I learned a lot from her perspective, and hope you all enjoy as well!
Early Experience
You’ve talked about your early experience on-camera at POPSUGAR, and your redirection toward launching MARA. How did this identity shift impact your founder’s perspective, and how MARA shows up in the skincare industry?
I spent nearly a decade telling other people’s stories before I realized I wanted to tell my own.
Working on-camera at POPSUGAR and other various outlets gave me a front-row seat to the beauty industry. I interviewed countless celebrities and makeup artists, learned how to present and interview people, cultivated a best-in-class work ethic, and learned how to genuinely connect with people. It also taught me to ask better questions and shaped me into an expert storyteller. Why does this product deserve to exist? Is there real innovation here? What does this product make you feel?
When I started MARA, I wasn’t interested in creating just another skincare brand. I wanted to create one with substance, something that felt familiar. Like sneaking in and applying your mother’s lipstick, something that felt heritage and expensive, but also foreign and ever-so-slightly subversive. That’s why I landed on our signature blue glass bottles during the midst of the millennial pink beauty crisis, launched with a single hero sku in the midst of the 10-step Korean skincare craze, and a brand built around my last name, my heritage – around Irish algae. Algae is one of the oldest life forms on Earth and, echoing the brand ethos, it’s resilient. And, at the time, it was a bit anomalous in skin formulations even though it’s the best natural source for skin longevity.
That shift from storyteller to founder also changed how I communicate. I still believe people connect through stories, but now I’m telling the story from the inside. I think consumers are incredibly smart. They want transparency, curiosity, and a founder who’s genuinely obsessed with making something better. That’s always been my approach with MARA.
We lead with education, science, and beautiful formulations because I believe the best brands don’t just sell products; they change the way people think about skincare.
Storytelling
MARA has created a beautiful brand world associated with elevated & efficacious products, but also inspired by the ocean and sustainability. Can you share more about how you incorporate brand values into MARA's storytelling and overall visual identity?
The ocean is home to some of the oldest, most resilient life forms on Earth, and that’s where we’ve always looked for inspiration. Our formulations begin with the ocean’s most powerful marine ingredients, because they’ve evolved over billions of years to survive extraordinary conditions, and that Marine Intelligence has so much to offer our skin.
Visually, I wanted MARA to feel the same way our products perform: modern, sophisticated, and effortless. You’ll notice we don’t often lean into the obvious beach clichés. Instead, we draw inspiration from the feeling of being near the water, like the light reflecting off the surface, the quiet luxury of a morning swim, the sense of restoration that comes from nature. It’s elevated, but never inaccessible.
Sustainability is woven into those decisions rather than treated as a separate initiative. From responsibly sourcing marine ingredients to supporting ocean restoration and making thoughtful packaging choices, we ask ourselves how we can build a beautiful brand that also respects the environment that inspired it.
Ultimately, I want every interaction with MARA from the formula to the photography to the unboxing experience to remind people that nature and innovation don’t have to exist separately. The future of skincare lies in learning from the natural world, not trying to outsmart it.
Environmental Impact
Sustainability is woven throughout the business with wild-collected algae, recycled glass bottles, and 1% for the Planet contributions. When did sustainability become important to you, and how do you hope to see it grow in business?
I’ve always believed that if you’re going to build a brand inspired by nature, you have a responsibility to help protect it.
Sustainability wasn’t something we added later. It was built into MARA from day one. We source our marine ingredients thoughtfully, package our products in recyclable glass whenever possible, support ocean restoration through organizations like SeaTrees, and proudly give 1% of annual sales to environmental nonprofits through 1% for the Planet.
That said, I don’t believe sustainability is about being perfect. It’s about making better decisions every year and being transparent about where you are in the journey. There is always more to improve, whether that’s packaging innovation, ingredient sourcing, or reducing our overall footprint.
My hope is that sustainability becomes less of a differentiator and more of a baseline expectation. The brands that will define the future aren’t the ones talking the loudest about sustainability; they’re the ones quietly building it into every decision they make.
Entrepreneurial Skills
You’ve stayed largely involved in marketing, product development, and business operations as the founder. How have you approached mastering operational skills as you’ve bootstrapped the business (into Sephora!) thus far?
To be honest, I don’t think I’ve mastered operational skills, and I don’t know many founders who would say they have.
When you’re bootstrapping a business, you’re constantly figuring things out in real time. One day you’re developing a formula, the next you’re negotiating with a retailer, reviewing inventory, troubleshooting a supply chain issue, or jumping into a marketing campaign. Or worse, an accounting call. You don’t have the luxury of waiting until you feel like an expert; you learn because the business requires it.
The quality that’s served me most isn’t operational perfection; it’s adaptability. Ironically, it’s one of the reasons I was drawn to algae in the first place. Algae is one of the oldest life forms on Earth because it has an incredible ability to evolve, survive, and thrive in changing environments. I think founders have to do the same.
Every stage of growth demands a different version of you, and I think the best founders are the ones who continue evolving alongside their business. I’m still learning every single day, and honestly, I hope I always am.
Community
How can the community continue to support you and connect with you on Substack?
The greatest support is simply being part of the conversation! Engaging with our posts, sharing our products, leaving reviews, all of it helps more deeply than anyone without a brand will ever truly know.
I started my Substack, The Undercurrent, as a place to share the ideas that don’t fit into a 30-second video or an Instagram caption. It’s where I write about beauty, entrepreneurship, wellness, creativity, and the people, places, and products inspiring me beneath the surface. If something sparks a new way of thinking or introduces you to someone or something incredible, then it’s doing exactly what I hoped it would. Our team also just launched a Substack, The MARA Files, so you can see what we’re up to over there too.
At the end of the day, I’m building MARA, writing The Undercurrent, and creating because I’m endlessly curious. If that resonates with you, I’d love for you to come along for the journey.
Thank you for reading, and comment below if you’ve tried any MARA products! I’d love to discuss, and of course, you can also follow us on IG.
I personally love the Algae Retinol Face Oil, but only use it after you’ve implemented the habit of wearing daily SPF. It’s the #1 studied anti-aging ingredient that speeds cell turnover, so only use it in your night routine as it increases sun sensitivity!
Don’t forget to subscribe and share with a friend for our ongoing ShopMy challenge!
See you next week,
Jenna
