The Wonderful World of
Dr. Berrettini's Mendocino Minerals

Story by Debbie L. Holmer

Her cosmetic line is 100 percent vegan and 100 percent awesome!
—Tammie Gilchrist

When Dr. Mia Berrettini launched her company, Dr. Berret-tini’s Mendocino Minerals, in 2009, she embarked on quite an exciting journey. Dr. Berrettini’s Mendocino Minerals is a natural cosmetics company that is woman owned, and entirely created, formulated, and manufactured in Mendocino County. Dr. Mia, as I call her, envisioned her company over twenty years ago telling me that, “As my grandmother gave my sister and me samples from her beauty consultant business, I knew that this was my destiny. I became an accredited doctor of chemistry, specializing in surface science.
After working in the corporate world back East, armed with experience and passion, I returned to Mendocino County and with help from my awesome family, made this dream a reality.”

Mia Berrettini was born and raised right here in the beautiful redwoods of the Mendocino Coast. She is a Fort Bragg High School graduate. Mia is single, although she is the mom to two-and-a-half-year-old Tony, a malti-poo (Maltese Poodle).

Mia grew up in a large, loving family—the Celeri and Berrettini families. Her mom and dad are David and Christy (Celeri) Berrettini. “My grandfather on my mother’s side, Don Celeri, and my parents were amazing advocates of education and I’m so lucky for their support that led me through to become ‘Dr. Berrettini.’

“My grandmother Julia Celeri has been my inspiration of beauty throughout my life. She taught me that beauty is timeless and [she] shared the great craft of cosmetics with me.

“When I was a little girl, my grandmother was a beauty consultant. I remember well the days she would come over with her little samples of lipsticks. I was interested in putting them on, of course, but I was also interested in what they were made of. By the time I was ten years old, I was reading all the backs of bottles and makeup containers. I knew that someday I wanted to make those products, and that’s why I went into science and got my doctorate in surface science (surface science is the science of one surface on another). And then having the business experience after that helped me bring the product to market, which is very important. Sure, it was a lot of hard work.”

Mia spent some time on the East Coast after getting her doctorate in chemistry (“I was born a scientist, thanks to family genes, especially my dad”) from U.C. Santa Barbara working for a large corporation for a couple years. “I just missed California so much—the friendliness and support of the community here, it’s a wonderful place to live.”

In her spare time, Mia has just begun yoga and she loves to shop (especially for purses). In addition to spending time with her family and friends, Mia loves taking her dog Tony for long walks.

And, of course, she loves talking about her product. “Just think, a little over a year ago, I ordered the ingredients and started ‘mixing’ and here we are! We make all of our own products from the ground up, mixing the base ingredients together to create all these different colors, foundations, etc. Right now, the lab is right on our family property and it’s all family-run. We hope to get to the point where our dream is to keep production here on the coast and give jobs to our local community. We have various sized mixers but are hoping to move to larger mixers in the not-too-distant future.”

Dr. Berettini’s Mendocino Minerals lists all the ingredients used in their products. “We are very transparent,” says Mia. “I took what I liked from all the lines I tried and used that to create what I wanted in a truly healthy product—good for the skin, actually helping the skin, loaded with antioxidants to benefit and protect the skin. I talked to many women before launching our product and this is what they wanted.”

“I was so excited when I first started selling our product last August. Our first place on the coast was Southern Exposure in Mendocino. Owner Sally Stewart took the whole line!” In addition to Southern Exposure, the Mendocino Minerals line of products are carried at 242 South in Fort Bragg, Tranquility Massage and Spa in Cloverdale, A Cut Above in Redwood Valley and Suite for Skin in San Francisco, and they are continually expanding.

“Many of the salons we are carried in,” says Mia, “do makeup for weddings, graduations, anniversaries, and other events. I love the story about an outdoor wedding that was on a really hot day and just the bride was done in Mendocino Minerals. Everyone could not believe how great she looked with everyone else (including the bridesmaids) looking as though they were melting!”

Dr. Berrettini’s Mendocino Minerals has also expanded into holding cosmetic parties. Her best friend, Bree Roth, is her Sonoma County rep. “I feel that it’s a dynamic way to let people use our products. We do makeovers and they get to experience the products in a relaxing atmosphere with good friends and the hostess receives a great gift.” Mia is currently the rep here on the Mendocino Coast and has a couple assistants. She is hoping to add more representatives/consultants in the near future.

Mia strives to keep her business local. “Our label makers are both local. Patrick McNulty (M&M Business Machines—designer of the labels) who works with Epic (maker of the labels) that has created our great UV resistant labels. It is so wonderful to have this capability right here in town.”

Mia is also extremely community-minded. In addition to hoping to create jobs for the local community, she donates her products to area silent auction fund-raisers and is very involved in the Teens Turning Green movement. “We were one of the sponsors at the recent Turning Green Spa for the Greeks at Alpha Delta Pi in Berkeley, California.”

Teens Turning Green is a student-led movement devoted to education and advocacy around environmentally and socially responsible choices for individuals, schools, and communities. They seek to promote global sustainability by identifying and eliminating toxic exposures that permeate our lives, often unknowingly, yet threaten public and environmental health. What began in the Bay Area in 2005 now has a presence at elementary, middle and high schools, universities, and student organizations across the country, as well as a strong virtual platform and media presence. The TTG chapters lead grassroots efforts that aim to raise awareness, encourage behavior change, and lobby for policy that will lessen local and global impact.

“More than just minerals…”
According to Dr. Berrettini’s Mendocino Minerals brochure, “More than just minerals—all of the cosmetics in this 100 percent vegan line are unique harmonious blends of high quality pure minerals, precious organic botanicals, and natural antioxidants and vitamins. Each product has been meticulously formulated by a doctor of chemistry (aka Dr. Berrettini) and lovingly produced in small batches. The surrounding natural beauty of Mendocino County has been true inspiration for the beautiful colors and green integrity in this line.

“The highest quality, healthiest minerals are chosen to increase product performance and skin benefits. Only mineral pigments are used for colorants and give long lasting results without settling into age lines. The color palettes are highly pigmented and extremely versatile, making the change from subtle beauty to fiery vixen easily accomplished. Harsh pore-clogging and skin irritating chemicals are replaced with natural, healthy ingredients such as organic jojoba, soy, rosemary, and vitamin E.

“Distinct attention is also given to the quality and extraction of our botanical ingredients in order to provide the highest nutritional levels for the skin.”

At the moment Dr. Berrettini’s Mendocino Minerals line of products include the following: organic dynamic concealer, Mendo therapy mists, foundation, complex perfection veil, cheek/eye/lip dusters, eye dusters, eye liner, lip gloss and cruelty-free brushes. The product colors and names are inspired by the beautiful nature of Mendocino County.
Examples range from botanicals such as the delicate white trillium and majestic redwoods, beaches such as the ornate Glass Beach and Noyo Harbor at sunset, to the wildlife of fawns grazing in the sun. “These treasures have been a true inspiration that have brought color to our lives,” says Mia.

I love the names—here are just a few: Gualala Girl, Caspar Coral, Westport Glow, Abalone Shimmer, Fawn Brown, Wild Iris, California Blonde, and Glass Beach Green. I really liked the color Top of the World (a dark blue). Mia told me, “Top of the World is an actual place up Sherwood Road where we used to have parties and bonfires when we were younger. We could look out and see all of Fort Bragg and see all of the skies beyond and we felt as though we were
actually on ‘top of the world!’” What a great story!

Healthy, Happy and Green
I asked Mia what her idea was of perfect happiness and her response was, “Being around loved ones and having a passion, one in which you can help people with. Finding a place in the world that contributes to people’s health and happiness and also contributes to one’s own passion.”

Mia Berrettini’s enthusiasm shines through, creating and loving the idea of mineral cosmetics. “We have customers from teens to over eighty years old. With commitment to honesty, integrity, and innovation, my line of products and team has grown remarkably since my launch. My team and I want to thank all of our customers and look forward to a healthy, happy and green 2011.”

For more information on Dr. Berrettini’s Mendocino Minerals product line and cosmetic parties, call 707-972-1704; fax 707-964-4244; e-mail info@mendominerals.com or go to their website at www.mendominerals.com.

Love of beauty is Taste.
The creation of beauty is Art.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson