Born in Vancouver and raised in a rural, ocean-side setting just outside the city, Sasha grew up close to nature. Her younger brother and now business partner, Zac, suffered from acute asthma and allergies as a young child. Her mother, a true pioneer in health and wellness at that time, sought out homeopathic remedies to help heal her son. This included co-founding an organic food co-op with several families in the area, as organic food did not yet exist in the grocery stores. Through trial and error, Zac was healed primarily through diet. Years later after living as an adult in LA, Sasha returned home to Vancouver where her mother encouraged her to read the ingredient list on her favorite lip balm. Sasha was shocked to discover many of the ingredients were not safe, and it’s something she used daily. The challenge was set – re-create her favorite lip balm so that it would be safe, effective and natural. And so the story of ILIA began.