Maata

Taken from the Sanskrit word for mother, Maata is an ode to Mother Earth, her bounty and the female form in all its beauty and glory. Plant Alchemy is not only our mantra but a very real celebration of the magic to be made from a thoughtful blend of botanicals, crafted in the most respectful, sustainable and ethical manner possible. 

Maata is mothered by Manjit Basi, a social entrepreneur, who has deep roots in the community, commerce and culture of Ottawa, unceded territory of the Anishinaabe people, where she has lived for 30+ years. Our products are all handcrafted in her studio space.

Her love of botanicals and cultural self-care rituals were inspired by her own mother who had a healing touch and made concoctions from herbs and spices. 

Manjit’s love for ethical and sustainable practices, along with her passion for creating skin care solutions were honed and heightened in her 21 years as an entrepreneur and franchisee with The Body Shop. 

Upon entering her fifties, her skin became more sensitive and didn't respond well to countless products, even those targeted for sensitive skin. She was also surprised by how the right side of her face had heightened sensitivity after a concussion. Although Manjit had always loved mixing natural oils into products to supplement her skin care routines, she began to play more seriously when a neurologist told her she needed to do something creative as part of her healing journey. Maata is the evolution of her exploring, learning, experimenting, and creating products for her own skin. She is not interested in taking away wrinkles, disrupting the natural function of the skin, or looking for fast, surface focused results. Rather, the focus is on having resilient, glowing, healthy skin that’s naturally vibrant. Our products are her ambition to simplify and yet savour the rituals of self-care and letting your skin be the hero – to celebrate the beauty and wisdom of each year lived.

Our logo is a multi-generational labour of love, created from an original line drawing by Manjit’s then 2-year old granddaughter and turned into a digital drawing of a female form by Manjit’s daughter. 

Four generations bound together by creativity, the power of the female, and the magic of plant alchemy.