Today, we sit down with Eva-Maria Õunapuu, Founder of JOIK. JOIK’s long-lasting eyeshadow received an Excellence Award in 2024, their makeup line is gaining recognition among makeup fans and professional makeup artists, and has been spotted in TV productions and on stage. Follow along as we explore the Estonian beauty landscape and JOIK’s journey toward international growth.
It’s so lovely to have you with us! Could you tell us a bit about your background and the story behind JOIK?
Eva-Maria: Thank you! I’m Eva-Maria Õunapuu, the founder of JOIK, an Estonian natural cosmetics and home fragrance brand. This year we are celebrating our 20th anniversary!
While my background is in law, I’ve always felt drawn to entrepreneurship and the idea that natural products can be both effective and safer for people and the planet.
JOIK wasn’t a cosmetics line to begin with, we launched in 2005 with soy wax candles. At the time, I couldn’t find good-quality natural wax candles on the market, so I began making my own. What started as a hobby grew into a business, sparked by curiosity and a passion for product development. Cosmetic products were gradually added to the portfolio, and since then, JOIK has evolved into a full beauty brand.
Would you say Estonia is a good place to start a natural cosmetics brand? And how has international expansion been?
Eva-Maria: Yes, Estonia is a great market for natural beauty brands. As it is a small country, you get direct feedback and can refine quickly. In the past 10 years, Estonia has become something of a hub for natural beauty, and it’s been inspiring to see so many great brands emerging.
International expansion takes time, but programs like the European Natural Beauty Awards have helped us reach new audiences. We’re currently most established in Finland and parts of Central Europe, but we want to expand to all the European markets. This year, we entered Spain and Portugal, and we have our eyes on the French and German market as the next step. Being on multinational webshops has also been key for broader exposure
What differentiates you in the industry?
Eva-Maria: We blend ancient herbal wisdom with modern science, and we mix that with the belief in multifunctionality. Our makeup products work across different areas: eyes, cheeks, and lips, and contain skincare benefits. We have created a “makeup capsule collection” that includes fewer, high-quality products that can be used in more ways than one. We get a lot of positive feedback from consumers about our selection of skin-centric and multiuse makeup. They say it feels lovely on their skin and simplifies their routine.
After two decades on the market, what shifts in consumer behavior have you seen?
Eva-Maria: Consumers are more conscious about ingredients, brand values, and environmental impact. At the same time, greenwashing is still a problem, which is why we chose to certify our JOIK Organic range with EcoCert under the COSMOS standard. It provides transparency and peace of mind for the customer and helps distinguish truly natural products from misleading ones.
Behind the scenes of the TV series Von Fock
Your long-lasting eyeshadow received an Excellence Award in 2024, and your makeup is used in TV productions and on stage. Can you tell us more about that?
Eva-Maria: While our makeup range is created for everyone, we are also continuously collaborating with professional makeup artists who use our products for TV productions and on stage. This project was particularly exciting, we had a collaboration with Von Fock, a crime series set in the early 1900s, filmed by an international crew. The production needed makeup to create very natural, subtle enhancements, authentic to the era, yet something that still performed under TV set conditions, and JOIK makeup was chosen as the makeup brand for the production.
This project showed how our products can be natural and high-performing, even in demanding environments. We are happy to have played a part in bringing its historical world to life.
What has your experience been like participating in the European Natural Beauty Awards?
Eva-Maria: It’s been very positive. Last year’s event helped us connect with different retailers, and the recognition from the Excellence Award gave our eyeshadow great visibility.
Awards like these are valuable both in promoting trust and opening new business opportunities. We’ve entered again this year and are excited about what’s to come.
We were also happy to have the opportunity to actually meet buyers from across Europe through the Natural Beauty Market.
Lastly, can you share what’s next for JOIK? Any upcoming launches or partnerships to look forward to?
Eva-Maria: We always aim to introduce something new each year. This fall, we’re launching solid foundation sticks, and next year, we’re expanding our skincare offering with lines focused on problem and sensitive skin. Innovation is key for us, we’re always experimenting with new activities and ideas to bring effective, natural beauty solutions to our customers.
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JOIK aligns closely with the ENBA’s values, with their philosophy focusing on ethical production practices, high-quality natural ingredients, and a holistic approach to beauty, emphasizing self-care rituals that feel luxurious and are truly natural.
We are proud to feature JOIK as part of the European Natural Beauty Awards community — a brand that embodies the ENBA values of excellence, transparency, and naturality.
To learn more about JOIK:
https://joik.eu/