Interview: Aline Peerbolte – Happy Officine

For this month of March, the Exertier Trésor des Alpes team has decided to talk to you about several women. Why these women? Because we admire them and because we believe their words can inspire you as much as they did us.

Today, read Aline Peerbolte.

Aline Peerbolte founded with her husband Johan the incredible Happy Officine site which offers the best “Clean Beauty” selection in Switzerland . Aline and I met at the Exertier showroom, an impromptu meeting on Instagram which ended late over tea, talking about beauty, product composition, our favorite brands... In short, it was THE ultimate meeting of two beautystars who respect each other. I admit that I was really very (very) proud when Aline confirmed to us that she was taking Exertier in the ultra-sophisticated selection of Happy Officine .

Happy Officine is an e-shop but also pop-up stores in French-speaking Switzerland where you will find professional advice in a stunning setting. I invite you to follow their Instagram which is a gold mine of beauty advice . I have the pleasure of introducing you to an awesome entrepreneur who is changing the game in beauty brand distribution.

Who are you and what does International Women's Day mean to you? My name is Aline and I am entrepreneur always. I have never been able to work for anyone other than myself. In my opinion, everyday is Women's Day, so it doesn't mean much to me to be completely honest. On the other hand, it is a reminder where I thank all the women who fought for our emancipation while knowing that our rights are still in the spotlight. Who is your biggest female inspiration? These are precisely all the women who made History, who had the crazy guts to speak loudly, to fight for their ideas, to not have been afraid to have them and to have had so much confidence in themselves in the face of to a society of men ready to ridicule them. They worked hard and I don't know if I would have been able to have as much strength as them at the same time.

What were the difficulties when you started your professional life and how did you overcome them?
Without hesitation, that of feeling like an imposter . I was also full of doubts. But it was thanks to my husband that I managed to get around them : it was he who made me understand that we are the only ones who can give ourselves credit and that we are also the only ones to decide our destiny . He's a great person, he's the first to fight against inequality.

What is your ultimate advice for balancing your life as a woman and your work?
I am lucky to have a husband who does the housework (much more than me) and who is as involved as I am in the life of our son Oscar. We constantly take turns, so I have time to take care of myself, to make myself beautiful or to do nothing at all . I think it's extremely important not to let the woman go to the detriment of the mother or partner . In any case, it was out of the question for me. So my advice is not to feel guilty, to think about yourself and to delegate as much as possible. My last piece of advice, if you suffer from imposter syndrome like me at the beginning, is to do it without asking questions.