CP Herbalist Among Cyprus’ Top Young Entrepreneurs

We are honored to share that our founder, Chrystallena Poulli, was selected by In Business as one of Cyprus’ most distinguished young entrepreneurs under 45. In an exclusive interview, Chrystallena spoke about her journey, from her love for nature and herbalism to the successful creation of a natural cosmetics company that is continuously gaining ground in the market.

From the initial challenges to the major achievements of CP Herbalist, this interview is filled with inspiration and passion. Below, we present the full article written by Nicole Zeniou, as published in In Business magazine.

She has always been fascinated by nature and wanted to delve into its healing properties, which led her to study medical herbalism in London. Along the way, she worked in holistic clinics there and quickly identified a gap in the market regarding the availability of alternative herbal treatments and skincare. She began by creating products for her family and friends. Upon returning to Cyprus, with her passion for natural solutions, holistic wellness, and her lifelong desire to care for others, she founded CP Herbalist in 2018, a skincare and haircare company with nearly 100% natural cosmetics.
The initial challenge was to transform her scientific knowledge and experience into products that would meet consumer needs. More challenges followed, such as researching and developing effective solutions, sourcing high-quality raw materials, and building a strong team that shared her vision. Additionally, creating a market presence for her brand was no easy feat, especially when competing against major names in the beauty industry, with limited production capacity, as all products are handmade.
She also recalls facing obstacles such as gender-based discrimination and being underestimated due to her young age in the early stages of her career. These challenges, however, taught her to face prejudices with determination and to stay focused on her goals. They also influenced her business strategy, incorporating the empowerment of women as a core value of her company, which today has a team of 10 women. In the end, as she says, hard work and perseverance paid off, with her products now widely recognized for their effectiveness by consumers. Continuous feedback from her customers helps her improve and innovate.
This year, she launched the new Zoé face care line, “the result of four years of dedication and collaboration with top scientists and formulators worldwide.”
Additionally, the environmentally-friendly House of Cosmetic Production by Chrystallena Poulli, a cruelty-free facility that meets all relevant European standards, has recently been completed and is expected to open in 2025, providing significant employment opportunities. Chrystallena’s goal is to maintain control over production and achieve growth while adhering to the highest quality standards.
Furthermore, CP Herbalist aims to expand into international markets and produce cosmetic products for other companies: “This will allow us to strengthen our presence in the market and create new business opportunities.” Her advice to young entrepreneurs is to stay committed to their vision and not be afraid to innovate. Hard work, self-trust, confidence, and dedication to their goals are key to success: “I started CP Herbalist by entering an extremely competitive market with no prior experience. Believe it or not, I never thought of quitting, and I never will.”