Northern Roots, Global Glow: Eha Urbsalu’s Journey to Unveil Viking Beauty Secrets

From Estonia to the World Stage

Eha Urbsalu’s life began far from the glamour of Manhattan, in a small Northern European nation with a big legacy. Born in Tallinn, Estonia (then part of the Soviet Union), Urbsalu grew up under humble circumstances. However, her artistic abilities landed her, at age 6, a place at a specialized music and film high school, sparking dreams of artistic pursuits. 

By age 14 Eha was already the lead singer in a political ensemble, performing at the Old Town Tallinn festival with songs like “We Shall Overcome” and her original song “Black and White,” which Eha wrote at age 14 about racial inequality. There was a biracial girl in Eha’s class who inspired her to write the song. 

Urbsalu’s first brush with fame came as a 15-year-old model walking in Tallinn and Moscow fashion shows. And by age 17 Eha entered the national beauty pageant and won Miss Estonia and, shortly after, the title of “Supermodel of the Soviet Union” just as the Iron Curtain was lifting. Two months later, 18-year-old Eha found herself at the Ford Supermodel of the World competition in Los Angeles, where she placed in the top four and moved to New York City. It was 1989, and the city that never sleeps was an overwhelming new world for a young woman who spoke little English. “It was exciting and scary at the same time! I remember that I often visited Estonian House in New York, which has been my home away from home for the last 35 years. “ Eha says. 

Urbsalu’s international modeling career – a whirlwind of fashion runways, photo shoots, and on-screen opportunities across Europe and Asia led her eventually to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of acting in Hollywood. However, not speaking perfect English and looking like a Barbie did not help Eha book any meaningful dramatic roles. So Urbsalu returned to New York and became a sought-after body double for famous actresses – at 5'10" with striking Nordic features, she stood in and was a body double for stars like Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Uma Thurman, and others. It was unique work that gave her an inside look at the film industry, but it also meant spending “14+ hours a day” under heavy makeup and harsh lights. The toll on her skin was unavoidable. “I started to have a lot of problems with my skin and health,” Urbsalu says, noting that she learned the hard way about the many harmful chemicals in skincare products sold in America.

Despite the glamour and globetrotting, Urbsalu never neglected her education. She finished her B.A. summa cum laude from SUNY Empire State College in New York – all while juggling modeling gigs and learning the ropes of business from the inside. This blend of creativity and discipline would later serve her well as a founder. 

And amid her success abroad, Urbsalu carried a piece of Estonia with her: she had a singer-songwriter side and often drew inspiration from Estonian melodies. In 2005 Eha almost won the Estonian Eurovision contest and in 2006 Eha won the Toronto Independent Music Awards Best International Artist award. “Music has a strong effect on me… I love listening to beautiful melodies,” she said, describing how songwriting once helped her relax and stay grounded. Each experience – artistic, academic, or professional – was preparing Eha Urbsalu to eventually chart her own path as an entrepreneur.

A Nordic Heritage Behind the Name

 “Growing up in Estonia and Northern Europe, we never thought about the words ‘organic’ and ‘clean beauty’ – that was just normal,” she recalls. At every turn of Urbsalu’s journey, her northern European roots remained a guiding force. She often found herself comparing the well-being habits of her homeland to those in the West. One stark difference was in skincare and self-care. “Growing up in Northern Europe, I had never thought about the words ‘organic’ and ‘clean beauty.’ We always used local, natural products made from plants native to our lands,” Urbsalu explains. 

Eha’s family would spend weekends and holidays on the island of Hiiumaa, at her grandmother’s ancestral home. Hiiumaa – known for its unspoiled forests and the lingering echoes of Viking history – quietly planted in Eha an appreciation for nature’s bounty. (Her maternal ancestors hail from this island, where legend says Vikings once roamed, and where wild sea buckthorn bushes still line the shores).

In Estonia, grandmothers taught grandchildren how to use birch leaf infusions for hair or cloudberry masks for the face. These Nordic super-berries and botanicals – readily found in Estonian forests and gardens – were simply part of everyday life.

Urbsalu likes to point out that historically, Vikings were exceptionally attuned to hygiene and nature’s remedies. “In fact, it has been discovered that Vikings were extremely clean and hygienic compared to other European societies, and these natural ingredients were highly valued by Viking communities nearly a thousand years ago,” she notes. Hiiumaa, the Estonian island of her ancestors, had a significant Viking presence centuries ago. Even the name of her brand, “Viking Beauty Secrets,” reflects this legacy. Urbsalu deliberately chose not to name her company after herself. “Many people name skincare brands after their own name; however, I wanted a name that reflects what it is,” she says. The word “Viking” resonated – it’s recognizable across languages, and it evokes strength. “The Nordic berries we use are the berries that were used for health and beauty in Viking times. Also, I admire that the Viking women were strong and had more rights in the 9th century than many western places did even in the early 1900s. So Viking Beauty Secrets seemed to carry this eternal message of empowerment,” Urbsalu explains.

This cultural pride goes hand-in-hand with family inspiration. Urbsalu’s mother, now in her nineties, has rosy cheeks and good skin. That was Urbsalu’s “aha” moment. “I realized that the secret was not using toxic chemicals, but rather returning to the Nordic, unpolluted ingredients she had been using for decades in Estonia,” Urbsalu recalls “For nearly a decade, I kept bringing skincare products from Estonia to my model girlfriends here in New York, until finally, I started my own skincare brand” she says.

Founding Viking Beauty Secrets: An Organic Vision

When Eha Urbsalu officially founded Viking Beauty Secrets in 2019, it was the culmination of years of preparation and passion. She was entering a crowded industry – natural skincare brands seemed to sprout up everywhere – but Urbsalu was confident in what she had to offer. Her brand wouldn’t be just another line with a green leaf on the label; it would be truly organic, with rigorous certification and a deeper authenticity. The timing was challenging (the pandemic would soon disrupt supply chains and consumer habits), yet it also heightened awareness of health and self-care. People were looking for wellness solutions and comfort, and Viking Beauty Secrets was poised to deliver just that.

In her personal life, Eha also got married during the pandemic, to a wonderful man named David, with a Swiss background. “I realized that if we could get through the worst pandemic of our lifetime in a small apartment in NYC, then we can get through anything” says Eha. 

David was also helpful in setting up the business side of Eha’s newly founded skincare business and respected that Eha set strict principles for her company. Drawing on her research, she was alarmed by regulatory gaps she’d encountered: “It was disturbing to find out that while the European Union bans over 1,300 chemicals from skincare, the U.S. only bans 30,” she told New York Lifestyles magazine. Determined to exceed standards, she ensured all Viking Beauty products earned the Greenlife ECOCERT/COSMOS organic certification, one of the world’s most stringent organic seals. This wasn’t a simple checkbox – it meant every ingredient, from the Arctic berry extracts down to the preservatives, had to meet natural and ethical criteria under European oversight. Urbsalu welcomed it. “To differentiate Viking Beauty Secrets from other skincare companies who may make natural or organic claims, I decided to have all products Certified Organic or Certified Natural by ECOCERT,” she says, “It is the largest independent organic certification organization in the world. We distribute the same certified product in Europe or the United States.” In practice, that means an auditor examines the supply chain of her products “from plant to bottle” to verify purity. It was a bold move for a small startup, but one that immediately set VBS (Viking Beauty Secrets) apart in an industry where “greenwashing” is common.

Another distinguishing factor was Urbsalu’s commitment to Nordic ingredients as the cornerstone of every formulation. She wasn’t chasing trends like exotic Amazonian fruits or laboratory-made miracles. Instead, she focused on the potent botanicals she knew from childhood – notably a trio of berries revered in Nordic folk medicine: cloudberry, rowanberry, and sea buckthorn. These orange and red berries might be unfamiliar to a global audience, but they pack a punch. Cloudberries, for instance, thrive in Arctic marshes and contain four times the vitamin C of oranges, plus a cocktail of antioxidants and omega fatty acids. “To survive extremely cold temperatures as low as -50°C, Arctic berry species such as cloudberry have developed a highly unsaturated lipid profile… a valuable source of essential fatty acids for internal and external skincare,” Urbsalu explains, channeling both folklore and science. Rowanberries, bright red clusters often seen on Estonian autumn trees, are rich in vitamin C and were traditionally used in tonics. Sea Buckthorn – or “astelpaju” in Estonian – might be the most famous. Urbsalu didn’t choose these ingredients for quaint storytelling; she chose them because they work. 

When Viking Beauty Secrets launched its initial products, the emphasis was on simplicity and efficacy. Urbsalu’s ethos: if an ingredient wouldn’t be found in a northern European pantry or garden, it probably doesn’t belong on your face. No parabens, no synthetic fragrances, no dyes. “Our natural, toxin-free formulations are vegan, cruelty-free, and non-GMO, opting for essential oils over artificial fragrances,” noted one beauty editor about the brand’s debut. In place of lab-made scents, a light whiff of lavender essential oil might scent a cream – just enough to evoke a summer meadow in Estonia, never enough to overwhelm. This approach earned Viking Beauty Secrets their first of many awards  – an Organic Day Cream with Sea Buckthorn – won the Best Moisturizer of 2019 Award from Think Dirty in Canada and later several VBS products won European Natural Beauty Awards. 

Clean, Green, and Blue: A Sustainable Mission

From its inception, Viking Beauty Secrets has been as much about values as about beauty. Urbsalu built sustainability into every layer of the business. “From the start, I decided to have a sustainable brand,” she says plainly. This means 100% renewable energy is used in manufacturing her skincare line, and packaging is approached with an eco-warrior mindset. All VBS products come in recyclable or recycled containers – glass bottles for the creams and serums (no single-use plastic jars) and tubes made from post-consumer recycled materials for items like the scrub and eye cream. Even the outer cartons are FSC-certified paper, ensuring the paperboard comes from responsibly managed forests. Urbsalu pushed this ethos further by adopting innovative solutions like OWP (Ocean Waste Plastic) for certain packaging. “Not many brands have achieved this certification, which reflects our dedication to sustainability by using recycled ocean plastic in our packaging,” she says, noting that their Rose Calendula Cleanser is now bottled in reclaimed ocean plastic.

But sustainability at Viking Beauty Secrets isn’t limited to materials – it extends to activism. 5% of the company’s revenue is donated to ocean and beach cleanup initiatives. This cause is personal for Urbsalu. Seeing the impact of pollution in her beloved Baltic Sea and beyond, she sought out a kindred spirit to amplify the message. She found that in Merle Liivand, a fellow Estonian and world-class swimmer known as “Mermaid Merle.” Liivand, an international swim champion and ocean advocate, joined Viking Beauty Secrets as a partner and Head of Sustainability. If Urbsalu is the brains behind the beauty formulas, Merle Liivand is the heart behind the environmental crusade – famously, Liivand set five Guinness World Records by swimming long distances with a mermaid monofin (not using her arms) to raise awareness of plastic pollution. In one record-setting swim, she covered 30 miles while collecting trash from the water. Urbsalu often cites Merle’s feats to inspire customers: if a woman can swim for 10 hours straight to draw attention to microplastics, we can all do our part by choosing sustainable products. Together, the duo has made Viking Beauty Secrets as much about “beauty for the planet” as beauty for the individual. 

Behind all these efforts is Urbsalu’s core belief that sustainability and luxury can coexist. By sourcing from some of the cleanest environments on Earth – the Nordic region – and manufacturing in the Baltic countries under green energy, her brand reduces its footprint while supporting local economies. 

Inside the Product Line: Nordic Nature in a Bottle

Urbsalu often refers to her products as “my babies,” each one lovingly formulated and rigorously tested (on willing humans, never animals). What started as a modest line of a few items in 2019 has grown into a curated collection of skincare essentials. Here are some of the Viking Beauty Secrets’ standout products and what makes them unique:

• Restorative Night Cream (Hyaluronic & Rowanberry) – To round out the routine, Viking Beauty Secrets offers a replenishing night cream. It’s formulated with rowanberry and cloudberry extracts, hyaluronic acid for deep hydration, and a whisper of natural lavender oil. The lavender isn’t just for scent; its aromatherapeutic effect is intended to signal relaxation. Urbsalu even jokes that massaging this cream into her face at bedtime has become a “going-to-bed ritual” that helps her fall asleep within minutes. More than a luxury, it underscores her holistic view: skincare should nourish the soul as much as the skin.
  
  
• Exfoliating Facial Scrub (Volcanic Sand & Raspberry) – Arguably the hero product of the line, this scrub has earned six international Clean Beauty awards across Europe and North America. Instead of microplastic beads found in conventional scrubs (which wash into oceans and harm marine life), Urbsalu uses black volcanic sand from Iceland to provide a natural exfoliation. The formula combines the sand with crushed Nordic raspberry seeds and nourishing oils. “Many scrubs sold in America still use plastic microbeads,” Urbsalu notes, whereas her exfoliator is completely biodegradable. Customers love that it leaves skin polished but not stripped – and it’s gentle enough for both men and women, a truly unisex favorite.
  
  
• Awakening Eye Cream (Cloudberry) – This gentle eye cream has become Urbsalu’s personal favorite. “It’s like a salad bar for your face!” she quips, referring to its buffet of natural ingredients. The eye cream combines an aloe vera base with calming chamomile, cucumber, hyaluronic acid, and cloudberry extract – delivering a payload of antioxidants to the delicate eye area. Urbsalu formulated it to combat dark circles and puffiness without heaviness. “I wanted something light and refreshing, full of vitamins and natural [ingredients], while still being effective,” she says, noting that she herself returns to this cream after trying others because it “works the best for me”. The product has gotten rave reviews, even from beauty editors who noted visible firming and de-puffing within a week of use.
  
  

All products are available through the brand’s online store, as Urbsalu focuses on direct-to-consumer outreach. However, her line has also found its way into select boutiques – like the gift shop of the Scandinavia House in New York and the Scandinavian Shop in Alexandria, Minnesota – where the personal shopping experience allows curious customers to touch, feel, and smell the Nordic-inspired potions. As the brand grows, Urbsalu envisions expanding retail presence carefully. 

Leading as a Female Founder

Eha Urbsalu’s transition from model to CEO highlights not only a career evolution, but also the emergence of a strong female founder in an industry where women’s leadership is increasingly celebrated. Throughout her journey, Urbsalu has drawn on inner reserves of resilience – something she partially credits to her heritage. “Viking women were strong,” she reminds us, “they had more rights in the 9th century than many western places did in the 1960s”. That spirit of independence and strength is something Urbsalu carries into her boardroom and lab to this day. As a woman in business, especially one coming from a small Baltic country to the global arena, she is conscious of being a role model. She often shares advice with other entrepreneurs, emphasizing perseverance: “The secret to success? Not giving up and creating a strong supportive team,” Urbsalu says. In her case, that team includes her business partner Merle Liivand pushing her to overcome challenges, and even Urbsalu’s husband David, whom she credits for keeping an eye on finances and providing steady support.

Furthermore, Urbsalu is continuing to inspire and support other young women who, like her, have big ambitions. With her brand Viking Beauty Secrets, and her Charitable company Eesti Missid MTŰ, Urbsalu is sponsoring several Miss Estonia, Miss Finland and Miss Minnesota winners and contestants, to encourage and help their journeys through the competitions and charity work. Urbsalu believes that bringing one’s authentic self and cultural background to the table can be a competitive advantage. She has made Viking Beauty Secrets an extension of who she is – an Estonian, a nature lover, a former model who knew what it was like to battle breakouts, and a modern businesswoman who won’t settle for less than excellence. She believes that women can lead businesses their own way, drawing on both their femininity and their ferocity.

Bridging Culture and History

In championing Viking Beauty Secrets and looking into the history of her own grandmother and mother,, Eha Urbsalu also discovered that her mother Milja and her family, were central figures in helping many people escape during World War II. In conversations with her mother, Eha found out that her great uncle and a neighbor were the very first two men escaping with a little boat from Hiiumaa to Sweden, hence opening up the way for tens of thousands to follow. All these conversations led to Eha writing a feature film screenplay about a family and an epic love story spanning from 1922 to 1944 in Estonia. And just like Urbsalu went into action with her skincare ideas, she went to produce the movie Etude of Life. For that Eha got the help of the best wartime filmmakers in Estonia, starting with Director/Actor Mart Sander and famous Estonian actresses Triin Lellep and Merle Palmiste. In two years of preparation and filming, even Eha’s business partner Merle Liivand ended up having a part in the movie, not surprisingly having to use her swimming skills for a specific historical role. Eha plans to finalize filming in the summer of 2025, and has even a special opening scene of the movie taking place in the actual New York Estonian House. 

Inspiring Change

From Beauty to Business: from Nordic Berries to a splash of ice-cold spring water for toning the face, Urbsalu shines a spotlight on the richness of Baltic and Nordic wellness traditions. It’s a form of soft diplomacy: through her brand, people everywhere get a taste of Estonian culture. For example, few outside the region knew of cloudberries before, but now thousands have tried Viking Beauty’s products and indirectly learned about this golden “Arctic raspberry.” In a way, Urbsalu has become an ambassador of Estonia, embodying the ethos of a country often dubbed “e-Estonia” for its tech innovation, yet equally proud of its forests and folklore. Her success speaks to the broader narrative of Estonia’s emergence with women like Urbsalu at the helm of global ventures.

As Viking Beauty Secrets grows, Urbsalu remains focused on her mission: delivering clean, green beauty rooted in authenticity. The brand is expanding globally, with sales picking up in Europe and interest coming from America. There is talk of developing a “Viking Beauty Secret” signature treatment or spa experience down the line, to further immerse customers in the Nordic approach to self-care.

As we wrap up our conversation in her Manhattan office, which is adorned with Estonian handicrafts and shelves of lab samples, Urbsalu flashes a warm smile. “Every time someone discovers our products and falls in love with them, I feel like I’ve shared a piece of my Estonia with them,” she says. In that moment, it’s clear that Viking Beauty Secrets is more than a business for Eha Urbsalu – it’s the legacy of her northern heritage, distilled into a jar, and a story of female entrepreneurial spirit that continues to inspire.