INTERVIEW | GILAH ELUL: CO-FOUNDER, MURI LELU
Gilah Elul by Shana Jade Trajanoska
NAME: Gilah Elul
ASTROLOGICAL “BIG THREE” : Sagittarius Sun / Cancer Rising / Aries Moon
FROM: San Francisco, California
TELL US ABOUT MURI LELU…
Muri Lelu is a clean, luxury skincare brand bottling the magic of full flower cannabis. This begins with formulations that harness the widest range of therapeutic compounds possible, and cannabis aromatherapy that infuses the plant's signature mood-enhancing benefits.
We launched with a luxurious and simple, two-step daily ritual that actually works to restore skin of all types to optimal health.
Bloomrise Sativa Serum is a morning multi-corrective that hydrates, treats dark spots, fights blemishes, plumps and protects against free radicals and other daily environmental damage. It's infused with Sativa-inspired cannabis aromatherapy that awakens the mind, third eye, and creative energy.
Mauvaise Herbe Indica Oil is a nightly treatment that soothes irritation, boosts collagen, restores balance to the skin barrier and prevents inflammation responsible for premature aging. It's deeply calming, with Indica-inspired cannabis aromatherapy that induces relaxation and restorative sleep.
Image credit clockwise: Doan Ly, Vanessa Granda, Emily Soto, and Amy Merrick
THE INSPIRATION:
I come from a family of entrepreneurs. Even though I had a successful career in beauty marketing working with top brands like Chanel and Dior, my intuition was quietly pinging me to take a risk and embark on something tied to self-ownership. It's fitting that Muri Lelu was founded by myself, my sister and our lifelong family friend, because growing up I had always witnessed business as rooted in the family unit.
Working with elite brands in fashion, beauty, and wellness was eye-opening. As I climbed the ladder, I often found myself the only person of color in many meeting rooms. The industry had a problem with box-checking—as long as there was one Black, Brown or Asian person at a company, “representation” was achieved. It was clear that this fundamentally needed to change. Building Muri Lelu is my way of shifting that narrative, and ensuring that the perspectives of marginalized peoples are represented at the highest level.
WHAT GETS YOU EXCITED?
I am really excited to open up a dialogue in the beauty and wellness industry around what it means to consciously consume cannabis. Other forms of plant medicines like adaptogens and mushrooms are widely accepted, however cannabis—arguably a plant medicine with the richest medicinal, cultural, and political history—remains stigmatized. Muri Lelu is committed to challenging the unjust narrative surrounding this plant, and to righting the wrongs that the War on Drugs has had on communities of color in particular.
To us, this is a beautiful flowering plant just like many other plants we know and love. We aim to bring that spirit of beauty and reverence back to the public consciousness.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU'VE OVERCOME?
From a business standpoint, definitely COVID. Our brand was originally slated to launch on the day the lockdown orders hit New York (where we're based). Our supply chain was impacted as our production facilities were diverted to making hand sanitizer, and we were deeply concerned about the safety of our production partners in a city that quickly became the epicenter of the pandemic.
This year was a very non-traditional one in which to launch a business. We had to shift away from old and outdated definitions of success and realize that our biggest success has been finding our community. We have a unique product, and the past year and a half has positioned us to align with the people who deeply appreciate and see our mission.
HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE SELF-DOUBT?
While I consider myself to be strong, determined and resourceful, I've also struggled with anxiety stemming from a lack of self-acceptance for my whole life. Developing a practice of radical self-inquiry and love is what has helped me develop awareness of my limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns, and begin to heal from them. Meditation and journaling are key when it comes to developing self-intimacy (really seeing who you are, for better and for worse), and affirmations and community accountability help with replacing bad habits with more healthy ones.
Something I've done recently is create a “digital” toolkit that goes with me on my phone. It includes podcast snippets; images of affirmations and other things that trigger positive mindsets; plus playlists and notes with journal prompts. I find it has been sooooo helpful with immediately taking on feelings of self-doubt in any scenario, and giving myself what I need to overcome it.
Gllah has kindly gifted the Benshen community with a 30% off code, valid on all Muri Lelu products; use BENSHEN30 to redeem.