From Japan to LA: Saika Satomi’s Inspiring Journey to Revolutionize Wellness with Re:Bio
Saika Satomi is the visionary founder of Re:Bio, whose journey from Japan to Los Angeles is nothing short of extraordinary. When Saika arrived in LA in 2011, she faced the daunting challenge of building a new life without knowing English and with only a dream to guide her. Through sheer determination and an unyielding desire to find her unique path, Saika navigated the hurdles of a new culture and language, drawing inspiration from her experiences with a vegetarian family and her professional training in yoga, massage, and esthetics.
Her journey led her to open SAIKA Beauty in Beverly Hills, followed by the creation of THE MOMENT Inc. to bridge health-related products between LA and Japan. Today, with Re:Bio making waves in both Japan and the U.S., Saika continues to redefine wellness by intertwining beauty, mind, and physical health. Join us as we delve into her inspiring story of resilience, innovation, and the pursuit of living an authentic life.
Your journey toward understanding the connection between beauty, mind, and physical health began when you lived with a vegetarian family. How did that experience shape your approach to wellness?
I moved to the U.S. from Japan and found a home staying with a vegetarian family for about four years from the age of 20, and became a pescetarian myself. I learned about different vegetables, fruits, grains, and ingredients from Japan and how to cook them, and I learned that food is the building block of our daily lives.
My parents run a restaurant in Japan, so we had dinner together only once a week. I had dinner with them every day and we talked about daily happenings, which energized me and helped my mental health. I remember I looked forward to coming home every day like a child.
You’ve spoken about your personal health struggles with food allergies, fatigue, and poor circulation. How did these challenges lead you to discover the importance of gut health?
I began living on my own in the U.S. and I started my business five years later. I became ill and from there, I had many problems. I experienced daily diarrhea, bloody stools, food allergies, fatigue, and poor circulation which did not improve no matter what I did. I was afraid to eat and my body was down. I began to learn how important the intestines are to the body.
Gut health has become a central theme in your personal and professional journey. Can you explain how improving your gut health impacts not only your physical but also your mental well-being?
I was diagnosed with a variety of intestinal diseases, and at the hospital I was given various diagnoses, including ulcerative colitis, which I was told would never go away, but as I gradually worked on myself and my intestines, my daily stress, mood, and sleep improved.
One of the reasons may be due to serotonin, also known as the “happy hormone.” Our gut is actually responsible for producing a significant amount of our body’s serotonin. Another reason is our gut, mind, and nerves are all intricately linked. The gut-brain axis is a two-way communication system that allows our gut to send signals to our brain, and vice versa. This connection can impact our mental health, including our stress levels, anxiety, and even depression.
In 2014, you opened your first business, SAIKA Beauty, an eyelash extension salon in Beverly Hills. How did that experience lay the foundation for your entrepreneurial career in the health and beauty space?
I opened my eyelash salon because I love anything to do with beauty. I had no business experience at all, so I learned the business boards from scratch. Of course, I was clueless, so I made a lot of mistakes and spent a lot of time trying to understand the law and how it works in English. From there I learned customer care and teamwork. I also learned how to keep up with the latest beauty and health trends from my customers in Beverly Hills, where people have a strong sense of beauty.
Re:Bio was launched in Japan in 2022 and the U.S. in 2023. What inspired you to create Re:Bio, and what sets it apart from other wellness and beauty brands on the market?
I myself overcame a bowel disease and Re:Bio was born from that experience. Re:Bio is a combination of carefully selected probiotics, prebiotics, and collagen peptides.
It supports gut health, immunity, skin residence, and mood. Also, I have created a tasty supplement using real rose and strawberry, which women love, and that powder is also easy to take and easy to swallow. It is a great way for today’s busy women to get health, beauty, and simplicity.
Your journey from Japan to LA and now launching products in both countries reflects your global vision. What are some key differences in how wellness and beauty are approached in Japan versus the U.S.?
I think that the level of interest and approach to wellness and beauty in LA is similar to that of Japan, especially in urban centers such as Tokyo. However, I think that people in LA are more health-conscious, and they are not as distracted by advertisements as people in Japan, and they carefully select good products on their own.
Re:Bio focuses on both inner and outer beauty. Can you tell us more about the products and the philosophy behind them?
A healthy gut leads to a healthy physical condition, skin, and mental health, which ultimately leads to a beautiful outward appearance. Re:Bio contains ingredients that approach the inside and outside of the body, and as I mentioned earlier, I also put a lot of thought into the packaging. When you open the package, you will see.
“Be Kind To Yourself,” is the message I put on the inside. I want you to have compassion for yourself every day when you hold it in your hand and look at it. I hope you all remember to always be compassionate to yourself because I didn’t work on myself, and became overstressed and broke my intestines.
You’ve worked in various areas of wellness, from yoga and massage to esthetics. How have these experiences influenced the way you run your business and develop products?
I have tried many different kinds of work and experiences, which have given me ideas and knowledge for product development and business. I have also tried Western medicine, macrobiotics, various diets, and exercises. I like to learn what I am interested in, and I have seen and tried many different products that are not on the market, which has led me to create Re:Bio, a product that truly works for our customers based on my knowledge and experience.
With so many achievements, including launching multiple businesses and products, what advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs who may be facing setbacks or doubts on their journey?
I think entrepreneurs are constantly battling setbacks and doubts, always looking for new solutions, improving, and growing. Sometimes when I get frustrated or lost, I quit and clear my head. I do meditation, go to the ocean, make time to be alone, and create space in my head, and then I ask myself what I am learning from this problem.
What’s next for Re:Bio, and where do you see the brand going in the next five years?
I would like to see Re:Bio become a brand that is loved in Japan and the U.S., as more people become familiar with Re:Bio in their daily lives, and as more women begin to take care of their gut health and take care of themselves.
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