The Day I Decided to Start Making Skincare

People sometimes imagine that starting a skincare company begins with a carefully crafted business plan, a color-coded spreadsheet, and someone confidently declaring, "I'm going to build a beauty brand."

I wish I could tell you that's how it happened.

The truth is, it started with frustration. I have Lupus and one of the symptoms I’ve had is the “butterfly rash”, a redness across my cheeks and nose, only chest. I could never find moisturizer or lotion that would calm it. So I went researching the best ingredients for this specific type of rash. And a body butter was born. And it grew from there. I knew if it could benefit me, which it did, then it could benefit others too.

I've always been fascinated by the way small things can make a big difference. A little more hydration. A gentler cleanser. A product that feels comforting instead of harsh. I found myself asking questions that led to more questions. Why did one moisturizer feel wonderful while another left my skin feeling tight? Why did some products promise everything but deliver very little? What made one ingredient worth talking about while another was simply riding the latest trend?

Before long, I wasn't just reading ingredient labels. I was studying them.

Curiosity Has a Funny Way of Growing

The more I learned, the more I realized skincare isn't magic.

It's chemistry.

It's biology.

It's patience.

It’s studying. I actually studied the chemistry of bubbles. BUBBLES for crying out loud. Hahaha!

It's understanding that every ingredient has a purpose, every percentage matters, and sometimes changing one tiny detail can completely transform how a product feels.

That realization was exciting.

It also meant I suddenly understood why finding products I truly loved wasn't always easy. Formulating isn't about tossing a handful of wonderful ingredients into a bowl and hoping for the best. It's about balance.

And apparently, I really enjoy puzzles.

The First Batch Wasn't Perfect

If you've ever imagined that someone's first homemade skincare product came out flawless, I'd like to gently ruin that illusion.

It didn't. Not even close. Some batches were too thick. Some were too thin. Some felt incredible... until they didn't.

Some got splattered on my ceiling when they were being whipped in my mixer. That one was fun to clean up. 

There were formulas that looked promising on paper but weren't nearly as impressive once they met real skin. There were recipes that taught me exactly what not to do. There were moments when I thought I'd finally nailed it, only to make one tiny adjustment and realize it could be even better.

As frustrating as that could be, those "almost" moments became some of my greatest teachers.

Why I Still Keep Learning

One of the things I love most about this work is that there isn't a finish line. There are always new ingredients to explore, better techniques to learn, and opportunities to improve what I've already created.

That's why you'll occasionally see products evolve. It's why I spend so much time testing textures and researching ingredients. It's why I'm perfectly happy to reformulate something if I genuinely believe I can make it better.

Learning isn't something I finished before opening the shop. It's part of running it.

Behind the Scenes

If you could peek into my workspace on any given day, you'd probably find notebooks full of handwritten formulas, ingredients lined up across the counter, measuring tools that seem to multiply overnight, and at least one product being tested before it ever earns a place on the website.

There's a surprising amount of note-taking involved. And cleaning. So much cleaning.

Making skincare may look peaceful in photos, but behind every finished bottle is a whole lot of measuring, mixing, testing, sanitizing, labeling, second-guessing, and occasionally saying, "Nope... we're trying that one again."

Honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's Never Just About the Products

When someone places an order, they're not just receiving a cleanser or a moisturizer.

They're receiving something that started as an idea, became pages of notes, went through rounds of testing, and wasn't released until I felt genuinely proud to put my name on it.

That's one of the beautiful things about being a small business. Every product has a story. Every batch has intention. Every order reminds me why I decided to do this in the first place.

Ritual Reflection:

The next time you use one of your favorite products—whether it's from our shop or another small business—pause for just a moment.

Someone dreamed it up. Someone tested it. Someone wondered if it was good enough before sharing it with the world. Sometimes the things we use every day carry a little more heart than we realize.

And I think that's worth remembering.