Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Oliver.
Hi Andrea, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
As a young woman throughout high school, I have always had extremely sensitive skin. I would try every tip, trick, and product to help remove blemishes from my face. After speaking with a pharmacist, who suggested medicine to treat allergic reactions, it became apparent that my breakouts were due to allergic reactions instead of hormonal breakouts. This prompted me to study and research all the ingredients in my personal care items. What I found was that most household soaps, moisturizers, and personal care items contain hazardous detergents, preservatives, and even cancer-causing chemicals. This is where my search for clean skincare started. In the year 2015, my mother was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer and was given a year and a half to live. My mother’s passing made me even more determined to live a natural, healthy, clean lifestyle. I received my license as an advanced practicing esthetician in 2017 and I started my skincare business.
Most of the clients that came to me were concerned about blemishes, breakouts, early signs of wrinkles, and overall skin health. Apart of my skincare consultation would be to analyze the ingredients in the personal care items they were using and replacing them with all-natural and safe products. I came up with the name Botanixx – because important ingredients used in my products are plant-based botanicals. After the Covid pandemic, my skincare business was greatly affected because I could no longer see my clients face to face. So, I took this as an opportunity to build upon direct-to-consumer retail. My main objective is to provide alternative, natural paraben and preservative-free personal care items that are nourishing, hydrating, and overall healthier for your skin. Along this journey, I have also made it my duty to give back to the environment and community by donating a portion of proceeds to the conservation of endangered species, using recyclable packaging, and using naturally derived fragrance oils, and pure organic essential oils for aromatherapy and relaxation purposes.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey has not been a smooth road by far. I have not yet gotten any grants or start-up funding for Botanixx so I am responsible for most if not all of the start-up cost. I have also been trying to get certified as a minority-owned business but that has been very tedious and time-consuming process. I have also been dealing with my own personal battles such as seasonal depression, breaks up, grief, and other emotional trauma that we as everyday people deal with. This may cause me to have days where I’m just not feeling as motivated.
Last year sometime, I had the opportunity to share my life story on the YouTube Series Soft white underbelly which went viral. Essentially, I have had to adjust to people knowing who I am before I know who they are. Although I have been told my story is inspirational it still is an adjustment for me because I am still currently healing from past trauma.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am Licensed advanced aesthetician; my 750 hours of hands-on extensive training helps me choose the perfect ingredients for products that work for all skin types. I am also a skilled make-up artist and have worked with fair skin to dark African skin. I have experience in performing advanced facials such as (Ultrasonic, Diamond tip, Galvanic current, High-frequency facials). By using a woods lamp during skin analysis, I see the common skin issues not seen by the human eye and I specialize in skincare. I would like your readers to know that I have done extensive research into this field.
Although for women of color there are a decent number of cosmetics, but because of lack of cosmetic options and representation most are not satisfied with cosmetics that claim to treat these issues. Since women of color appear to buy and use more personal care products, the limited options could mean they are being exposed to more potentially hazardous chemicals. Less than 25% of products marketed to black women score low in potential hazardous ingredients. Women of color in America’s spending accounts for as much as 22 percent of the $42 billion-a-year personal care products market, suggesting that they buy and use more of such products including those with potentially harmful ingredients than all Americans as a whole.
A customer with combo skin, dry skin, or sensitive skin will benefit greatly because my product are affordable and clean in an analysis of ingredients in 1,177 beauty and personal care products marketed to women of color about 1 in 12 was ranked highly hazardous. I intend to use organic fruits, and herbs in my skincare line with minimal preservatives (mainly vitamin E) to preserve my products. Statistics show over 81 million people are affected by annoying dry and itchy skin in the winter months or from November to March. Many cities in the western United States have dry climates. Las Vegas and Phoenix get so little rain or snow, less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) a year on average, that they’re considered deserts. The rainfall at Riverside and San Diego amounts to just over the desert threshold. Las Vegas is the only large US city to average less than an inch (25 mm) of rain for every month of the year.
Potential consumers also feel that there are not enough organic skin care lines that cater to certain issues. According to L’Oréal in the coming years, millennials will be more likely than older generations to buy all-natural skincare products. Potential consumers have been made aware over 90% of cancers are caused by lifestyle factors, including pollutants in products. Potential consumers such as Sephora’s loyalist has eco-friendly mindsets which impact their consumption and purchase behaviors. They are 12% more likely than the average online population to purchase a product or service from a company that is environmentally friendly and are 6% more likely than the average population to agree that packaging for products should be recycled. I have incorporated these learnings in my business iteration process by being very in touch with environmental and wildlife conservation. A portion of proceeds and support go to the nature conservancy that helps aid in the conservation of endangered species.
My products are made from all-natural and organic ingredients. At the end of my aesthetics program, I had the privilege of competing in a business management contest. My business was awarded the most captivating and influential and won first place
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
My favorite childhood memory is visiting Disney world in Orlando Florida. Moments like that help me hold on to the memory of having my mom, brother, and grandmother still alive. Unfortunately, now they are a part of my memory. But I still cherish the times when we were a happy family. I appreciate memories of us enjoying each other’s time and feeling like I belonged to a true home. Home is definitely where the heart is.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Botanixx.co
- Instagram: instagram.com/botanixx.co
Image Credits
Julia sweet tooth
