People ask me all the time, “How did you get started making this?” I tell them, “It started out as family Christmas presents.” I always like to give something homemade for Christmas. So, one year, I had seen something about making a “healing salve”. I found several variations of recipes for the salve. I had been trying to cut back on the chemicals we were using in household products and things we put on our skin as well as in our body. This seemed like a perfect idea. My husband had just started raising emus so I had been learning about all of the wonderful things emu oil was good for. My recipe had to include emu oil. I studied and mixed until I came up with a salve I was pleased with. I bought little glass jars to put it in. I carried it with me to show a couple of my friends. They asked what it was good for. I told them to help stop itches, to help prevent infections in cuts and to aid in the healing process as well as moisturize dry skin. They wanted some. I wound up selling all of the jars I had made. So, I went home and made some more.
The Christmas presents were a hit! I made more and I sold more. After a few batches, I decided to make more than 6 at a time. I put them on ebay and started selling them. I started to set up at craft fairs and fall festivals. (Word of advice: July is not a good time to do outside festivals in the South when your products can melt!) I have since added a few products to my line. My favorite is a cream I make from the salve recipe, but with less beeswax and a little more oil and shea butter, then whip it until its creamy! I now have the original Essential Skin salve, All~Star Cream, Sugar Scrub, Face Cream and Emu Oil. I also carry other items in my store such as pure, therapeutic grade (yet affordable) essential oils and oil blends. It has been a hard, but fun experience! I named the business Paisley Trading Co. and the skin care line is called Mama J’s. The basic philosophy behind what I do is described below:
We believe God gave us everything we need in nature without having to use chemicals in or on our body. That’s why we create all natural products! We also believe we are meant to help each other by using using our talents and gifts. So we give 20% of our profits to missions and charities! One of those missions is a boys orphanage in the Dominican Republic. It gives us great joy to help put smiles on the kids faces! We also support charities and ministries such as St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, the Make A Wish Foundation, Young Life, and more!
The idea behind our new packaging is to encourage and motivate those who buy them to be the best they can be and to love themselves just the way they are! We wish everyone could see the potential they have and be the very best version of themselves without feeling like they need to change themselves. Have confidence in yourself and shine!!
I would love to have you as a customer or client. I also do some Christian life and business coaching. I have some amazing friends who I partner with that do the awesome technical stuff like web design, printing, marketing, etc… I have a passion for encouraging people to believe in themselves and be the best possible version of themselves… to reach the potential God created them for!
