Last February I released my very own hair and body products. The release was made available to only a select few people on the Market. These are not new products as I have been making them for years and they are listed on our Shop Page, but I want to take the time to share my personal story of how these products came to be. It is as follows….
Growing up there was a home remedy for just about everything. My Grandmother would drink castor oil to fight off illness and my mom would warm up sweet almond oil to fight a earache. Someone always had a remedy or a recipe for something!
I was born at home. This was something that was different, even way back then. I actually didn’t see the inside of a doctors office or a hospital until I was almost a teenager because we had a home doctor. Her name was Dr. Catalina. She was a very small Italian lady who practiced medicine from her house. Kind of like how Bill Cosby did on “The Cosby Show.” She would always call me Raquel instead of Rachel and I loved her dearly. She was a doctor with all the titles and degrees to go with it, but she practiced holistic medicine as well. She strongly believed that in taking that route first and she always did. Hence the above mentioned remedies.
As a young girl, I didn’t see the value or appreciate these things. So as you can imagine, over time all that tradition went out the window. It wasn’t until both myself and people I love began to have problems as we aged that they even came to mind.
I began to develop an interest in the way different soaps, lotions, and other everyday products affect our bodies. The research I found was devastating. These ingredients that were supposed to be the solution, were actually causing problems! I even found that some could cause cancer?!? It was almost like the products should have came with a warning label!
Of course I dug deeper. I researched parabens, sulfates, silicones, fragrances, dyes, and other chemicals listed on bottles I had used my whole life. Some I couldn’t even pronounce. Then I researched the companies and their business practices. There was a fortune being made, without a care about what harm these toxins were causing. I felt like I was being educated for the first time. There was so much information out there! It was staggering and overwhelming.
You can imagine my relief when I learned about natural products. It was amazing to see that God really has given us everything we need through his creations!
I began an extensive research of essential oils, along with how to create everyday products from plants, and the power of apple cider vinegar. I got my husband on board and we started implementing changes. This was about 13 years ago and it’s what started me on this journey of learning how to live better, eat healthier, and take the best care of my body (I am still learning this).
This picture of Brandon and I is 10 years old.
My biggest personal change was letting go of the chemically treated hair I had since I was a little girl. Every 6-8 weeks, I religiously slathered my head with chemicals that included lye, formaldehyde, and whatever else was in that jar. I didn’t know it at the time, but I soon found out that I was poisoning my body.
A good friend shared a video with me of what these chemicals were really doing to our bodies and after researching more on my own, I was done. I got permission from my husband and little by little transitioned to the natural look I have today. The picture you see below was taken last year.
I now have all sorts of recipes for all hair types. One of my favorites is a hair conditioner that uses bananas, olive oil, eggs, and raw honey. I wish I could bottle that one for you guys! It’s so good. Each ingredient has a special property that all hair needs.
Our family and friends have exclusively used my products for the longest time and my husband has always encouraged me to market them. He has been a believer and my strongest supporter since he tried them himself (before then he wouldn’t touch a moisturizer). I was very apprehensive because these were MY creations and I worried if others would like them. Really I was just too scared and I also didn’t know where to start.
So since I now have my own forum, they are available to all of you. I love to try new scents, and blend up different oils to see what I can come up with. I know that not everyone likes or can handle scents so I also make products with little to no fragrance except those naturally occurring in the oils. If someone has a particular issue like exzema or hair thinning, I blend what in my experience has worked for those. Of course, I am no doctor and I make no medical claims, but it is my aim to help where I can and provide a safer alternative.
This is my story. One day my products will have a name……but that may take me a while! I mean it has taken me years to get the courage to bring them out. Creating these products is a labor of love for me and one that I truly enjoy. I hope you guys enjoy it too.
It’s definitely cold and flu season and of course if anyone would get sick….it’s me! So I turn to what usually helps me to feel better……….my “cup of goodness.”