I realized that the salon job I had was poisoning me slowly as well as those I considered clients and friends. I threw out an innumerable amount of perfume, body mist, lotion, and haircare. I then realized I had nothing I felt safe using and no money to buy the boogie organic things at Whole Foods.
I used my love of cooking and the DIY recipes from the book as a starting point. Over the next few years, I came up with several recipes in my Georgia kitchen, the most effective, being my natural deodorant and magnesium butter.
A friend encouraged me to get on Etsy and sell my recipes as products. I took the leap in 2012. From 2012 - late 2015 I worked from my house in Georgia to build Bear's Beauty. Initially my products were all hemp seed oil based, but confusion on the part of Etsy on CBD vs Hemp Seed Oil forced me to make changes to what I was able to sell.
In 2015 I moved to Indiana after a home invasion in Georgia left me traumatized. From late 2015 to early 2019 I focused on building my business, with almost 200 listings for sale on Etsy. I was averaging hundreds of orders each month and then Covid happened.
March 17th, 2020, my best friend passed in a car accident in Georgia, during the trip for the funeral, I contracted the first variant of Covid, one we now know was very strong and caused many to struggle with Long Haul Covid years after.
The next several years were rough. I was sick off and on from the time I got back from the funeral, finding myself bed-ridden when my family moved to the Navajo Reservation to help with Covid. While on the reservation, the lack of regular internet and mail service almost killed my business. I slowly discontinued items until just the deodorant was left.
While on the reservation I adopted several rez dogs and eventually started a homestead to permanently house abandoned dogs. In late 2022 we moved to Colorado and I started settling in for the first time in years.
Coming from Indiana to Arizona and then Colorado was a huge transition, especially when it came to the weather. What the hell is a "windy season?" I learned quickly that I would need to house the dogs indoors and give them the option to go outside.
Over the last few years, we have worked on infrastructure, solar power, and setting up watering systems to reach the entire six-acre property. This year we finish fences, internal heating for the workshop and a production area separated from the animal areas. Right now, I do production in the main house in a dedicate space.
The last few years I struggled with long-haul Covid and some family tragedy that required my attention and energy. As the dust settled at the end of 2025, I was faced with the question of what I actually want my life to look like.
I had been considering moving the operation to Georgia but realized that would be very difficult with the dogs and would require multiple cross country two-day truck journeys. So, i decided to plant my roots in Colorado. This spring we will be putting in long term fencing for the pups, keeping them in and coyotes out.
I have spent several years on this property but never really settled in. After a few months of therapy, I understand the reasons behind my fear of making this house a home. The same fear that kept me from expanding my product offerings again. I lost everything in 2020 and it is scary AF to build again, knowing it could call apart.
I didn't go through Covid alone; we all bear scars from the long years of Covid. We all lost people, jobs, and a sense of security that no longer exists for many of us. I spent the last few years mitigating the auto-immune issues that existed prior to Covid and were made worse after. Chronic mono has recently been linked to Lupus, a huge leap, but that also means that chronic inflammation is killing us slowly.
I have spent the last few years learning, testing different protocols, and tweaking all my recipes based on the most up to date science. As I settle into the house, I also putting in roots, starting a small garden to grow some of my own herbs and botanicals for skincare and tinctures. I am excited to start re-releasing old recipes with a new twist,
I have to acknowledge the changes in myself, society in general, and the need for authentic products with genuine transparency and a focus on education over gimmicks. I am going to offer a limited number of high impact products for anti-aging, breakouts, and some concern specific items.
Perfumes are coming. The recent Pacifica launch made me see how much space there is in the market for natural perfume that isn't just patchouli. I want to release some of the perfumery work I have been doing. Not everything is for everyone, so I will be launching in pairs or trios.
I am still working towards a month restock model but have to wait until I have enough saved to do a larger restock. As summer approaches it becomes more and more important to continue to upgrade the homestead and the animal housing, so much of the income from Etsy does towards that.
Once I start the farmer's market in May, things should move a little faster. For now, continue ordering on Etsy, bearsBeautySkincare.com or via DM.
