Today we’d like to introduce you to Reginiece Smith & Dakota Townson.
Reginiece & Dakota, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
BODY ReELLE was created after a series of unfortunate events to provide light and give both of us peace and comfort after experiencing sudden hardships and tragedies. Unexpectedly, Reginiece experienced the hardest thing a mother would have to go through and that was the passing of her 3-year-old son suddenly due to pneumonia. As for Dakota, she unexpectedly lost her job of 9 years. As two mothers of young children and the lack of flexibility in our 9 to 5’s led us moms to venture out on our own. It’s a reminder to celebrate life and enjoy living in the moment. Making skincare products has been a great outlet that has nourished not only the skin but also our souls. We are both born and raised in Inglewood and reside locally in Los Angeles. We have been friends for over 20 years and are raising beautiful daughters. Our girls keep us motivated as we navigate this business journey.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. Starting a new business has lots of challenges. We can admit we have made some rookie mistakes, but we are definitely learning and growing as we go. Having a business partner and having to collaborate on ideas and find time to make products between our busy schedules can sometimes be difficult, but we make it work. Also, when we initially got started, we had the basic challenge of creating an LLC, a website and figuring out how much funds to set aside for business expenses. We learned so much through research and we are still on this learning journey. Anyone who has started a business knows the road isn’t smooth. Everything is a lesson.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Body ReElle specializes in natural homemade skincare that is made with love. We use all organic ingredients that provide radiant and healthy skin. Our products are known for smelling amazing while relieving dry skin and benefit all skin types. Not only can Body ReElle be found online, we also have Body ReElle available in two stores. Our men’s line ReElle Men which consists of beard oil and body balm can be found in Our Culture Hub in Inglewood. We also have a good variety of Body ReElle products, such as body butter, body oil and sugar scrubs in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall at My Black Beauty Box (My B.B.B). We are proud that Body ReElle truly works for everyone. Being in business for less than a year, we have accomplished a lot in a short time. We are excited for what the future has in store, especially as we introduce more products.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Reginiece’s favorite childhood memory was visiting her Granny. She was extremely close to her and visited her often. She would give her money to go buy her favorite half and half bar from the ice cream truck. It was a wonderful memory as a child.
Dakota’s favorite childhood memory was our family camping trips. We went camping up north in lake Oroville one year and had a blast on my cousin’s speed boat.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bodyreelle.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodyreelle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BodyReelle/
Image Credits
Personal Photos: Dakota Townson and Reginiece Smith. Photograher credits: Alton Arnold
