Today we’d like to introduce you to Robbin Turner.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
In 2014, I began researching natural remedies to help relieve my husband’s and son’s eczema. Slathering themselves in steroid creams filled with toxic petrochemicals and synthetics was not an option.
I thought about all the times my grandmother would make homemade remedies. I immersed myself in books about African herbalism, ancient Egyptian aromatherapy, Southern folk herbalism, and modern-day herbalism.
I was surprised to find out that a lot of the remedies my grandmother used to prepare for minor illnesses, which we jokingly called, ‘old wives remedies,’ were found amongst the textbooks I read.
My first product was body butter. I tested it on my family. We saw positive results in the appearance of our skin. I gave the body butter to friends and family to test. They commented on positive changes in the appearance of their skin.
Riding high on the reactions from friends and family, I formulated my own products. After the body butter, I tested recipes for body wash, body scrub, body oil, and bath salts.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. Entrepreneurship is never a smooth road. One of the struggles has been meeting the minimum order quantity for packaging and labels. As a small indie brand, we were not in the market for 50,000 units of jars/bottles. I had to search extensively for companies that catered to smaller businesses and were eco-friendly. It was challenging, but it wasn’t impossible.
Violet Botanical Skincare – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Violet Botanical Skincare formulates bath and body products using exotic oils like Marula, Kalahari Melon Seed, Mongongo, Baobab, and Nilotica Shea Butter for healthy skincare. We do not use preservatives, waxes, fillers, or synthetic fragrances. We’re Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free.
As a company, we are most proud that we are guided by time-honored Egyptian formulations. We use the centuries-old African tradition of hand processing our body butter, which negates the use of any heat applications on our products. This preserves all of the beneficial nutrients in the ingredients. This also produces a creamier, smoother body butter that imparts a silky feel on the skin.
What sets us apart from others is that we are Queens. Mothers. Cleopatra Jones, Foxy Brown, and Mahogany. We own our Black Girl Magic. We are blessed with beautiful black skin. And Violet Botanical Skincare nurtures that skin with pure plant-based ingredients from Southern Africa.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To me, success is when more Black women have access to toxic-free cosmetics. I often talk to women of color about toxic ingredients in skincare products that are marketed to us. They are grossly affecting our health. We have high rates of infertility, uterine fibroids, and respiratory problems. Breast and cervical cancers, combined, are our number two killer. These health issues are linked to toxic ingredients in our skincare and hair care products. When more women of color understand this and choose products with safer ingredients, then I’ll feel successful.
Pricing:
- Body Oil 3.4 fl. oz. $45
- Body Butter 8 oz. $45
- Body Wash 8.5 fl. oz. $25
- Bath Salts 20 oz. $45/$30
- Body Scrub 8 oz. $35
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.violetbody.net
- Phone: (310) 893-9330
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/violetbodyme
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/violetbodyme
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/violetbodyme
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/violet0337
Image Credit:
Miles Turner and Dwayne Turner
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