Welcome to Raw Beauty
Raw Beauty Organics has been a dream of mine for over 10 years. I imagined a store filled floor to ceiling with pure ingredients in their rawest, most organic form. I wanted to create simple formulas using ingredients sourced from the most beautiful places on earth. I have been studying pure butters, oils, muds and salts for more than a decade. Sometimes I get so excited about a new discovery that I can hardly sleep. I want to share those discoveries with you! That’s what Raw Beauty Organics is... A collection of beautiful things found and harvested from nature. A physical store is still in my dreams but I am finally able to share a small glimpse of my vision with you. Discover, experience and share these amazing things with me.
Our Story
Our story is one with deep roots, stretching back to 1959 when my uncle decided to leave Eutaw, Alabama in hopes of a better life out west. He found success in the hair care industry almost immediately working as a barber, buying out the shop's owner, contracting with the US Department of Defense to teach US Army personnel how to care for African American hair, creating his own line of hair care tools, opening a product manufacturing facility and eventually creating his own product lines. His success eventually led to my dad searching for financial independence through the hair care industry. Through hard work and dedication, my parents were able to open a Beauty Supply Store and Professional Training Center in Detroit, Michigan. I still have vivid memories of helping my dad receive in shipments and stock shelves, sitting in on Scalp Care classes and making daily bank deposits with my mom, the list goes on and on. Those were the days! My parents eventually sold their Beauty Supply Store and Training Center, only to eventually embark on a journey that would open my eyes wide and help me to discover my passion! After years of working as an independent hair care product distributor in Metro Detroit, my dad decided to bet on himself once again and start a small private label hair care company. It was then that I came into my own, forumalating product after product, all with the end goal of solving common hair, skin and body issues in the most organic way possible. I've always had a passion for true hair, skin and body care that benefits everyone regardless of where they live, work, or shop. However, what started as a passion to give women better options that were more organic in nature, quickly grew into an outright commitment to clean through tragedy and triumph.
Meet Gwen, My Mom
Growing up, like many children, I thought that my mom was some sort of superhero. She was strong, brave and invincible. I was 9 years old when she first got diagnosed with breast cancer. It was the first time that I saw her tears. It was the first time that I saw her in pain. It was the first time that I realized that my mom was actually human. I watched as the chemotherapy weakened her body, and on the really hard days, I witnessed it almost break her soul. I was so proud to see her brave the agonizing process, but it was disheartening to know that she was dealing with such a terrible disease, without the presence of the breast cancer gene. She went into remission while I was in Middle School, only to get diagnosed again more than 20 years later. This was even more disheartening, and shook my family to our core once again. I am delighted to share that my mom is a two time breast cancer survivor. I appreciate her commitment to life and inspiring my journey to wellness.
Meet Mina, My Aunt
First things first... Yes, I am named after her. She is the reason why I fell in love with gospel music. She's also the reason why I can laugh in church and know that God still loves me. She gave me my very first Easter speech and slipped me my very first piece of candy. I absolutely love my aunt with everything that's in me. My soul loves her! She's my mom's best freind, and just like my mom, she too was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998, two years after my mom's second diagnosis. My aunt fought the good fight and won her battle with breast cancer, but unfortunately, she received a second diagnosis in 2019, one year after my mom's second diagnosis. I am so happy and extremely proud to share that she too is a two time breast cancer survivor. There was definitely an undeniable pattern here, but similar to my mom, my aunt's genetic testing came back negative. I've been tested, along with other women in my family and we've all tested negative. This has left us with more questions than answers.
Meet Emma, My Daughter
Emma is the baby of the family and she plays the part very well. I had a very normal pregnancy and an eventful birth, but soon after meeting our baby girl we received devastating news. She was diagnosed with heart disease 8 hours after her arrival. Within a week she went into heart failure. Her condition often left her restless. I started using pure, Organic Lavender Essential Oil at bath time to soothe her. Over time, Organic Lavender Essential Oil became a part of our normal routine. When Emma was around 2 years old, she began to display pre puberty symptoms. The most prominent symptom was breast development. I immediately brought it to the attention to her doctor. She gathered a few details and told me to remove the lavender from our routine immediately. Within a month her breast tissue had noticeably decreased and within two months, all of her symptoms had subsided. This experience taught me a valuable lesson. It taught me that what we put on our bodies is just as important as what we put into it.
A Relentless Pursuit of Purity
Witnessing my mom's journey with breast cancer twice, my aunt's journey with breast cancer twice and my daughter's journey with endocrine disruption led me to commit to always formulating with them in mind. Although we've always created products that were cleaner than 95% of the products that you'd find on a store shelf, our personal jouney added a new vigor. Raw Beauty Organics is committed to formulating nutrient-dense products with a relentless pursuit of purity. We strive to avoid harmful additives always, in all ways. At the end of the day, your mom is my mom. Your aunts are my aunts. Your daughters are my daughters. I do this for them. I do this for you. I do this for us. Let's create something beautiful together!
Raw Beauty Promises
Awareness
Raw Beauty promises to continue to bring awareness to the growing body of scientific evidence linking the chemicals in our cosmetics and personal care items to long-term health concerns such as cancer, developmental issues and reproductive problems.
Education
Raw Beauty promises to educate by advancing what is understood about pure ingredients harvested from nature. Whether providing ingredient profiles, formulation tips or DIY tutorials, it is our goal to help those that we love develop self-knowledge that enhances quality of life.
Empowerment
Raw Beauty promises to continue to empower you to make the best decisions for yourself and your family in a non-judgmental way. We encourage you to define your own standard of clean, do your own research and choose safer options at your own pace.
Transparency
Raw Beauty promises to always remain transparent in our marketing, on our product labels, and in our social media content. We firmly believe in providing our community with information and empowering them to make their own decisions. No half truths or exaggerations allowed!
Quality
Raw Beauty promise to provide the highest quality ingredients, sourced from the most beautiful, nutrient-dense places on earth. All of our organic products are certified by QAI, a USDA-accredited agency, approved to provide certification to national organic standards.
Effectiveness
Raw Beauty promises to create products that actually work! We only formulate to 1) solve common problems or 2) improve or enhance the hair and skin based on its type. We will never create or expand product lines simply for the sake of creating or expanding products.
Community
Raw Beauty promises to nurture an inclusive community that respects the rights, differences and dignity of others at all times. We cultivate judgement-free spaces where everyone is allowed the space to learn and grow from each other at their own pace.
What Does Clean Beauty Mean to You?
Discovering Your Clean Standard
Before you begin this journey, you have to decide what your personal clean standard of beauty looks like. This is different for all of us. For some, it may be eliminating products that are linked to cancer. For others, it may be eliminating products that are linked to reproductive challenges. What does clean beauty mean to you?
