It’s January and as many people and businesses are making plans and venturing on New Year resolutions I’m reflecting on a significant upcoming milestone when our small business turns 5.
Thinking back on how it all started, I recount one of the reasons, closely connected to the loss of a family member to cancer. It was during this challenging time that my husband and I started to investigate some of the foods we were eating and the products we were using in our household. We wanted our family to switch to healthier food and product alternatives.
The journey began with looking into product ingredients, some of which were unrecognizable and prompted me to resort to extensive research. I soon started to question why some of the ingredients were in the products we were using? During my research I understood that the skin, our largest organ is porous and absorbs what we apply to it. The concept of “you are what you apply” started taking shape. My research leads me to a profound understanding that a connection exists between well-being and nature.
The more research I did, the more motivated I was to introduce my family to chemical free skin care products. I went on to formulate soap with ingredients that I could find in my kitchen. I was a busy mom but I wanted to give my family the best, and I started to formulate more products such as natural deodorants, relaxing bath salts, and all natural bath bombs for sensitive skin, inspired by our daughter’s love for them.
At times, I felt an overwhelming amount of grief following the passing of my family member. Working with essential oils and immersing myself in product development served as a therapeutic escape from the grief I was feeling. However, it was also during the early product development that thoughts emerged of just how short life can be, and how we become so busy in this society that we rarely stop to think about ourselves and our wellbeing . The realization that health is our wealth kicked in, yet we often neglect to ask just how health-conscious we truly are. Do we take our health for granted and immerse ourselves in societal neglect of self- care? Do we stop to ask ourselves are we taking care of everyone else except ourselves, are we eating healthy and just how stressed are we?
I was still working as a Dental Hygienist at that time and continued to formulate and develop natural, eco-friendly and chemical free skincare products in our basement. My husband would help any chance he got. As friends and family expressed interest in our handcrafted creations, a realization dawned – why not extend the message of living a healthier lifestyle and using natural products?
In December of 2019 we decided to attend our very first market in our home town of Hamilton, Ontario. The feedback we received from the market was astounding and our unplanned venture into entrepreneurship gained momentum. My husband built our website and I created an Instagram account.
With no initial plan, we navigated each month based on the evolving needs for the natural and handmade bath and body product we were crafting. By 2021, our growth prompted a move from our basement to a larger facility in Mount Hope, Ontario, to meet the rising retail and wholesale demands. Today, our products grace shelves across Canada and the US, and are available online at www.walmart.ca.
Not only did we move our facility but we moved our family too, with a goal to grow our own food and herbs for use in our plant-based products. We take pride in providing support to different cancer initiatives and people who are faced with fighting cancer.
ashbury BLOOM• was not created just for it’s simple and clean ingredient products, but to promote healthy consumer choices, to inspire you to life a healthier lifestyle and remind you that life is short – prioritize your health and take care of you.
If you would like to learn more about us and our journey follow us on Instagram or check out our About Us page.
Thank you for being a part of our story, for believing in our mission, and for taking this journey with us. Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or joined us along the way, your support has made a significant impact on the narrative of our small business.
As we continue to evolve and create, we hope to share more chapters of our journey with you. Your continued presence and support are invaluable, and we look forward to having you by our side as we turn the pages of the next exciting chapters.
“There is nothing more rewarding than following your dreams of creating something that will help others achieve their goal of living a healthier lifestyle.”
– Vira
