Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Gabbadon.
Hi Erica, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have always loved the world of beauty. Before I could read I was obsessed with fashion & beauty magazines, in a time before Instagram and YouTube. My mom always says I was the only 3-year-old who could perfectly apply red lipstick within the lines of my tiny lips. She was the first one to teach me the importance of using good skin care, always encouraged me to pay a little extra for good stuff and gave a lot of advice at 13 that many people are paying good money for today. Of all the talks she gave me about, “do it now, because someday you’ll be my age and wish you had, ” the only one I ever listened to was about skin care.
My resume will tell you that I started at MAC Cosmetics counter at 21, then went on to Sephora and AVEDA. I would spend the better part of my career with AVEDA working almost every job there is to do within salon world: retail advisor, Master Cosmetologist, Salon Manager and Cosmetology Instructor. I credit AVEDA with giving me the core beliefs that I hold today and have translated into my business. It was at AVEDA that I learned how beauty & cosmetics could contribute to our overall sense of well-being. It really struck a chord with me and I was forever changed. No one had ever taught me about the connection to mind, body and spirit and that they were not only connected to each other but nature and the world around us. I had never heard of ayurveda and I certainly never considered hair, skin and makeup to be anything more than a vanity. A vanity that made me very, very happy. And the only thing that I ever felt good at lol. But AVEDA taught me about the importance of quality, natural ingredients, that there was a different way to do things albeit a little more difficult and expensive. They taught me that an educated customer is a repeat customer, and you’ll never have to “sell” them a thing. AVEDA taught me about being mission-aligned and sometimes choosing purpose over profit. I was with AVEDA for about 10 years and loved every minute of it.
But of course, the Pandemic hit at the same time I found myself a mother to two under two, and I had to make changes. It was not economically feasible for both my husband and I to work outside the home. I wanted to work from home, and having acquired my Holistic Health Coaching certification a few years back, I tried to start a beauty/health coaching business. But making myself available to clients and putting out emotionally charged content every day was not conducive to my family life. And the truth was, I had always wanted to start my own skincare line. Studying nutrition and Ayurveda made me really conscious of the things I put on my body, (Yes, I was part of the dreaded essential oil movement and did consider selling them at one point, though I’m glad I did not.) I also went coo-coo for coconut oil and used on everything from my hair to my teeth. I wanted to tangibly bring my two worlds together, but I doubted myself for years and didn’t think that I could. I wanted a holistic, safe, chemical-free line of products, but I thought who am I to start a skincare line? And if this were possible, why hadn’t someone else done it yet?
In the meantime, I had been studying herbalism and began making facial oils and salves for my own personal use. One day my husband happened to be in the bathroom with my while I was oil-cleansing my face with own concoction. When I explained the benefits to him and that I had been doing it for years, he studied my skin and said, “well, I’d sell this if I were you.”
And so it began. Longer story short, one day I just said screw it. I’m going to give it a try and see what happens. If people can learn how to perform surgery on themselves on the internet, then surely I can figure out how to make some preservative-free body care. And so I did. I launched RENA SIMONE BOTANICALS, named after my daughters, over the summer. It’s a waterless, botanical skincare that brings my love of beauty and health together in one package, with a subtle nod to those who love DIY skin care. We launched in July 2022 and we have had growing success. People are really surprised at how quickly they see results from our skin care products and are excited to try things they never would have considered, like cleansing powders. I have received rave reviews, I haven’t had time to post them all!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing is ever a smooth road. From a business perspective, we’re still pretty young so we’re riding the wave of beginner’s luck. But personally, there have been nothing but struggles since this concept came to mind. Running a household and running a business are both equally demanding, and I know I am not the first to say that. The hardest part for me personally, is overcoming the self-doubt. Because I have worked for some of the biggest names in the beauty business, knowing their impact, their competitive edge, and their budget it’s hard at times convincing myself that I belong here. I feel like the tiny fish swimming next to giants. Who am I not to get eaten?! Just keeping my head in the game and not succumbing to my own fears and feelings of inadequacy has been my hardest challenge so far. But the more I keep putting myself out there, and the more people are excited to try my products and are surprised at how well the work, my confidence grows.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I make botanical skin care products, that are *mostly* vegan and preservative-free. I use uncommon ingredients and make unconventional products, I like to challenge my “audience” to try new things, or to do things a different way. On my website, I say our ingredient list reads more like a smoothie recipe than a cosmetic label. Coconut milk, dragon fruit, banana and cacao, are just a few of the ingredients you’ll find listed.
My ingredients one thing that sets me apart. I am a loud & proud Aquarius, which means I can do NOTHING the conventional way. I have to find a different way, my own way to do things. It pains me to have to do what everyone else is doing in the same way that they’re doing it. I HAVE to be different. So I try not to use common ingredients in my products or try to use them in a way that is not conventional. Most of my products are anhydrous (they don’t have water) so I don’t need to use preservatives. But it also allows to me to use really good ingredients that most cosmetic formulators shy away from because they are so hard to preserve. Fresh strawberries and milk will only keep for so long, but in powdered form they have a much longer shelf life. So I am able to use milk in one of my cleanser powders and take advantage of its many benefits for the skin. I also try to find different oils that most people aren’t using, even if it costs me a little more. While everyone is using coconut & sweet almond oil, I’m trying to use cactus, blueberry and broccoli seed oil.
But what truly sets me apart from others is really my expertise. I pride myself on being “old school.” I’m not some internet personality who learned the beauty business from ready reviews online, I grew up in this. I have lived this industry since I was 12 years old. I came up in a time where magazines, books and movies were my only access to the world of beauty. Back when AMAZON only sold books I bought as many books on makeup and skincare that I could. I learned the art form and the business of the beauty industry, as well as its history, from the ancient Egyptians to Max Factor, the grandfather of modern cosmetics. While I love and appreciate the endless talent and creativity of artists on the internet, many of them are just repeating what they have seen and show that they have no true understanding of what they’re doing or why. (This is the makeup artist in me talking.) But the people who know me, know that I have an eye and understanding of skin/makeup. So if I say something is good, they know that they can trust it. If I put out a line of my own products, as one person told me, “Erica, I know YOU know good skin care.” and they bought everything I had.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Of course, first and foremost would be my mother, Lorine. She was the one who laid the foundation for my love of the beauty industry and always encouraged it along the way. She has always been one of my biggest fans and she was my very first customer when I launched my website.
My sister, Stesha has always been my biggest cheerleader. She was the one who, when I realized that college wasn’t for me, taught me that I could have a career in the beauty industry and see it as more than just a hobby. She’s the one who introduced me to AVEDA.
My husband, Kevin who is my other biggest cheerleader, who believes in me even more than I do at times, and supports/encourages me. He was the one who gave the courage to start this business and even was my very first “investor.” Last Valentine’s Day he surprised me and bought everything I had in my Amazon cart, and it was all stuff I needed to make my first products.
And I also would have to thank my mother-in-law, Carol. She was my first test-bunny with my body butters and oils, and she was instantly hooked and obsessed with them. She was so excited and believed in me too that she became me second investor, lol and helped me really get the business up and running.
I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it weren’t for my family. I have a really good support system.
Pricing:
- All Glown-up Home facial kit $50
- Barista Blend Body Butter $20
- Rosecco cleansing balm $26
- Sand Tropez cleansing powder $18.50
- In My Peelings face mask $22
Contact Info:
- Website: RenaSimone.com
- Instagram: @RenaSimoneSkin
- Facebook: @RenaSimoneSkin
Image Credits:
My photos, and Canva
