Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Baskin.
Kayla, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always had a love for skincare, beauty, and health. I had a history of struggling with fragrance allergies and different product sensitivities so I set out to find healthier products. This was frustrating because it was hard to find genuine, non-toxic alternatives so I decided to start making my own. What started as just making products for family and myself, has turned into a small non-toxic, plant-based skincare business. With a background in science, photography, and retail I decided to put my all Into this business. I am still in the beginning stages but in just a few months Bodthentic has received so much support and grown so much.
To go back a bit, I’ve always dreamed of starting my own business. Three things that pushed me to actually do it were: 1.) I’ve always worked jobs to get by but I’ve NEVER held a job I actually liked or felt passionate about. Even after going to college, once I started my business, I finally felt passionate about something. & I was fueled by that passion. Handcrafting my products, creating my labels, packaging everything has truly brought me joy. Every single detail, I’ve done by hand.
2.) I grew up in a very small town called Benton Harbor, Michigan. Me and my family didn’t have much. There I saw a lot and overcame a lot with my family. Because of my upbringing, It’s always been a dream of mine to create a way out of what felt like “no way” and create generational wealth for those to come after me because I didn’t and haven’t had that growing up. I’ve always heard the saying “follow your passion and the rest will fall in place” and it’s true. Just by creating products intended for me and my family I’ve created a whole brand and everything is beginning to slowly fall in place.
3.) I lost my father eight months ago due to complications from Diabetes. He was only 49 years old. I felt like we had so much more to do together but it was cut short. He was my go to. He made me feel like I could do ANYTHING in this world. Once I lost him, I felt like it was only right I go forth and actually make some of the things we talked about happen. (My business was one of them). While going through the mourning process, I sat and thought about the fact that my dad wasn’t able to leave us anything except love and amazing memories and I know for a fact it bothered him. He had dreams of owning things and creating things but he couldn’t make it all happen. I’m doing this not only to make a difference in the industry for those with sensitive skin like myself, but also to leave something behind for my children, their children, and my family as a whole.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
To be honest the road to Bodthentic has been pretty smooth. That’s why I know I’m supposed to be doing this. I made the decision to start, I got my business documents, etc. in place, and things have just flowed naturally.
Now the road to this overall place in my life has not been an easy one at all. I haven’t had the easiest life. I am also a first-generation when it comes to a lot of things. I had to figure a lot out on my own, and I am still learning daily. For years a lot of decisions I’ve made (Like going to college for Biology), was for other people like my family. For example, I have always been a creative since elementary school. I attended an amazing arts program 1st-5th grade and I’ve never been the same since. I originally wanted to major in Photography and minor in Graphic design but I let society make me believe I had to go another route. During college, I suffered from depression a lot. I felt a lot of pressure to do well to help my family, but I was failing miserably because I wasn’t happy. After college, I was unhappy with every job. It took the passing of my father and the birth of Bodthentic for me to truly start doing things my way and paving my own path.
Please tell us about Bodthentic.
Bodthentic is a simple, non-toxic, organic, plant-based skincare brand created to nourish, hydrate, and calm skin authentically. Founded on authenticity, I decided to create the name Bodthentic, from Body + Authentic. What you see on each label is what you get, I do as much research as possible to ensure that I am using the highest quality ingredients always. 90% of products are Handcrafted, while others such as The African Black soap are imported, in this case from Ghana. I test all products on myself as well as my family. I have put me all into my brand, its an extension of me and that alone sets my business apart. I’m someone whose been given a life where I’ve had to experience a lot, but it has given me the most intense amount of resilience and has given me the gift of adaptability, resourcefulness, and authenticity.
Right now, I’d say Bodthentic is known for “The Holy Trinity Whipped Body Butter.” I am most proud of how far Bodthentic has come already in just two and a half months. I am also proud of the outpour of support people have shown my business.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I don’t have one in particular, but any time I’ve spent with all my family at once meant the most. Til this day Family gatherings still mean so much to me.
Pricing:
- The Holy Trinity Whipped Body Butter – 4oz $10.60, 8oz $16.96
- Coconut Cashmere Exfoliating Body Scrub – $12.72
- Authentic Liquid African Black Soap – $10.60
- Rejuvenating Facial Serum – $26.50
- Rejuvenating Skin Kit – $45.00
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Bodthenticskin.com
- Email: info.bodthentic@gmail.com, info@Bodthentic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodthentic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bodthentic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bodthentic
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
