Could we love Angel Face Botanicals and it’s owner Jessica Ress any more? Indie seller: check. Maker of smelly goods (fab ones, at that): check. Rather cool chick: so cool you should check it twice! We were grateful to interview her to learn about the line firsthand and delve into how it got it’s start (here’s a hint, passion and dedication go a long way when starting a business.) Stay tuned, we have a review of her products coming very soon. But until then, let’s hear from Jessica herself…
You are a believer in the “incredible healing powers of essential oils”. How did you become interested in Aromatherapy?
Jessica: Essential oils are truly magic. I first started working with essential oils in the early 1990’s, as I was dabbling around with making bath salts & scented lotions for gifts for friends and family. It was in 2004 when I really discovered my knack for working with them. I was researching herbs for skincare, and naturally, this research led me to essential oils. When I rediscovered them, it was like I had hit the jackpot. I just couldn’t get enough. I had found my calling. I voraciously studied, took classes, and quickly amassed a huge library of books & a cabinet full of scented bottles with botanical names & intriguing fragrances.
Jessica: Essential oils are truly magic. I first started working with essential oils in the early 1990’s, as I was dabbling around with making bath salts & scented lotions for gifts for friends and family. It was in 2004 when I really discovered my knack for working with them. I was researching herbs for skincare, and naturally, this research led me to essential oils. When I rediscovered them, it was like I had hit the jackpot. I just couldn’t get enough. I had found my calling. I voraciously studied, took classes, and quickly amassed a huge library of books & a cabinet full of scented bottles with botanical names & intriguing fragrances.
Besides your own site, you are also an Etsy superstar under the moniker SpaGoddess. Which came first and how did Angel Face Botanicals get its start?
First came lots of Spring fairs & holiday shows. I was testing the market, making sure people wanted what I was making. Sure enough, they did. Then came the Angel Face Botanicals website which I crafted myself, but would have been a big flop without amazing photography. I am so fortunate to have a few very generous girlfriends who believed in Angel Face Botanicals; a photographer, a stylist and a retoucher. My main website had been up and running for a year and a half before I started my SpaGoddess Etsy shop. Starting my Etsy shop turned out to be the best thing I could have done for my little eco-biz. Etsy really personalizes the web buying experience and I have loads of great relationships with customers all over the world. It’s really fun and personally rewarding, I love it. Etsy taught me that it was ok for me to be personally involved with my brand. Now I communicate to my customers as SpaGoddess. It’s funny, because I started that username as a buyer on Etsy, as kind of a joke to myself. At the time, I didn’t even consider that a couple years later SpaGoddess would become sort of an entity with a little cult-like following.
First came lots of Spring fairs & holiday shows. I was testing the market, making sure people wanted what I was making. Sure enough, they did. Then came the Angel Face Botanicals website which I crafted myself, but would have been a big flop without amazing photography. I am so fortunate to have a few very generous girlfriends who believed in Angel Face Botanicals; a photographer, a stylist and a retoucher. My main website had been up and running for a year and a half before I started my SpaGoddess Etsy shop. Starting my Etsy shop turned out to be the best thing I could have done for my little eco-biz. Etsy really personalizes the web buying experience and I have loads of great relationships with customers all over the world. It’s really fun and personally rewarding, I love it. Etsy taught me that it was ok for me to be personally involved with my brand. Now I communicate to my customers as SpaGoddess. It’s funny, because I started that username as a buyer on Etsy, as kind of a joke to myself. At the time, I didn’t even consider that a couple years later SpaGoddess would become sort of an entity with a little cult-like following.
We just read your article in one of the best Do-It Yourself magazines ever,ReadyMade. Are you a DIY sort of girl around your house?
I’m totally a do-it-your-selfer. My whole family is pretty crafty and artistic. I’m kind of a Mrs. McGuyver. I once fixed my car (1980 Honda civic, white w/orange interior) with a hairclip & a panty liner! My sister & I drove 200 miles home from a camp trip with that rig.
I’m totally a do-it-your-selfer. My whole family is pretty crafty and artistic. I’m kind of a Mrs. McGuyver. I once fixed my car (1980 Honda civic, white w/orange interior) with a hairclip & a panty liner! My sister & I drove 200 miles home from a camp trip with that rig.
We love your homemade Lavender Honey Salt Scrub recipe you shared in the article. Do you have any homemade organic beauty remedies you could share with wht readers?
Hee! There are tons. You can use leftover oatmeal cereal as a moisturizing, conditioning facial mask by leaving it on for 10-20 minutes. In a pinch, use olive oil for a moisturizer for your hands, body & even your face. You can put toothpaste on a pimple and let it set overnight as a spot treatment. Put cucumber slices, pure chamomile or pure green tea bags (it’s better to stick to pure tea rather than tea blends) over your eyes if you’re feeling puffy. Of course, organic & fresh is always best when using ingredients from your kitchen in order to maximize the phyto-nourishment for your skin.
Hee! There are tons. You can use leftover oatmeal cereal as a moisturizing, conditioning facial mask by leaving it on for 10-20 minutes. In a pinch, use olive oil for a moisturizer for your hands, body & even your face. You can put toothpaste on a pimple and let it set overnight as a spot treatment. Put cucumber slices, pure chamomile or pure green tea bags (it’s better to stick to pure tea rather than tea blends) over your eyes if you’re feeling puffy. Of course, organic & fresh is always best when using ingredients from your kitchen in order to maximize the phyto-nourishment for your skin.
What else have you done in your personal life to live a more green existence? Do you have any tips to pass on to our readers?
I feel fortunate to have grown up with greener ideals such as eating home grown & organic foods, recycling, reducing waste & minimizing chemicals in the home. Beyond that, I’ve switched to compact fluorescent light bulbs. I minimize my driving. I also source my raw materials & packaging from local vendors. I use recycled paper to print on. Then I shred it for packing materials.
I feel fortunate to have grown up with greener ideals such as eating home grown & organic foods, recycling, reducing waste & minimizing chemicals in the home. Beyond that, I’ve switched to compact fluorescent light bulbs. I minimize my driving. I also source my raw materials & packaging from local vendors. I use recycled paper to print on. Then I shred it for packing materials.
My favorite scent & essential oil is Lavender, the universal healing scent. My favorite Lavender products are theExquisite Lavender Cuvée, Double Love Scrub, Lavender Facial Mist and the Lovely Lavender & Vanilla Fizzing Milk Bath—positively divine!
Can you tell us about any new products coming soon from Angel Face Botanicals?
I have 4-5 powdered Organic Facial Masks I’ve been working on for quite some time. I am also going to make some new scents of Angel’s Balm. It has become a top seller since I introduced it last summer and I’ve been getting tons of special requests for more scents. It’s another of my favorite products, so I am happy to oblige. Soon, I promise!
I have 4-5 powdered Organic Facial Masks I’ve been working on for quite some time. I am also going to make some new scents of Angel’s Balm. It has become a top seller since I introduced it last summer and I’ve been getting tons of special requests for more scents. It’s another of my favorite products, so I am happy to oblige. Soon, I promise!
What do you dream for Angel Face Botanicals over the next five years?
Over the next five years, I would like to have an Angel Face Botanicals Day Spa & Wellness Center with a Boutique storefront. I would like to be Certified Organic (currently I use certified organic ingredients, but my products do not carry the official certification). I would also like to have a few, really good employees who are invested in upholding the quality & hand craftsmanship of Angel Face Botanicals. I say on my ingredients labels that the products are made with lots of love. This will always be true in every sense.
Over the next five years, I would like to have an Angel Face Botanicals Day Spa & Wellness Center with a Boutique storefront. I would like to be Certified Organic (currently I use certified organic ingredients, but my products do not carry the official certification). I would also like to have a few, really good employees who are invested in upholding the quality & hand craftsmanship of Angel Face Botanicals. I say on my ingredients labels that the products are made with lots of love. This will always be true in every sense.
And no interview is complete without a reach in our potluck question vault…
Me in a nutshell: happy, hipster, homebody, artist, activist, music lover, Californian/Oregonian, naturalist, hippie, writer, aromatherapy mixologist, art collector, rock hound, reiki practitioner, eco-enthusiast, child at heart, chef, green thumb, goofy creative type who geeks out on natural skincare formulations –hee!
I heart: kitties, sunshine, fresh air, positive energy, really good friends, inspiration, working hard at something I believe in.
What’s the one thing always in your bag? Rose Garden or Lavender Shea Butter.
What are your three make-up must haves? Loose mineral powder, mascara & lipgloss.
Tell us some your guilty pleasures: Cheesy reality TV, Glutino Cookies–specifically Lemon Wafer and Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich, going totally overboard using every product I can get my hands on in my home spa facials & decadent baths.
