Welcome to our Manufacturers' Spotlight.  Please tell us how your interest in all-natural beauty began and how you came to be involved in this wonderful business.

    

     I became involved with organic skin care and essential oils through my own Spiritual unfoldment and through the detoxing of my body.
When I was a teenager, I had hepatitis which weakened my immune system.  For years after that I became ill with the flu quite often. In 1993 my chiropractor suggested I try Kombucha Tea. That was the beginning of my road to wellness.

     At that time I was managing a Vegan restaurant here in Palm Springs, CA. I was always interested in foods that heal and macrobiotics. I enjoyed making remedies from plants and herbs for my friends and for myself. One day my girl friend had swollen ankles from her pregnancy.  I had read Kombucha was good for inflammation so we put one of the cultures on her ankles. It took the swelling down.

     At that point I got the idea to make a creme from Kombucha. I have been very Blessed to have had several Wonderful Herbalists and Aromatherapists, who knew a lot more than I,  share their time and knowledge to help me create my company, Sea Chi Organics.

What has been your inspiration for doing what you do?

     I am a Spiritual person who believes in using my life for Awakening, and for helping people to have a better and healthier life.

     I grew up around very unhealthy people with a lot of addictions. I lost my Dad and sister at the age of 15 due to drugs and alcohol. This experience was at first devastating to me. Then it became a quest for me to find a deeper meaning for my life. I heard Oprah say on her show once that in order to find your life's purpose just remember what you loved to do as a child.

     It was then that I remembered intuitively playing in my Mother's garden with all of her flowers and herbs and making my special potions and offering them to the great Spirit in the sky. One day while stirring up a jar of Sea Chi Creme (which is my biggest seller) I remembered this. I knew that I had found my calling. I stopped doubting myself and what I had to offer. I quit my day job and have been full time in my business now since August of 1995.

 

Tell us about your products.  Which ones are the most unique?

     As far as unique products I would say that would be Sea Chi Creme. Everything in it has healing properties. I have many testimonials that I have received over the years and very loyal clients that have used it  in their work since it was created.

     I personally use it as my face creme. It is also used for burns, blemishes, psoriasis, eczema and wrinkles. It makes a wonderful massage creme as well and is widely used by practitioners in the healing arts.

     I also use my essential oils for healing. I give private oils reading with clients who are guided to create their own blends to be used as tools to help them open up to their highest potential. Sometimes they use this blend in a spray or oil or a creme.

What are your feelings about the beauty and all-natural beauty business?

     After working with  plants and seeing how quickly they repair damaged skin and organs, I encourage those of us who are committed to this field to stay the course if they feel it in their heart.  Learn how to create a successful business and believe in what you are doing.  Don't compromise ingredients to make your product less expensive. People value quality and will pay for it. There are wonderful programs and people who are willing to support you and point the way if you are open to learning.

     Meditation helps the most. Go into Nature, get quiet and listen.
 

Palm Springs is a very unique place.  Please tell us about living there as well as running your business from there?

     Palm Springs is a beautiful desert community. Many people come here to heal themselves physically, emotionally and Spiritually. I have lived here for 18 years and absolutely Love it. Eight months of the year it is beautiful and the other four, when it is over 110 degrees, I tend to travel a lot :). It is sunny most of the time and we have an abundance of agriculture that grows here such as grapes, lemon, orange, pink grapefruit, sage, jojoba, aloe vera & rosemary. There are several cacti that have been used for healing by the Native Cahuilla Indians who own much of this land.

     Jojoba Seed Oil (which is actually the wax from the seed) has many healing properties. It is the closest to our skins own natural body oil. It is a natural sun screen of about 10 SPF and has a thirty year shelf life.  I use the Golden Organic variety in all of my blends. It is a favorite for many massage therapists in my area. We have over a hundred different  health spas here and have the best water in the country in Desert Hot Springs, which is twenty minutes away from my home.

     I have received much support within my community with my business. Since I have been here so long I know a lot of people.  I have been Blessed to receive help from many friends and professionals along the way as I have developed my company. I believe that when you are living your purpose the right people just show up to help when you need them.
 

What do you see for your own future in the industry, both personally and for your business?

     As far my own future in this industry, I see my products as tools to help people. I have built my company day by day over the last nine years.  Recently things have really begun to fall into place and many new opportunities have been presenting themselves. I am involved with a group called Peak Potentials and I am learning how to better manage my resources and create passive income  which will allowing me the freedom to travel to other cultures and study with the medicine women in places like the Amazon Rain Forest and Belize. I am planning my first trip later this year. I expect many new, wonderful and exotic products as a result.

     In the future I see myself leading groups on self-discovery journeys to these power places around the world.  I enjoy traveling and meeting people whom are willing to share their remedies. We all have so much to give.
 

What do you see for the future of all-natural beauty products?

     With health costs sky rocketing I believe people are realizing that they must take control of their own health and stop relying on doctors to tell us what to do. Nature has provided everything we need and I believe that simple is better and a lot more fun and effective.

     People need each other and we need to be touched. For this reason alone I believe that healing modalities such as body work and facials will continue to grow. This group alone in my area of Palm Springs value natural care products the most because they see the results so quickly to restore balance.

     The younger generation I meet at the many Conscious Life expos and Organic Festivals I participate in have so much more desire and awareness than ever before. I have learned much from them as well through their commitment to the Earth. So I think we can expect to continue to grow at a very good rate.

     I also spend much time in the Hollywood area and have many celebrities that use my products. I think that is an area that has endless possibilities  because of their focus on physical beauty.