It’s evident that taking care of your skin is a major factor to looking healthy and refreshed. We see it all the time on television with creams and serums being used to vitalize our skin. That’s why it’s majorly important to know the ingredients in your skincare.
“You have to take care of your skin because that’s the only skin you will have for the rest of your life,” said Deidre Gavin, founder of Naturally Bare Skincare.
Gavin, a Watts native, created her skincare line to teach the community the need for essential dermal care. The all-organic couture line has a formula that she created on her own through testing different ingredients with one another.
“We use ingredients that are environmentally friendly and provide protection. The products in my line are great for peoples’ health and don’t have harsh chemicals. A lot of African American consumers don’t pay attention to the chemicals they put on their skin,” said Gavin.
Protecting one’s skin is very important, but keeping African American businesses alive is another vital thing for Black commerce. The company started a crowd fundraiser via KickStarter to raise $25,000 for a myriad of components beginning in manufacturing and filling our current purchased orders, supplies, hiring of employees and marketing.
“I spent my childhood in South Central LA and it is important for me to share my story with the youth in the community to help keep their dreams alive,” Gavin said. “My products are all that I am and I want people to see that. You’re health is important, so focusing on your skincare is one step in the right direction.”
Her love for creating a beauty line wasn’t her first career choice. Originally, Gavin was a pre-med student at Tulane University with hopes in having a career in healthcare. However, due to college expenses Gavin found herself back in L.A. working in the entertainment business. After getting laid off from her sitcom job, Gavin had an “ah-ha” moment about her next step.
“I would go to all parts of the city searching for beauty items to get ready for special events and in dawned on me that I have a lot of love for the products that I used. So after I was laid off, I made the decision to create my own business and work for what I loved,” she said.
She wanted to create a company that bonded people together by teaching them how to protect and enrich their bodies in a healthy way. This was very important to her because she experienced issues of bullying as child due to the condition of her skin and complexion. That experience caused a external and internal separation for her in the community.
“I was taunted and called names because of my fair complexion. So, I often wanted to join other groups of people to get back at the ones who were making fun of me. But, I learned over time that instead of focusing on separation amongst each other it’s way better to help each other,” said Gavin.
She went on to get her certification as an esthetician and in 2011 she opened a salon in West Hollywood (WeHo) specializing in her skincare line. It’s couture natural body care butters, lotions, bamboo scrub, balms, Reiki infused Soy Candles, and fine fragrances are all free of phthalates, paragon, sulfates, harsh detergents and mineral oils.
In 2013, she closed her shop once she became pregnant and had to refocus her attention from her business to her family. It wasn’t until recently that her line gained some traction and became featured in six store locations in SoCal. Yet, financial struggles have hit the small business hard.
“Most of my production costs come out of my pocket right now. I have orders that need to go out, but because I have such tight funds I can’t put out my products,” she said. Through this difficult time Gavin has decided not to give up hope. “I want to see my business thrive and hopefully when people see my story they will believe in my brand and support.”
To help Gavin reach her campaign goal, click here to donate and support. Visit her website www.Naturally-bare.com for product information.
