Business Spotlight: rooted with ali

Ali Marie
rooted with ali
rootedwithali.com

Sometimes a single intention leads to much more than you first envisioned – at least it did for Ali. Her main goal was finding skin care solutions for her family and in doing so, she also discovered a way to help others + a business opportunity! Meet Ali Marie of rooted with ali – offering handmade products dedicated to keeping skin healthy using wholesome, nature-based formulas.

What motivated you to create a natural skincare line?
My children. My oldest daughter developed severe eczema when she was around one years old. I had always been a dry skin sufferer but this was a whole new ball game. We tried everything and anything. When the conventional ways weren’t working, I turned to natural skin care and my kitchen.

Tell us about your process for researching natural ingredients and how to use them in skin care.
I have worked in healthcare for about 15 years now so I have always been drawn to the human body and how it responds and reacts. Having my own skin struggles, the research and learning process as been ever-growing. When my children were born and developed severe skin conditions and allergies, I wanted more. Truthfully, I am a mom to three kiddos who has researched and trial and errored my way through motherhood. Everything in my shop is a testament to that dedication. I firmly believe you can yield powerful results with less. Less is more and in our household we use natural but safe and effective ingredients to get the most benefit without all the added chemicals.

Do you have a favorite product, and what do you love about it?
Oh gosh, it would be almost cruel to make me choose. Every product in my shop is used by either myself or my family every single day. They are all a part of our daily routine. If I was forced, I would say the lotion bar. Probably because this was the game changer for our skin. It truly changed our skin for the better and helped us heal. Deodorant is a close second. For starters, it was always so hard for me to find a natural deodorant that worked. This was one of my hardest products to formulate and yet the one I might be most proud of.

Your natural deodorant comes in round cardboard tubes instead of plastic containers. Do you opt for earth-friendly packaging when you can?
Yes! I strive to have all my products packaged in eco-friendly material and getting the deodorant in a biodegradable container was my goal. I was so happy to find a wonderful manufacturer that could help me make it happen.

What is the most satisfying part of running your business, and what has been the most challenging?
The most satisfying part is when a customer sends me a message saying thank you for changing their skin for the better. I am not sure there is anything more satisfying than reading those words. I think the biggest challenge is just getting the brand out there, using the tools that I have to keep getting my products in front of people. Starting a business can be tough and I think as new small business owners, we definitely learn as we go.

As an online seller, what are your methods for marketing rooted with ali?
My main way of marketing is through Instagram and my local community. I focus online but have been fortunate to have my products put in some really cool local boutiques here in Colorado. I do offer wholesale and look forward to expanding in other states in the future.

You include lots of helpful information in your website blog. Do you feel that offering education about natural products is part of your mission?
Absolutely. As a mama to three kiddos and juggling the day-to-day of life, I wish I had more time for it but my vision for rooted with ali is to offer more educational content and share with my readers my favorite DIY recipes and self starters with the community.

We love the fresh, clean, calm aesthetic of your website design – and we love that you’re using a label design that perfectly matches it! Why did you choose Evermine for your labels?
Thank you so much! I choose Evermine because it gave me the opportunity to create the vision I saw for my business. With Evermine, I was able to create the look that I felt best represented rooted with ali. I am very happy with my labels and proud of the brand design created through Evermine.

Thank you to Ali for her time on this interview and for sharing products with us. It was lovely getting to experience them up close. Everything looks and smells wonderful! We admire the graceful simplicity of her packaging, which reflects the philosophy behind rooted with ali skincare. The flower design on her lotion bars is a sweet, extra touch that makes them a nice choice for gift-giving + you can get refill packs of bars for the tin. There’s more: check out rootedwithali.com to see Ali’s complete line of products.