We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Francine Bethune. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Francine below.

Francine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Raised in Jamaica, West Indies, I grew accustomed to utilizing natural herbs and remedies from an early age. It wasn’t until later after moving to the U.S. and after dealing with some health and skin issues from the use of chemical hair relaxers that I took a serious interest in holistic health and healing. I went to a naturopath after my regular Doctor could not figure out what was going on with me and they tested me and found I had 17 chemicals in my body. I figured this was probably due to all the cheap beauty care products I was using including hair relaxers, the food and water I was consuming and cleaning products.

I did some research and I discovered that many beauty products available in retail stores contained unnatural, unhealthy ingredients. These products are full of chemicals and can cause issues with our health. Each time we use them, we are allowing these questionable chemicals to be absorbed through our skin, which is our body’s largest organ, These chemicals can accumulate over time and can potentially leading to chronic diseases and various health issues like cancers, infertility, learning and developmental disorders. This was wake up call.

I truly believe what you put on your skin is as important as what you eat and put in your body. So I decided to change my lifestyle which included eating a more plant based diet and started using all natural beauty care products. This is is how I started formulating my own skin and body care products using natural and organic ingredients. I made everything for myself, like shampoos, conditioners, face creams, soaps, deodorants, lotions. You name it I made it. I started giving away products to friends and family then eventually started C Marie Botanicals.

Unfortunately, I had several friends that experienced breast cancer and during and after treatment, I realized clean beauty care is very important. Clean beauty meaning beauty care with natural non-toxic ingredients. Not only are breast cancer survivors interested in clean skin care but others who are experiencing or overcoming other health challenges and health conscious people are also looking for clean beauty care.

Clean beauty is huge industry and most beauty companies now carry a clean beauty care line. I decided to focus my brand on the common challenges of aging that affects skin, hair and body health. The beauty and wellness industry has largely ignored older women despite their higher discretionary income so this an opportunity. Today we are living longer and the Gen X’ers has de-stigmatized aging which is creating even more opportunity for growth.

My unique approach is beauty with a conscience. Commitment to using safe, non-toxic, eco-friendly ingredients that honor health, wellness and the environment.

Francine, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been formulating natural skin and hair care products for over 15 years. I started out making products for myself after dealing with an allergic reaction after I stopped using hair relaxers. In addition, I have always been challenged with extremely dry skin and the products I found in the retail stores either did not fix the problem or were filled with unnatural, unhealthy ingredients with chemicals I could not pronounce. All these challenges lead me to study natural and holistic health and eventually I earned a Ph.D in Natural Medicine. In 2020 C Marie Botanicals was started and the goal was to use my expertise in natural medicine and my passion for natural skincare and haircare to create a natural and holistic brand which offers a solution for aging skin and hair.

What makes C Marie Botanicals different?

Brand address the common challenges of aging that affects skin, hair and body health.
Clean skin care with commitment to using safe, non-toxic, and eco-friendly ingredients that honor health, wellness and the environment.
Transparency: We believe in being transparent with our customers about our ingredients and our processes, so that they can make informed decisions about their beauty care choices.
Ethically Sourced Ingredients from Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean.
We stand for empowerment of women, celebrating their natural beauty and inspiring confidence in their own skin. We add positive affirmations on packaging.
Self-Care is Healthcare: We believe in the integral role of self-care in overall wellness. Our approach transcends beauty routines, fostering the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of our community. We support your choice of living a healthy lifestyle in conjunction with using all natural beauty products.
Compassionate Contribution: We believe everyone deserves clean beauty care so we donate products to the local Shelters.
Master Formulator-Ph.D in Natural Medicine.

Your health is your wealth and we have a genuine concern for your well-being, our products are meticulously crafted with organic and supernatural ingredients, harnessing the power of nature to promote healthy skin and hair.

Current product line includes:`

-Handcrafted bar soaps made with herbs, botanicals, natural clays that are good for all skin types especially dry skin.
-Plant-based facial and body oils.
-Luxurious facial moisturizers and facial scrubs.
-Hydrating body butters, body lotions and foot rubs that lock in moisture and leave skin silky-smooth.
-Natural deodorants- plant based, aluminum-free, phthalate-free and baking soda-free and made with natural fragrances.
-Nourishing hair serums, hair growth oils and hair butters designed to promote healthy hair growth and strength.
-Soothing spray- plant based spray to help alleviate pain and sore muscles and inflammation.

What I am most proud of?
Formulating the products. Formulating and creating something new is exciting to me.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

So I started my business very grassroots. I self-funded by business while I was still working in full time in corporate. Otherwise known as bootstrapping. I used my own money to start the business and buy equipment, marketing, etc. I did not want to go into debt. Later on I did take a business credit card to get more equipment and also to build the business credit.

There are pros and cons of doing it this way.
The good thing is I am able to keep full ownership of the business so I retain control and have no pressure from investors. The not so good part of doing it this way means taking on everything myself with limited resources. The limited resources can slow you down especially in scaling fast.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Recommendations from friends and acquaintances and word-of-mouth publicity are the best source for new customers. This is an influential source of information and trust. A recommendation from a trusted source creates a sense of social proof. If a close friend speaks highly of my products, it feels “tried and true.

Beauty care is personal and people want to know something works. There are so many options of beauty care online and in the stores so customers are overwhelmed or even confused what to select. Also most people have tried so many products over the years and may feel skeptical of trying something new. A friend’s honest recommendation, carries weight because it comes from real experience and genuine trust.

I truly believe this has helped by business as most of my customers are loyal and returning customers.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cmariebotanicals.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CMarieBotanicals
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CMarieBotanicalsATL/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francine-bethune-0688922/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CMarieBotanicals

Image Credits

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