We recently connected with Anthuni Rivera and have shared our conversation below.

Anthuni, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Earth To Skin is my vessel to spiritual and ancestral connection, self expansion and a lifestyle that’s sustainable.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Earth To Skin is an occult fragrance oil company made from pure essential oils and organic carrier oils.

The “occult” simply highlights that I create not solely for the physical or olfactory benefits but I “request” and utilize their metaphysical and spiritual characteristics, to make an oil for adorning, enhancing us, and to fragrancise the body.

I have lived holistically, sustainably for 18 years and ensured that what I would offer the world would reflect that authenticity, love and elevation. The bottles are glass, the labels are biodegradable and use plant based ink. These were components of the brand that maintain the bridge to spiritual health and show priority for our planet.

Initially, Earth To Skin came about in 2014 after battling cystic acne which forced me to use a prescription drug known for its effectiveness and toxicity which, went against my plant forward and Caribbean rearing and lifestyle. I went on a crusade for skincare and food that would detox and nourish me. I uncovered the ubiquitous toxic ingredients in all commercial cosmetics and learned about the “fake” natural products, I also, discovered truly natural and spiritually aligned products and brands. In summary, I interviewed every brand that reflected my values of earthly respect, and they become vendors I retailed on Earth To Skin.

I was creating awareness, expansion and showing organic/natural skincare and sustainable living as elevated or “luxury” which it is.

Fast forward, I knew Earth To Skin would be back after a long break, but I needed it to be of my own offering. I originally planned to make sculptural spiritually enhanced candles and ordered a kit that came with essential oils. I festered over my disdain for the candle making trend and I wasn’t “called to it”. I played with the essential oils in the kit more than anything because my love and use of oils was very real and an everyday practice. I used oils to cleanse myself and perfume myself.

My knowledge of oils came while researching how to care for my skin and body and it felt spiritual, natural and my mom used oil to protect and bless. As I played with the essential oils, my spirit said make a fragrance, an oil! Truthfully, after the thought of “fragrance oils” my spirit inundated my mind with names, thoughts, reasons, intentions and ideas.

The realization that most people have no clue about toxicity and lack of transparency in fragrance, the healing power of oil and the spiritual power of oils and boom, that was the birth of Earth To Skins occult fragrance oils. It was exactly what I want for the world and it felt and feels like it is what my community needs.

I took the basic and amateur oils that came with the candle making kit and I dropped them onto sticky notes to blend. Then I thought, let me share some of the things I do that keep me as me-elevated and spiritually empowered, so I blended the oils based on their spiritual personalities. Two Spirit was my first “birth”.

Earth To Skins illuminates the bridge to ancestors, shares stories of freedom fighters and is a vehicle of empowerment.

Each oil was built by me meticulously and with specificity. Sankara’s Essence is an oil that is inspired by Thomas Sankara who was a Burkinabe that brought much mental, spiritual and economic liberation to the people of Burkina Faso. He spoke in condemnation and acknowledgement of colonialism. He spoke with richness and magnetism which was my main goal to capture in an oil. The oil is deeper in color, thicker in body, deep in scent and stimulating. All of those are some of the elements of Thomas Sankara.

Two Spirit is an ode to the Two Spirit people of the Americas. Two Spirit individuals would be-me, queer and non binary people. Also, those connected to their duality or that represent duality and non binary entities. These beings have existed across cultures and among all original peoples- Bakla of West Africa, the Hidjra of India and many others. For this oil, I knew I wanted rose and generally knew why, but my spirit was persistent that sandalwood should be used. I go through a communing/get to know stage with plants and oils, and communing with sandalwood taught me that it’s a unisex plant and semi parasitic. This resonated with me for the intent during my creating the oil.

My fragrance oils are for the adorning and expansion of us. They are evocative, to amplify our spirits. The main benefit is the aromatics but the unspoken plus is the aromatic energy we receive. I created and offer something that’s rooted in sustainability, connection and righteousness, things that I feel, are imperative from brands and for the world now and in the future.

Some people who’ve purchased the oils have shared beautifully reaffirming experiences and feelings when they use the oils.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

When I “FEEL” something, which is often my spirit speaking, I oblige, and I felt that people needed access to clean and ethical oils and fragrance. I believe in what I am doing, I needed to know what it would cost to “share” or start, so I researched. I researched the cost for a website, cost for an LLC, and the best part cost for the oils I wanted and what oils I would start with. I started with finding out what things cost that I needed. Then I had to filter out anything that wasn’t necessary or could be considered fat, to ensure I was giving the best creation. I had a retirement account and it was a divine seal of approval and opportunity- available and mine. I took the money from that retirement account and invested in myself.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I took a long break after initially launching the company in 2014. Years later, as I’m sporadically but consistently having thoughts about its relaunch, friends and family were asking about Earth To Skin, that they need help, and were simply out of the blue inquiring about Earth To Skin. I took this as an incontestable sign of confirmation that although you fall, or have to pause, a pause is not an end and a fall is not a collapse. The inquiries into when I was bringing the company back also, reminded me that I had purpose and I started remembering my purpose, which was my driving force really.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Theearthtoskin.com
• Instagram: Theearthtoskin