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

Erin, appreciate you joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I was working in fashion in NYC, designing for The BabyGap and had been there for 6 years. Prior, I worked for Target, Abercrombie, Theory, Old Navy – it was a great career and I was on a path of growth but deep down I was not fufilled. I’ve always been a skincare lover, a scent lover and enjoyed being creative. I was also seeking a solution to my complicated skin and no conventional products were providing results I was happy with. Plus, I desired to return to my roots, being from the woods of rural Illinois, surrounded by nature. Things began to fall into place and I decided to experiment with making some of my own products. I gave them out as gifts – aromatherapy, deodorant – these were the beginnings. Then, in 2014 I began a certification process in organic body care which helped deepen my knowledge of the skin, ingredients, and formulation. I set up my own LLC, developed a small line of products, worked with a close designer friend (at The Gap) to develop our logo and labels. I designed everything myself, and still to this day I oversee the marketing and all branding – which is something I love to do and is rooted in my career as a designer. I launched in June 2015 at my favorite local wine bar in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, just around the corner from my apartment.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Oxalis is an all natural skincare line, truly plant to body. We formulate everything in-house, no pre-made bases that we infuse – everything comes to us in the form of a raw ingredient. It’s very special and intimate and something that gives me great pride. Seeing something come to fruition from start to finish is extremely rewarding. We also prepare all of the orders and ship everything from our headquarters in New Orleans, LA. Our products are effective, no nonsense, cruelty and paraben free, sustainable and we are woman-owned & operated.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think our reputation has been built on trust – no fluff, no magic marketing terms – just genuine passion for what we do and how we help you care for your skin and yourself. It’s so easy to get lost in the glitz and glam of fancy new brands, but at the core, we are honest about who we are, what our products target and our story. We have built our clientele over the last 8+ years through honest connection, conversations and networking and completely bootstrapped the business from the beginning until now. This has allowed us to be in stores like Anthropolgie, Neiman Marcus, Whole Foods and independently owned shops all across the country.

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

We find that when we meet people in person and connect with them about more than just their skincare goals, this leads to not only a transactional relationship, but a life-long customer who shares Oxalis with their family and friends. Markets/trade shows, email newsletters, Instagram – all of these have allowed us to meet people who continue to shop with us year over year.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.oxalisapothecary.com
• Instagram: oxalisapothecary
• Facebook: Oxalis Apothecary
• Linkedin: Erin Wexstten
• Twitter: oxalis_apoth

Image Credits
Emily Ferretti, photographer