We were lucky to catch up with Ingrid Gonzalez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ingrid, thanks for joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

Who doesn’t love a good meal, a walk in nature and or a good feeling after a relaxing shower? ( I call the last one my Spa Day!! ) A lot of us will at least like a few of these..

My love for Natural ingredients stared when as a child ( 9 years old) going to the market with my grandma. Since the first day we visited that Spices and Herb stand.

As an adult being cooking with natural ingredients, now I grow a lot of botanicals for cooking propurses and for Soaps, Body lotions, Creams, Herbal Salves and more.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hello everyone my name is Ingrid Vanessa
I Grow up In Costa Rica “Pura Vida” 🌱
Moved here over 25 years ago, I live in the Sunshine State 🌞🌴🐬 and Now I am proud to call USA my home and proud to be an American!
I am passionate about healing and natural products…….

I stared it in this business I will say in an interesting way,.. I want it to make a gift for a friend’s birthday! … something different from the stores or online, I wanted to make her a unique gift!! Since she likes Candles I made her a Candle! Soy Wax candle and put a message with a Picture of a mother carrying a baby. And she love it! Then moths later she ordered a bunch of candles to gift to her friends as Christmas presents. It was so exciting the making I could not believe I was making all those candles!! My dinning table was full of candles and the house smelled amazing! Mean while I was making body oils for my self to improve inflammation from a previous injury and from there immediately jumped to start making Soaps using natural ingredients and colorants, Sent pictures to friends, everyone like it, some of them ordered it to try and a Friend from Kansas she stared encouraging me to posted in social media…
And Now I make a variety of Natural Body Products such as: Soaps, Lotions, Hand Body Creams, anti aging cream, Body oils herbal infused ( chamomile is popular)
Chopsticks for dry lips, Sugar Scrubs for tired muscles, or just with fun fragrances for the Holidays or birthday parties etc, I also make deodorants chemical free, Salves, and Ofcourse Soy Wax Candles.
Although I use natural coloring nothing vibrant I do enjoy the making process, from cutting aloe vera leaves from my back yard, to trimming my rosemary for soap making, and just using natural herbs and spices to add in the batch of soap, it is a joy!!
Sometimes a client or a new client express me their swing condition and if a I van make then a soap since regular soaps even from a good brand cause them itchiness and or they may experience spots on the skin ( some skin conditions) And I make a soaps base on what they describe me. Sometimes I may have to do research!! Recently made a cream for someone whom recovered from Cancer and had severe skin dryness from the treatment and it works well for her !!
I think communication is important for a lot of things and with my clients or new clients is not and exception! That is also a way to solve any problems right?!

I been asked what set me apart from others? I think when you love what you do when you try your best things will come up well!.. my grandma used to tell us ” Do everything with Love or don’t do it” so we grew up keeping that in mind.
In addition, I have a medical background ( worked in a busy Hospital for almost 10 years). Graduated as an Occupational Therapy Assistant, and all this passion to help people I use it to make my products, if it’s a soap. Lotion or even a Candle, since Candles bring a relaxing smooth touch to the home and that can be therapeutic.

In the must humble possible way What makes me proud is actually when people tell me how much they like a product and when I hear a story about how good the product is doing on their skin ( such as acne, or other skin conditions) that makes my day and that is my motive, that inspires me to keep going and to create more…

Speaking of creating I also enjoy making gift baskets, cute baskets with the products I make, clients love to purchase those for birthdays or Hollidays.
I also make whole sell : wedding candles, cute soaps for baby showers and I am selling some of my products at a local Spa In Melbourne Florida, which is being a blessing to me and my family.

Some of my candles can be different, I may put a flower candle inside a candle, or a Mermaid tail inside of a Candle or soap or a Christmas tree and snow.. Yes I also love Christmas and creativity flows .. lol

I hope and working on continuing growing the business since I get involve in community activities, events and have lots of ideas to help women in the future, ( for example would love to teach to a certain groups such as ( women whom survived abuse and want to be independent) I am part of a community facepainting group through my Church! We attend events and perform free facepainting, bringing smiles to the kids and sometimes adults (at bigger events) such as in Christmas time! It’s so much fun to participate this kind of events.
I think is good to give back to our community!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Make a product that works!!! be the best version of your self! do your best! Be responsible Work hard and do not give up!

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

I would do it all again, Things are not always easy but that makes us who we are now..

Contact Info:

• Website: Working on it
• Instagram: Purelifecandlesandb

Image Credits
Some photos credit to Valentina