We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jasmine Shaw . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jasmine below.
Hi Jasmine, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
The story behind my mission began years ago after graduating college. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit! This spirit combined with my passion for skincare/body care is what birthed The Skin Category (formerly known as Loniece Essentials). My mission is to provide a luxury yet bold and fun experience to your skincare/selfcare routines! When you shop with TSC your order helps in providing mental health services for adults & adolescents who have experienced trauma. Selfcare is more than how you look and feel on the outside but, also mentally, physically & spiritually!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My journey as an Educator began 6 years ago the same year I established Loniece Essentials currently known as The Skin Category. Loniece is my middle name the same middle name as my late Grandmother Nettie Loniece. My goal then was to introduce products that I felt were essential to ones daily skincare/selfcare routine. I have always been passionate about creating products that provide lasting moisture & help improve the texture of the skin. For many years I talked about creating my own skincare line after using certain products that didn’t meet the needs of my skin. My first product was a body oil I formulated for my eczema after researching the beneficial properties of carrier oils & essential oils. My skin cleared up within one week of using this oil, I knew I was onto something! From there, I have expanded into soap making, body butters, body scrubs and face washes that customers love! In January of 2021, I resigned as a Special Education Teacher & Coach due to contracting the coronavirus along with the saddening loss of my Grandmother. Resigning, gave me more time focus on my mental health along with growing and expanding my skincare business. My Faith, passion & strong desire to help others is what drives me.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Being able to recover from challenges and pivotal moments in life is worth celebrating. When I decided to resign from Teaching I felt a sense of relief but also anxiety. Relived because I would no longer be weighed down by the stressors and health concerns of my role given the climate in education during this time. Anxious because I was taking a leap of faith. My main source of income would now be my business which meant shifting gears and setting my own schedule to consistently produce sales. However each of these things fueled my passion and desire to build and grow this business. This was a one woman show meaning I did everything myself. From formulation of products, packaging, marketing, etc. There were some days I felt burnt out and didn’t feel as if my hard work was paying off. Then there were days where I was overwhelmed with the amount of sales and processing of orders. My business started to gain more exposure in the media and opportunities to be featured in magazines. Since then I have gotten back into Teaching and Coaching while still running my business. Juggling a full time job and managing a business is very challenging which means time management and having a structured schedule is essential. As a result of this sales have been slow but consistent but, I’m working behind the scene in preparation for Holiday months. Overall I know my hard work, consistency and mission to provide luxury yet bold and fun experience to skincare will pay off!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
In the beginning I felt as if I had to do everything by myself. Funding this business out of pocket has costed me lots of money. Ordering products wholesale & building a team initially would have definitely saved me time and money. Bootstrapping this business from the ground up. Learning its okay to have more than one passion in life. Teaching and serving students is something I am passionate about as well as growing my skincare business…and that’s okay. Learning to merge these two passions to ensure they benefit from one another is the goal. Viewing both as platforms and utilizing them both in a positive way to continue to help, inspire and educate others.
Contact Info:
- Website: theskincategory.com
- Instagram: @theskincategory
- Facebook: The Skin Category
- Other: Voyage Austin Interview: http://voyageaustin.com/interview/meet-jasmine-shaw-of-loniece-essentials/ CBS Austin Interview: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/weiss-high-school-special-education-teacher-among-77-pflugerville-isd-teachers-resigns
Image Credits
Jasmine Shaw Headshot: Kevin Garner photography