We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jennifer Davis-toliver. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jennifer below.
Jennifer, appreciate you 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?
Picture a woman, standing in her bathroom, staring at her reflection. Her skin is broken out, dull, and showing fine lines—a stark contrast to her usual clear complexion. This moment, on her 32nd birthday, would become the catalyst for a transformative journey that would not only heal her skin but also her spirit.
My story begins with a dream of creating a product for pregnant women, a balm to preserve skin elasticity during pregnancy. Little did I know that this formulation would lead me down an unexpected path of personal and professional growth.
Life threw me two significant challenges in quick succession:
At my nine-week pregnancy appointment, instead of seeing a moving embryo, I was told my baby’s gestation had stopped at 6 weeks. The pain was profound and unimaginable.
Weeks later, on my 32nd birthday, my skin erupted with deep acne and scarring—something I had never experienced before. Expensive creams and cleansers failed to restore my skin’s health.
In my darkest moment, I turned inward. I began meditating deeply for many hours a day, seeking solace and answers. During this time, I also read Oprah’s “A Path Made Clear,” which resonated deeply with my soul-searching.
One day, while contemplating my skin issues, I remembered the pregnancy balm I had created. Each ingredient seemed to address my current skin concerns: wrinkles, acne, dullness. With nothing to lose, I decided to experiment.
For months, I used the balm on my face, documenting its effects on various skin issues. To my astonishment, my skin began to transform. It became flawless, glowing, and my laugh lines disappeared.
As friends and family began to use and repurchase the balm, seeing similar remarkable results, I realized I had stumbled upon something extraordinary. This was the moment I knew I had a product that could truly help people.
Through this journey, I discovered my purpose. The profound loss I experienced became the seed from which Vilót Skin grew. I realized that I felt my best when creating products that people love and that genuinely improve their lives.
This experience taught me the power of resilience, the importance of following unexpected paths, and the healing potential of pursuing a passion that helps others. I learned that sometimes our greatest challenges can lead us to our true calling.
Today, Vilót Skin stands as a testament to the transformative power of turning grief into purpose. We offer 100% natural, handcrafted products that are affordable, transparent, and effective.
My journey from loss to purpose has shaped not just a business, but a mission to bring out the best in people’s skin and, by extension, their confidence and well-being. Every product we create is infused with the passion and care born from this deeply personal journey.
As Vilót Skin continues to grow, I remain committed to prioritizing customer satisfaction and creating products that support and heal the skin from the inside out. This journey has shown me that when we align our work with our deepest values and experiences, we can create something truly meaningful and impactful.
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?
I’m the founder of Vilót Skin, a natural skincare brand born from a deeply personal journey of loss, healing, and discovery.
My professional focus is creating and sharing skincare products that are not just effective, but transformative. What makes this work so exciting and special to me is the unexpected path that led me here and the profound impact our products have on people’s lives.
Vilót Skin began as an accidental discovery during one of the most challenging periods of my life. I had been formulating a balm for pregnant women to preserve skin elasticity. Tragically, I lost my baby at nine weeks, which plunged me into a period of intense grief. Shortly after, on my 32nd birthday, I experienced severe skin issues for the first time – deep acne, scarring, dryness, and fine lines.
In my search for healing, both emotionally and physically, I turned to meditation and self-reflection. I spent hours each day in deep meditation, seeking purpose and direction. During this time, I also found inspiration in Oprah’s book “A Path Made Clear,” which resonated deeply with my soul-searching.
The turning point came when I decided to experiment with the pregnancy balm on my face. To my amazement, it addressed all my skin concerns. My skin became flawless, glowing, and my laugh lines diminished. As friends and family began using the balm with similar results, I realized I had stumbled upon something extraordinary.
What excites me most about Vilót Skin is that it’s more than just a skincare brand – it’s a testament to the transformative power of turning grief into purpose. Our products are 100% natural, handcrafted in small batches, chemical-free, and hormone-friendly. We take pride in being as affordable and transparent as possible while still delivering high-quality, effective skincare solutions.
The most special aspect of this journey is seeing how our products genuinely improve people’s lives. Every glowing review, every before-and-after photo, reminds me of the healing power of this accidental discovery. It’s incredibly fulfilling to know that something born from my personal pain now brings joy and confidence to others.
I’d love for your readers to know that at Vilót Skin, we’re not just selling products – we’re sharing a piece of a journey. Every product is infused with care, resilience, and a genuine desire to help people feel their best. We’re committed to natural ingredients, ethical practices, and putting our customers’ satisfaction first.
As for what’s new, we’re excited to announce that we’re expanding our product line. Building on the success of our original Face Balm, we’re introducing new formulations that address specific skin concerns while maintaining our commitment to natural, effective ingredients. We’re also planning a series of online workshops to share skincare tips and the healing power of self-care rituals.
In essence, Vilót Skin is more than my professional focus – it’s my purpose. It’s where my passion for creating products people love meets my desire to make a positive impact in the world. Through this brand, I’ve found that our greatest challenges can lead us to our true calling, and I’m grateful every day for the opportunity to share this discovery with others.
Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?
Interestingly enough, I had zero liquid cash when I started Vilót Skin. What I had was an Amazon store card, two credit cards and PayPal credit. I had to get grimy and resourceful. I ordered my ingredients on Amazon, used my credit cards to get bulk order of containers and then I prayed and prayed hard. I knew that I had a good product, I knew that it worked, what I didn’t know was I would convince anyone to give me a business loan. It’s extremely hard to get a small business loan, I am also a woman of color. The odds were against me but I didn’t focus on what I didn’t have or couldn’t get. I made the most of what I did have and used it to my ability. Ultimately, that thinking helped me to get to where I am today.
Ordering small quantities and selling them allowed me to build my customer base. They then referred their friends and family to the brand. At the end of each month, I would pay off any debt with the revenue made from sales. I can’t say that it was the perfect way but I made a way out of no way. Had I waited til I “could afford it,” for a loan (personal or business), I would not be sitting where I am today. We are small but mighty. I have been able to serve over 6,000 customers by boot strapping. In fact, I am still boot strapping. We haven’t taken a dollar from anyone, However it might be time to change that as we scale in 2025.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
SO SO MANY! Erroneous zone – Wayne dyer, Super Attractor – Gabby Bernstein, The Path made clear – Oprah Winfrey, Ego is the enemy- Ryan Holiday, 100m Leads, The Alchemist, I could go on and on. If you look at my top choices, for me the direction is clear. I had to be well internally, heal spiritually and go within before I made any strides in business. To garner the unwavering belief in myself was first a very spiritual healing journey. I recommend listening to the Lewis Howes podcast, Anything that Joe Dispenza is speaking on is golden and worth the listen. The key is to see it and believe it in your mind first and then work towards what is attracting you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vilotskin.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vilotskin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vilotskin
- Other: Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@vilotskin
