We were lucky to catch up with Maia Willow recently and have shared our conversation below.

Maia , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I struggled with cystic acne, rosacea, scarring and sensitive sin for many years. I tried several different treatments from medical to natural and my skin either got worse or stayed the same. It was really frustrating, as an esthetician I felt ashamed that I was helping others with their skin and yet I could not “fix” my own skin. I was so insecure that I would not leave the house without a thick foundation and concealer.

Eventually one day my mom suggested trying an oil formula, she had read some articles about the oil method and how healing it can be. She even pointed me to a few oils and recipe ideas to try out, which took me a while to warm up to because in my mind I had “oily” acne prone skin so the last thing I wanted to do was put oil on my skin. I was used to the old school philosophy I had learned in school with several skincare steps mainly excluding oil. But I was desperate, and my mom was usually spot on so I decided to give it a try and eventually ended up creating Balance Oil. An all-in-one facial oil for oil cleansing, makeup remover and moisturizer, after just a few days of using only Balance oil my skin significantly improved. From there I had a skin awakening and went cold turkey on my make-up and decided to just allow my skin to breath and take in all the healing from Balance oil. I also made the process of making Balance a ritual and started infusing it with crystals and healing intention. It felt like not only my skin was changing but I was starting to connect to myself on a deeper level and my wellness. Within a month my skin was completely healed, the acne was gone as well as the scarring. I was thrilled, I started using it in my facials and at the spa, people I had not seen in while started to notice and asked me what I was doing differently, It’s as if not only my skin changed but my whole demeanor, my aura and confidence were lifted. I finally felt good in my own skin and not only that, I created a product that healed my skin and found my own solution. Through this process of healing my skin it helped me heal on a deeper level and find my purpose. It connected me deeper to my self love and spirituality. It showed me we truly do have the tools to heal ourselves we just need to be open to receive guidance and open to different approaches.

It’s been 5+ years later and I have not worn foundation since, in addition my business has grown from a hobby to a full time business. It has helped me grow so much as a person and connect to a deeper alignment. I have created other products with the same holistic and sustainable approach and I’m excited and grateful to keep moving forward in my business and to help others as well as have a positive impact through eco-friendly sustainable skincare.

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.

As a child, I used to love giving my mom facials and playing around with products. I knew when I grew up that I wanted to be an esthetician, what I did not realize was that my real purpose was in crafting the skincare products. After being an esthetician for a year and struggling with skin issues I created a product “Balance oil,” which healed my skin and started my business.

The unique thing about my oils are that they are all-one-one, promoting a minimalist, sustainable approach to skincare. With the minimalist, natural approach this empowers a healthy skin eco-system and helps to heal even the most sensitive skin issues such as rosacea, cystic acne, eczema etc. Beyond the minimalist, natural approach my products are made with intention in ritual and infused with crystals and aromatherapy to promote healing on an energetics level and promote wellness.

A goal of my business, along with helping people heal and feel good in their own skin, is to also empower well being and make self care accessible to everyone regardless of if you are a busy mother, busy tech bro or a teenager struggling with debilitating acne and self worth. I want you to feel good in your own skin and also to feel good about what you are putting on your skin as well as how you are leaving a more positive environmental impact through sustainable skincare.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Growing up I never felt smart, starting in kindergarten I underwent years of special education. I was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADD. I was behind everyone else in school and it was obvious, or at least it was to me. I didn’t start reading until second grade and I struggled immensely in math. I was shy and unsure of myself, and always felt like something was wrong with me and I didn’t fit in.

As I grew older I eventually caught up but still struggled in math. Eventually, I found a teacher that spoke to me. He saw me, and taught me math differently, hands on in a way I could understand, in a way that resonated with me. I went to his classroom everyday during lunch freshman year of high school and he would work with me, help me on my homework and explain the new concepts in a way that I actually understood. That week, I took the final and got the second highest grade in my class, people assumed I cheated.

I went from feeling stupid and defeated to understanding that I learn differently, I see concepts from different angles and perspectives, and that I am capable.

Things I never thought I could accomplish like getting into UW- where I got on the honors roll, and graduated with a BA in education. Additionally, I was the first in my class to graduate in my esthetics program to become a licensed esthetician, where I got my dream job – (at the time) before I even graduated. Two years later, I started my own business that fully supports my dream and passion.

It was then that I realized I am different but for the better. My adversity in learning has made me work harder. My style of learning leads me to look outside the box and be more innovative in my ideas and business.
Yes I learn differently. I am a hands on learner. I see abstract concepts. I daydream and I follow my intuition. I am learning a big part of self love is embracing and accepting those parts of ourselves that may have made the journey harder for us but make us who we are.

Contact Info:

• Website: wellnessbywilllow.com wellnessbywillow.etsy.com
• Instagram: intsagram.com/wellnessbywillow
• Facebook: facebook,.com/wellnesbywillow
• Linkedin: Maia Pursell

Image Credits

Visuals by India
Laura Wick Photography