Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shelly Belinko. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Shelly, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I am a potion maker, a mother, a wife, a friend. I think all of these roles essentially contextualize how Blinking Owl Acres sprouted into being. I never sat down and said, “I want to start a business,” or “I think entrepreneurship is my calling.” I just always mixed potions- potions to nourish, to please, to heal, to soothe. And my potions work! They work well enough that people want to purchase them. So, I started making more, and people purchased more. It all happened very organically.

My big “Aha!” moment happened when, in search of a deeper connection to the land and a sense of purpose in this world, I moved my family out to the woods to homestead. We began to pay closer attention to the fluctuations of energy, resources, and relationships that create harmony or discord in the land around us. As I attuned my senses to the natural world, I realized how much responsible stewardship of the land is akin to responsible stewardship of one’s body – it’s simply a different scale.

This realization helped me define the mission statement and message of Blinking Owl Acres & our products are the manifestation of this understanding. In other words, Blinking Owl Acres makeup and skincare collections are holistic because they are made to honor and protect the integrity of every individual’s unique skin ecosystem (just like responsible stewardship of the land must protect the integrity of its complex ecosystems). We choose clean ingredients that support the microbiome and do not irritate or clog pores. We encourage self-care and self-love because those are the roots of health and beauty. We avoid preservatives and surfactants that could disrupt the skin’s protective barrier. Our packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable, and our ingredients are always sourced with great care and intention. The brand is named in honor of the homestead because the land has been my greatest teacher.

Shelly, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Blinking Owl Acres is a Holistic Skincare and Makeup company. Holistic skincare is a beautiful & steadily growing part of the beauty industry and there are many brands with their hearts in the right place. However, many of these brands and products have very high price tags. A large part of my drive comes from trying to bridge the gap. I think that luxurious, potent, holistic skin care should be on grocery store shelves as well as in exclusive boutiques and spas. I work hard to create potent and deeply nourishing products without the hype, the frill, and the big ad spends. It allows us to keep our prices accessible without compromising on product quality… and it results in products that would be equally at home in a shopping cart next to a bundle of fresh herbs & bacon as on a silver tray in an exclusive spa retreat.

In other words, the best skincare needs to be high quality, but not necessarily hi-tech or expensive. It is absolutely false that the higher the price tag, the better the product. Everyday holistic, luxurious skincare can be accessible and affordable. Furthermore, Blinking Owl Acres approaches makeup as part of skincare. It’s not something that is applied afterwards. It’s not a mask to hide behind. It’s the final step in a ritual of healing, nourishment, and celebration.

Finally, I want everyone to know that natural beauty is about knowing your body and your skin and leaning into it. Oily, dry, or sensitive – these are your skin’s unique and intrinsic characteristics. Our products will guide your skin on the journey towards balance and alignment. With a holistic approach, skin problems can & will fix themselves and everyone can achieve a state of radiant equilibrium and a healthy glow. We completely stand behind this and are happy to nerd out about skincare. We love it when customers reach out with questions about products or issues that they have been dealing with. We can help them navigate transitioning into a gentler, slower holistic approach.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Growing up, I heard a lot of comments along the lines of “It’s too complicated” or “Just forget it.” I never felt like I could take on something truly big because the adults in my life reinforced that mentality, probably unintentionally and unconsciously. Fast forward a few decades, and I started my business, Blinking Owl Acres – without even realizing that I was starting a business! It grew organically out of my inherent need to create, to heal, to nurture. I started with the products, and later realized that I had started a business.

I felt very out of my element, and there were the constant echoes of my childhood replaying in my mind. I couldn’t move forward with the business until I confronted those echoes. I really had to put that story to rest. It sounds silly, but it’s actually a huge thing for me. I often remind myself that nothing is “too complicated” and that just ignoring or avoiding difficult situations does not make them go away!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

2020 is an amazing study in pivoting, because everyone in the whole world had to pivot one way or another. We did our first big trade show right before the world locked down in 2020. We were selling lipstick when everyone started wearing masks. We were focused on building relationships with our customers face-to-face when in-person gatherings all but ceased.

The silver lining of the situation was that it gave us a moment to step back and assess how we needed to adjust. Our biggest weakness during the height of COVID was that our online presence was not an authentic extension of the brand. We needed to articulate and define the brand look and present it in a way that could translate throughout different platforms, and be consistent between virtual and real-life realms. So that’s what we did, and it has made the whole brand stronger and more successful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blinkingowlacres.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blinkingowlacres

Image Credits
Blinking Owl Acres