We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Whitney Mortenson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Whitney, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
I am focused on making my company Bootiful Enchantments all vegan, non-toxic, and organic. A year ago I was a makeup artist and started having major allergic reactions found in all beauty, skincare, and fragrance I was selling. Once I started Googling my symptoms I went down the rabbit hole of just how terrible most products we all use daily are. The chemicals in our every day items cause hormone imbalance, respiratory problems, endometriosis, cancers, and more. I spent the past year researching and testing alternatives to toxic beauty. There are not that many options out there. Especially for goth girls like me. So I decided to start my company to show everyone that you can still buy beauty and self care goods without having to harm your body. I just released my holiday collection which are the first products I’ve created so far. In the new year I will have my website and Etsy up full of cosmetics, skincare, perfume oils, and more. I am creating my brand for anyone like me who has struggled with confidence due to lack of products in the non-toxic market. Lots of clean beauty companies still use too many toxins for me to feel comfortable using. I have learned just because a brand is advertised as clean beauty does not mean it is non-toxic. I am vegan so that for me is also super important to my brand. There are still so many companies out there that are not cruelty free. It is a must for me to make sure no animals are harmed for the sake of my products. Our consumer market does not show enough concern for that, so I hope to bring in lots of clientele who also feel this is an important issue.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a Colorado native who grew up loving makeup and all other things beauty. It inspired me to go to beauty school when I was twenty one. I was a makeup artist for about three years. I loved being able to help people feel amazing whether it was for a special event or in their daily routine. My main goal is to have my own shop to sell my products and partner with other vegan, non-toxic brands. I hope to expand into having an all vegan coffee shop and boutique. When that day comes I would love to still offer makeup and skincare demos to clients who want to adapt a non-toxic lifestyle. Until then my Etsy and website will have all things makeup and skincare available to purchase. I will also be selling home goods like candles and teas. Since I am a spooky girl I will have products available all year around for those like me who live the Halloween lifestyle. I am most proud of how much I have grown this past year in my knowledge of non-toxic living, my confidence in myself as an artist, and how to help others. I have always been proud of my ability to make people feel beautiful in my chair, so I can’t wait to bring that to my business. What sets me apart from others is how judgement free I am as a person and will bring to my business. Being a lesbian satanist my business will truly be a safe space for all people. This is what will set me apart from bigger corporations on top of being a vegan, non-toxic business.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I built my name for myself first by posting makeup looks I did for work and fun events. As my makeup artistry developed it got attention from photographers in the area. I was asked to start modeling. Modeling really brought a ton of followers to my pages and helped me find myself. Modeling helped me get into content creating. I still do post, but I plan to shift my content towards my own products I am selling for my business. My biggest advice is to fully develop your content into who you are. People love to follow and root for people who have their niche and go for it. Another big thing is learning what kind of content is catching the attention of the public. TikTok and Instagram reels are a great way to put yourself out there right now, but the world of social media is always changing.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I listen to podcasts and read books that help me grow in myself as well as my business. It’s important to always be open to learning and developing yourself. My two favorite podcast are: the Mindset, Magic, and Manifestation podcast; and the House of Herby podcast. Both are about growing in yourself and your goals. Both also share how important it is to put your art out there. Some of my favorite books are: The Happy Satanist by Lilith Starr, You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero, The Devil’s Tome by Shiva Honey, and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. Building a brand starts with shaping yourself and these resources helped me get the courage to finally start my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.instagram.com/spookybeautyqueen/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bootifulenchantments
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092007817562&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/@spookybeautyqueen
Image Credits
Kristen Wyatt IG: @kittythunderrr