At just 18-years old, skincare aficionado Jhalia J. Edwards has turned her love for making soaps into a thriving business. ‘AloeCarez’ is a brand encompassing a line of skincare products such as soaps and oils. Photo: Provided

Products from the Aloe Carez brand of natural skincare products. Photo: Provided

Jhalia J. Edwards said her products uses natural ingredients like turmeric. Photo: Provided

Education & Background

Currently residing in Long Look, Tortola, our Young Professional attended the Francis Lettsome Primary where she graduated in 2014 and then later graduated from the Elmore Stoutt High School in 2020.

Currently, Ms Edwards is a student of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community Collage but says she remains committed to her passion for working with different natural ingredients to create new products.

“AloeCarez produce all-natural skincare products that gently cleanse the skin… I enjoy being able to experiment with different natural plants and oils,” she told Virgin Islands News Online (VINO).

Ms Edwards said, however, as part of creating new products, it remains a challenge to look for ingredients and plants that are less likely to be a skin irritant to the majority of the customers.

The art of business 

The Company has a line of natural soaps and serums that uses ingredients like turmeric and other essential oils.  

Our Young Professional said her business lessons came on the journey of discovering how to be creative.

“Always remember creativity is key, I overcame this by always experimenting with different things and finding ways to make it work no matter the length of the process,” she said regarding coming up with new ideas for her business.

The inspiration for the business, she said; come from seeing the struggles of those who had difficulty getting rid of acne.

“I was inspired when I noticed how hard it was for most people to get rid of acne no matter what chemicals they used and also the damage that came along with it. This pushed me to find another way to go about achieving clear healthy skin by using natural products,” she said.

Learning & growing 

Ms Edwards said soap making remains her pride and joy and a chance to let her creativity flow in personal ways.

“When I first started this business, I had no capital. This is where a family member stepped in and helped out. As I continued, I didn’t make a huge profit until I sat down and did my calculations. This is where I came up with an appropriate price for the products.”

According to our Young Professional, she is now able to put some 25% of profits back into the business as a growth factor.

“I see myself expanding and creating more natural skincare and also shipping my products overseas,” she said.

Parting Advice

While the coronavirus pandemic has affected soap distribution, our Young Professional encouraged the government to remain cautious with who enters the territory, so the VI can remain COVID free.

“Never give up even when it feels like you’re coming to a dead end, there’s always another way,” our Young Professional advised those looking to get into business.

Finally, she said creativity should always be the driving factor. “I would like to encourage anyone looking to start a business to always remember creativity is key.”

AloeCarez can be contacted on telephone number +1 (284) 545-5172 or via Facebook at AloeCarez.