In the past few weeks, I have watched my social media grow by the hundreds. My Instagram following alone, is now over 1000! And it has been exciting and intimidating all at the same time. Why intimidating? Well, you see, before officially starting my business, Maly in June 2020, I had social media accounts, however, I wouldn't really say I had a social media presence. I would spend a few minutes each day just scrolling through feeds, admiring my friends' glamorous pictures and laughing at the random jokes I'd come across. Once in a while I would post a picture of myself and my family. I have always maintained a very private life, and avoided sharing my personal affairs for the likes of social media.
Then, I decided to start a business. Hmmm, how are people going to know about Maly? We are on lockdown, so markets are closed, and every other face-to- face selling opportunity is either non-existent or limited due to CoVID's invasion. The only and best option was, of course, to immerse myself in the amazing world of social media. I must admit, I created my Facebook business page and was posting there and gaining follows long before I started posting about my business on my personal page. This is simply because sometimes it is easier to share a new phenomenon with strangers than to people you know. I wanted to wait until I had properly tested the market, and was sure that I was going to pursue this business concept before going fully public.
After being invited to talk about my business by Matt from Keepin' it Real YYC on Facebook, I decided it was time to share with my personal page and the reception was great. Naturally, I was met with surprise reactions and I had to go down the road of explaining that I wanted to get things to a certain level before sharing. When my Facebook following started to grow after posting that video, I soon realized that for me to get the word out about my business, I needed to become far more engaging and put myself out there more.
It was time to get out of my comfort zone!
I decided to push myself, and do an introductory video. Afterall, if people are following my journey, the least I could do was properly introduce myself, right? Besides, talking about myself could not be THAT difficult. So, I sat down and started to record..... Guys! I had no idea that talking about myself could be THAT hard! I must have recorded the video 20 times before I decided that I was done, and would post it flaws and all! Here's the link, incase you missed it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ljOdnM1kM4
I most recently did a LIVE interview with the beautiful Natasha B Russell on her show that is aired every Monday on Instagram and Facebook. She is a brilliant Life and Business Coach and boasts other accolades. You should definitely check her out, she is very inspiring and so easy to engage with.
Let me stop here for a minute and elaborate on why this LIVE was a big deal for me. Earlier I mentioned the challenge I had with completing a recorded video simply to talk about myself. Now, I have crossed another major hurdle of doing a LIVE interview, unedited, plain and simple me! I did that! That is wild! and you know what, I felt so liberated when it was done- I was truly proud of myself for taking that step, kicking the anxiety out the window, and just be my true self.
I think I am now ready to start being face forward on all my social media accounts. LOL! Maybe eventually, baby steps for now.
Anyhow, I still haven't introduced myself yet, isn't that what this blog is about? LOL!
Ok, here goes.
Who Am I?
My name is Kashieka Malcolm. I was born and raised on the beautiful island of Jamaica. I attended the St. Andrew High School for Girls and later completed tertiary education at the Northern Caribbean University where I obtained a Bachelors Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management. I moved to Canada in 2014 after my husband (common-law partner at the time) moved to Saskatchewan and convinced me to come too by spewing out lies that it was just as warm as Jamaica. LOL! I'm joking, he actually warned me that it wasn't. A year later, I decided I was having too much fun in Saskatchewan and needed to slow down a bit, so we decided to move to Calgary instead.
Jokes again, ok I'll stop!
While in Saskatchewan, I had the pleasure of working in one of the largest spas and it reignited my love for skin and self-care. In search of greater opportunities we came to Calgary, pregnant and all.
I am the mother of two (2) of the most adorable princesses to ever walk this earth and wife to one of the handiest and smartest men on this planet. Prior to Covid-19, I managed a large department of up to 35 people (depending on the season) within a hotel for 2 years. During the pandemic last year, I gave birth to our second child. So now, I am raising a family, managing a home and running a new business.
Can you say, BUSY?! Yes, very much so :)
My love and interest for skincare and spa really started at a young age. I remember as a teenager, I would always be mixing concoctions for hair and skin. As I became an adult, I would still make some products for personal use, and every chance I had to buy natural skincare products, I would indulge.
What Do I Do For Fun?
I enjoy dancing and listening to music. I love reading, however, I seldom have time for that nowadays, so I enjoy it through my daughters' story books that we read before putting them to bed. I enjoy baking, though I cannot stand the clean up process- it drives me nuts! I love spending time with my family whether playing games or relaxing and watching a movie, going for a walk, errands or just a drive out.
What is the Nature of My Business?
Maly is a small business that offers handcrafted bath and body products using natural or naturally derived, wholesome ingredients, geared toward encouraging relaxation and self-care at home with our spa-like products. We source high-quality ingredients, and incorporate them in our formulas based on their known benefits to the skin. We are a cosmetics based business and do not make any claims that our products can heal or correct any underlying skin concerns. However, the ingredients that we use offer certain benefits in skin-care that with continuous use, and proper diet, one may see quality results. I know I have.
Why Did I Start this Business?
In March 2020, during the heart of the pandemic, schools were required to go on lockdown as per orders by the government. My daughter was in day-care and with no one around for her to stay with, as we do not have family members here, I was required to stay home with her. In addition, I was pregnant, and dubbed high-risk. Initially, with all the scariness and uncertainties, I started to become worried and often stressed out, perhaps elevated by hormones, about what the future would bring. It became apparent that I needed an outlet, a space where I could forget about it all and just do something I enjoy. I started making soap, and it was a real stress reliever for me. I gave away my first few batches and realized that people were interested in the soap I made. I was starting to get positive comments about my products and it fueled my interest in making cosmetic products as a business, since I had to pause my travel agency due to obvious reasons.
In addition to needing a creative outlet to relieve stress, I started this business as I have a passion for skincare and spa. So much that if I don't sell any of my products, I would still continue making them because I absolutely love what I do. I love the whole process from formulating my recipes to testing the end result. I love the research that is involved and even the frustrating times when I have to go back to the drawing board because something just didn't turn out the way I was expecting.
I started this business to share a part of me with others, my love for crafting and making things that are useful and beneficial to our well-being. I want people to remember to pause and take care of themselves so that they are better equipped to care for others. Relaxation and self-care are important, and that is what my products target.
What are Some of My Favorite Products?
Wow! Tricky question.
Can I say all of them? I mean, each product I make is formulated and handcrafted or poured with such care and love that it is so hard for me to choose.
Anyhow, I will just highlight a few and the reason:
Maly's Whipped Body Butters are truly special. They are formulated to be non-greasy, unlike the traditional form of body butters where oils and butters are whipped together to form a fluffy texture. Maly's Body Butters are loaded with high-quality, luxurious oils and we have included water amongst other important ingredients. Why water? Well, when skin is dry and in need of moisturization, it is thirsty. To properly correct that, you need water to more efficiently carry the oils through the pores of the skin. It is needed to enhance the "spreadability" of the product. So whereas a body butter made with only oils and butters stand on the surface of the skin for a while and has a greasy feel, ours melt into the skin and deeply nourishes, leaving you feeling soft and well moisturized. Now, the traditional body butter has its place in skincare, don't get me wrong. However, I find that Maly's formula works best for my extremely dry skin, and it has worked so well for me that I decided to have that set us apart from other makers.
2. Bath Soak Salt and Bath Teas
One of the newest collections to our line of products, and makes me ask myself, what took us so long? Well, nothing happens before the time, right? Our Bath Soak Salts are amazing. I formulated this product based on different things that my family enjoys when we take a bath. My 4 year old loves bubbles and frankly, so does me and my husband. Who doesn't?! My husband's job is very physical, so he often comes home with muscle aches and pain. A nice hot soak with Epsom Salts usually helps. And then there's me, who loves to add a bit of fancy, with my spa background and all, I couldn't help myself but to add other luxurious salts and throw in a combination of florals to make bath teas. It is well worth a try.
This is my one and go exfoliant. Literally, this thing makes the process so simple. I just apply it in the shower, wash it off and I am done. I use it to scrub my feet when doing a pedicure also.
This spa-quality sugar scrub is not just oil and sugar, it also lathers, which removes the need to use soap or body wash. So it cleanses, exfoliates and moisturizes all in one! Seal the deal at the end of your shower with some of Maly's Whipped Body Butter and you have transformed yourself into a supple, silky goddess! I sure feel like one at the end of my shower. Use it once or twice a week for best results.
Maybe in another blog I will talk about some more of my favorites. But, I do recommend you try those. I can almost guarantee you will fall in love with them.
So there you have it!
In a nut shell, that's a bit about me. Leave a comment if there is something that you want to know about me that I did not cover.
Want to try any of these items? Get 10% off. Use code: BLOG21 on our website at https://www.malynature.com. Offer valid for any product other than already discounted items.
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Link to Maly's Mango and Coffee Scrub
Link to Maly's Body Butters
Link to Maly's Bath Soak Salt and Bath Teas
Follow us on our social media pages for more details on our products:
Facebook- facebook.com/malynature/
Instagram- instagram.com/malynature
Pinterest- pinterest.com/Maly_nature
If you have any questions about this or any of our products, contact us at:
buymalynature@gmail.com or PM us through any of our social media platforms.
"Love the skin you wear, and wear your skin with love."
-Maly
1 comment
Really proud of you.Lovely dear.May God’s richess blessings continue to flow in your life.