Body Care Hater

You know me. I'm Karen, the owner of the all natural body care company SAKILÉ. SAKILÉ is a Swahili word that means "peace and beauty" and my company was inspired by my actual trip to Africa, my time spent in the bush of Cameroon, and my divine vision to start this company. The story, unique, the product line, exquisite (and I'm not just saying that), the concept, immaculate. So why isn't my product line at Sephora, Fred Segal, Neiman Marcus, or even featured at a number of tucked away, eclectically chic boutiques on Rodeo Drive or somewhere like that? I don't know. Maybe I haven't marketed well, maybe I haven't worked hard enought to sell it out of the trunk of my car first, and then shoot for boutiques later, maybe I just don't hustle to enough people in passing. A combination of all of this.

In any case, today, I decided, enough was enough. I found a jar of Egyptian Magic in Whole Foods. I always check out my counter parts to see what works for them and what doesn't, and I sometimes reach out to them and let them know that I think they're indeed doing a spectacular job of marketing, merchandising, etc. Well, this jar of Egyptian Magic was a four ounce deal for $35. I make by hand my creams and butters with some of the most hard to find oils and butters out there. They melt like butter into the skin and keep the skin moisturized throughout the day and I scent them only with essential oils and attars that often run me hundreds for just a few ounces. I buy these ingredients because I want the best of the best for my family and my guests ( I have a store in downtown Orlando where I offer my body butters, organic shower gels, etc). Anyway, I'm looking at the ingredients on this Egyptian Magic and thinking to myself how incredibly wrong I've been all these years in trying to make something so wonderful and beautiful. This gentleman has made a fortune off a handful of ingredients that Joe Bleau can pick up at the local grocery store. It is a simple base of olive oil, beeswax, bee propolis, honey, and bee polen and royal jelly. That's it. Madonna loves the stuff and it's been on TV a few times and the piece de resistance (I don't even know how to spell that), but the piece de resistance is a feature in O Magazine. We're talking $35 a jar for what probably costs him $1 a jar, and I'm not exaggerating, to make. I'm in the industry and I know how much bulk ingredients cost, and I kid you not, a jar of what he makes probably costs no more than $1 a jar including label, jar and labor.

Something's got to give.................