Artist Story: Kitty and Jeffrey of SCHMEAR Naturals

What inspired the name of your business?

We wanted the name to remind people of food and a playful feeling.

Everyone should feel great in their own skin. And being comfortable in your own skin means being comfortable with what you use on your skin. So go ahead, SCHMEAR food on your face!

What is the story behind why you started your business?

It all started in our kitchens! Like many people, we were creating our own DIY skincare products from ingredients found in our fridge or pantry, such as honey face masks, coconut body butters or moisturizing olive oil blends. These DIY products resonated with us, and many others, because they used ingredients that we can trust. With that sentiment of trust, we focused on formulating skincare products derived from food ingredients that are commonly safe to consume.

The range of natural skincare products can be overwhelming, and similarly to the food industry, the term “natural” is a loosely used and unregulated term. We saw an opportunity to create an option that is honest about ingredients, simple to use and truly natural. With that, we’re on a mission of raising the standard for natural skincare products.

With our 100% food-based formulas, your skin will be nourished with fruits, vegetables, grains, algae, nuts, spices, and botanicals.

What are the dreams that you wish to fund through your business?

Our vision is to provide simple, honest, and 100% food-based skincare products that help people feel great in their own skin. We have huge aspirations for the business, and we hope to create more products that are accessible to all bodies and skin types.

We hope that our products and vision inspires people to be more conscious about the ingredients in their skincare products and imagine the possibilities of what ‘clean skincare’ can look like. Our goal is to deliver a new way of thinking about skin care through innovation and reinvigorate how people cleanse, tone, moisture, nourish, exfoliate and self-care.

What are you most proud of about your business?

Everything! It gives us so much excitement when we hear positive reviews from customers who have used our products. Knowing that customers trust and believe in our vision motivates us to innovate more 100% food-based skincare products.

How have you grown as people as a result of your business?

SCHMEAR has been an outlet for us to direct our obsession with creating. We’re most in our zone when working with ingredients and in front of a laptop, but the business has pushed us outside of our comfort zone. Initially we were very nervous leading up to markets, workshops, or even meeting stockists!

What difference does your art make in your life, and your families' lives?

We are both balancing SCHMEAR while working full time, so the down time we find with our families and friends are extra special. We launched SCHMEAR just over a year ago, so it is still a work in progress in finding balance in our routine. Our families and friends have been very supportive, and have helped us get through many crunch periods!

If you could say one thing to the person that buys and/or enjoys your art, what would it be?

We believe that nourishing your body from the inside out, is just as important as from the outside in. We are set to re-imagine self-care products for all bodies and skin-types through combining our natural foods and body care products industry experience. So THANK YOU for being a part of our journey.

Why do you love being a part of Giving Gifts?

We love being a part of the local makers community! It’s inspiring to see the final creations of fellow makers, and it motivates us to continue creating and growing SCHMEAR. Lisa and her team are great to work with and are always looking to support small businesses and any of our product launches -- we are grateful to be a part of Giving Gifts!

Why we love having SCHMEAR at Giving Gifts:

Kitty and Jeffrey's line of all natural, food based bodycare products are so gorgeous to look at, and yummy to use! Doesn't their product photography make you want to eat it all up? All the products smell great and offer good options for a diverse range of skin types. We also love their enthusiasm and the solid brand identity they bring to the store. They are definitely a local brand to watch and we look forward to seeing what they create next! Check out their line here.