Hold on tight, this is a long one!
2017 was an incredible year of growth for me. I learned a lot about myself, had an amazing home birth experience with my second child, learned new skills, did a full re-brand and much more. I am so incredibly grateful for everything and everyone that I have in my life.
I decided in November 2017 to finally go ahead with a dream I have had for a while. To start an online green beauty shop. While more and more stores are starting to carry green beauty products, there are so many local companies in the Vancouver area (where I am) and all over Canada that aren’t as easily accessible and not as well known. My goal is to show Canada what we have to offer here. Although, there are a few product lines outside Canada that are so incredible as well that I would like to share, so the site will be minimum 80% Canadian products at all times. I look forward to sharing some wonderful organic, natural and non toxic beauty products that really work on the new site! I officially launched it last week. Be sure to join our email list for some exclusive deals! SHOP HERE
One thing I haven’t done in a while, is make a vision board. I plan on doing this soon for the 2018 year and really getting my goals on something I can look at every day. Have you made a vision board before? Did you find yourself crossing off goals throughout the year? This is my plan to make sure I stay on track and don’t forget why I am doing all of this and what I am doing this for.
Without my friends, family, clients, and team of passionate, reliable hair and makeup artists, none of this would be possible. It was all of you that helped create what my company is today. And with the new name change and opening the doors to new opportunities, I am beyond excited to see how 2018 is going to go for us. Super grateful for you all.
A few accomplishments to reflect on are getting through wedding season with a newborn (high five to myself!), thank you to all my brides for your patience with me! I know I was slow to respond at some points. My team and I hope that all of the brides we had the pleasure of organically glamming up had beautiful weddings and we thank you for sharing photos with us!
One thing I really wanted to do more of in 2017 was give back more. I accomplished that with various events and organizations so I’d like to talk a little about each of the major ones I was part of.
Twice this year I donated a portion of revenue from 3 months of this year to 2organizations that are helping our local community. One of them is Beauty
Night Society. They give back by helping build self esteem for women and youth living in poverty through beauty nights and programs. Beauty nights consist of makeup applications, mini manicures, hairstyling, massage, facials and other beauty treatments for women in shelters across the lower mainland. What a great way to make a girl feel beautiful and special!
The other is The Tortoise and the Hairless Pet Services. They have a small sanctuary in their home that consists of animals that they have been surrendered, saved from poor living conditions or from being (gulp) euthanized. Their living room is basically home to various animals such as dogs, snakes, guinea pig, tortoise, tarantula, frog, lizards, gecko, bearded dragon, hermit crab and a ferret (and probably more). Racheal and Anthony are the owners of the Tortoise and the Hairless Pet Services and they both have such huge hearts. They offer various pet services for all types of animals and have tons of knowledge about these various animals they care for. Most of the revenue they receive from their pet 
services goes towards helping their small sanctuary animals as some of them require special care and attention and sometimes medications that can cost quite a bit. Donations are accepted to help with some of these costs and give these animals the best life possible. Be sure to check out my past blog post about them!
In November, I was a Silver Sponsor for the Dare to Dream event by Genicca Global Group (Genicca Whitney of Manifest Like A Boss). This event brought out all the dreamers in the city to help raise funds for Beauty Night Society (their chosen organization this year) and network with other like minded men and women looking to live their dreams. Last year I donated silent auction items plus a donation so this year it was nice to be a little more involved and sponsor the event and provide a prize. I was also part of The Dream Team 2 years in a row. Genicca has been a friend of mine for about 11 years now and she has been such an inspiration not only to myself, but thousands of other boss ladies out there. Congrats on a successful 2nd annual Dare to Dream event Genicca! Looking forward to 2018!
Last but not least, for the second year in a row, I donated to the Gift of Giving with 
Danielle Wiebe of Vancity Business Babes. The gift of giving was started a few years ago to give Christmas gifts to women in homeless shelters, safe houses, and recovery homes that may not receive something otherwise. The goal is to provide them with something that would be helpful to them and make them feel good. Gift bags were $30 value and included cozy socks, body wash and hand cream, toothbrush and toothpaste, new pair of underwear, hair ties, granola bar, feminine personal care items and a handwritten card. I look forward to participating again next year and hopefully get more involved!
Those were the highlights of donations and gifts from the year although it didn’t stop there, I donated gift certificates for services to various other events as well. I look forward to seeing the people that won them that have not yet redeemed!
Lastly, I decided to go through a name change and re-brand with the launch of my online toxin free, eco friendly beauty shop! You may have known me as Organic Makeup Artistry for the past few years, but we have changed over to Amethyst Crystal Organic Beauty to open the doors for more awesome products and services. Organic is in our name and will stay that way. I am always on the hunt to find you the best toxin free, cruelty free, eco friendly products starting with what Canada has to offer!
Most of you may not know that I don’t take much of a paycheque myself. I take a little here and there to help pay bills but I invest the money back into my business and back into the community to people that need it most. My business is directly catered to women and all my products are cruelty free and that is why helping women and animals in need seemed to be the right fit. Not only that, but they are local so I am helping my local community before anyone else. I support local as much as possible which is why my online shop will consist of minimum 80% Canadian products (most of them being from the Vancouver area as well to start).
With my online shop, you can help our local community too as I will be giving $1 from each sale to help our local community!
For inquires for collaborations and partnerships, please contact me at organicmua@gmail.com.
Thank you so much for reading and for another wonderful year! When you support small businesses, you support someones dreams and directly help families running them. Someone actually does a little happy dance… Keep it up!
