An all-natural skin care line that will have you glowing on a budget: KAIKE Bath + Body Bakery

Skincare that is all-natural like Lush can be quite a pretty penny. As much as I want sea salt scrub and charcoal cleansers the way my bank account is set up.... not going to happen on a constant basis. Especially when there is an expiration date on the product! Luckily, there was a savvy business woman and mother who had the same thoughts. Her solution was to create the products she couldn't find herself. Keli Smith is the owner of KAIKE Bath + Body Bakery, which is an all-natural and as an added bonus.... most of her products are 2 in 1. Yep, how's that for more bang for your buck. As a mother of four, it is amazing that she not only started her own skincare line but she also creates each KAIKE product from scratch as well. Check out her interview with Beaut&Beast where she talks KAIKE, business, and motherhood: 

1. What is KAIKE and the inspiration behind it? KAIKE is an all-natural, cruelty-free and vegan skincare brand with a focus on good, clean, fun. It was created for women like myself, who are interested in living a more natural, holistic lifestyle, but find many of the current green beauty options boooooring. Not only do we trying to bring a little excitement into our branding and voice, but also to your beauty routine.
2. What are some of the products that KAIKE offers? What are the benefits of using them? Each KAIKE product is designed to be multi-purpose. We already have too many skincare and beauty products on our shelves, so the goal of KAIKE is to be minimal in ingredients yet effective and exciting. Our most popular product is Frosting, which is a nourishing hair + body butter formulated to smell and feel like, well, frosting! We've just launched our two newest products, Marshmallow Mask + Scrub and Green Tea Mask + Scrub. These clay-based goodies are effective at removing toxins and impurities from the skin when used as a mask, yet offer gentle exfoliation when used as a scrub.
3. What are some of the challenges you’ve had to deal with creating a product from scratch? My biggest challenge is crafting products that are preservative-free yet safe for use. Because preservatives, specifically parabens, are absorbed through the skin and are associated with increased risk for breast cancer, we don't want them, and many other harmful ingredients, anywhere near our products. Keeping KAIKE products preservative-free forces me to find creative ways to provide skincare solutions without compromising health or well-being. That's a lot easier said than done though.
4. Did you have any worries about creating and hand-making your own skincare products? What were some of your biggest concerns? Of course! In the beginning, my concern was if women would actually like and purchase what I was creating for them. Now, my concern is if I will be able to keep up with demand as KAIKE is quickly becoming popular and more known.
5. Starting a business and a product line from the ground up sounds overwhelming. Any advice to mothers looking to get into the beauty business? It can be overwhelming, if you allow it to be. I took my time launching KAIKE and I broke the larger goal of launching a business into smaller deliverables so that it wasn't so big of an undertaking. Make your vision clear and seek out mentors (not just in your desired industry) to help guide you on the journey.
6. You have older children in their preteens, do you incorporate them into your business? Why or why not? Absolutely. My oldest son is great at helping me with product ideas and naming, while my daughters help with testing and packing orders. My kids seeing me working has prompted some great conversations about their own business plans and their future.
7. What would you say is the most important part of ensuring a successful business launch and getting your product out there? Do your research. Make sure that you are fulfilling a need and that your customer actually wants/needs what you are offering, or that you're coming with a fresh perspective. We don't need more of the same, and sometimes it takes checking our motives on why we are interested in launching in the first place. Your focus should be your customer and prior to launch, you should have a clear idea on what they want and how you can provide it.
8. When women purchase and use KAIKE products, what impression do you want them to have and why is this important to you? I want women to have a great experience using KAIKE products, not realizing initially that they are good for them. Like how parents sometimes hide veggies in meals so that kids will eat them, I want women to discover a joy in caring for and appreciating their natural beauty, and oh, by the way, the products are good for your skin, too.

Experience Keli's definition of good, clean, fun and indulge in KAIKE's delicious skincare line at www.shopkaike.com