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Accented Glory's visionary Tonya Cross got a chance to chat with Brittney Badie of Herbal Accession LLC. Brittney is a Chicago native that has always carried a passion for providing peace to others, through counseling, support and care. Read below to learn more about her and her business!  Brittney Baddie of Herbal Accession TC: Please introduce yourself and tell us who you are. HA: HEY! I am Brittney, the founder of Herbal Accession LLC. I am from and live in Chicago. I am a natural enthusiast, a positivity influencer, and a knowledge seeker. I just launched my small business, Herbal Accession, in October of 2020, but my passion for healing and being a service to others started long ago. I have 15 years of experience in social service and completed a Masters program in Health Communication to further my dreams of promoting health and wellness to others. My focus now is to help others in their journey of healing. TC: I love connecting with other fellow naturals in business! Tell us about your natural hair journey. HA: I can’t talk about my hair journey without mentioning my spiritual journey as well because they both carry the same significance and, simultaneously, occurred at the same time. In order for me to grow and know my natural hair, I had to grow to know myself. I had been natural for the first 18 years of my life but I never knew how to take care of my own hair. I didn’t know my own hair, what products worked best for my hair, and even what my natural hair really looked like. My mother would take me to the “shop”, which was a local in-home beauty salon to have my hair straightened (hot comb/flat-ironed), or to my aunt’s house to get braids or she would spend a Sunday night burning and curling my hair with a hot comb. I could remember begging my mother, in high school, to allow me to relax my hair. At the time, I admired the long, sleek, neat hairstyles that I couldn’t enjoy because my hair was naturally curly and “unruly”. Finally, after I turned 18 and was ready to move away for college, she agreed that I could relax my hair. I didn’t realize, at the time, how delicate my crown was. I attempted my own “box relaxers”, dyed my hair, used excessive heat and manipulation and dried out my hair. I literally fried my hair. When I came home from school during my Spring break, I went to the shop to get a “touch-up” but because my hair was so damaged, the stylist had to cut my hair off. I was devastated. I remember looking in the mirror on my way out of the door, in tears and thinking “How did I get to the point that my “crown” was so damaged that I didn’t care enough to prevent this?” “Why did I care so much that I would stand out from everybody else?” and even more important “Why is my hair so impactful to my life?” To be honest, I didn’t know how to take care of my hair because I didn’t know how to take care of myself. I remember being in my dorm, combing through my hair and globs of broken, lifeless, damaged ends falling into the sink and ignoring the fact that my hair was suffering. That was my approach to a lot of situations in my life at that time. I realized that much of my despair had little to do with my actual hair (or lack thereof) but it had much to do with my alignment within myself. I had to dig deeper to find out what my hair needed, to be repaired, much like I had to dig deep to repair myself. This was the beginning of my natural hair journey. TC: Now you have a unique skin care and relaxation product line! Tell us more about your brand Herbal Accessions and how it came to be. HA: I was a natural skin care and product junkie. I would buy the latest popular products in hopes of finding the perfect body care/skin care that answered all of my skin care needs and had all of the right ingredients. I realized that majority of these products only have one or a few natural ingredients and was full of unnecessary preservatives and chemicals. I was pushed to take an even closer look at what I put on my skin and in my body after I had my son, who experienced severe eczema. After researching eczema, I learned that it can be treated simply by becoming conscious of the toxins we ingest and put on our skin. I decided to ditch spending money on popular brands of wellness and body care products and simply make them myself with no preservatives and just the right mix of herbs and ingredients. I created my own “perfect” product. Within recent years, I have also been conscious in advocating self-care. I had family members that suffered from illness due to simply not prioritizing their own health. I wanted to combine a variety of products, that I personally love and enjoy, into a brand that specializes in combining these two factors- self-care/reducing stress and all-natural herbs and beneficial ingredients. That’s how Herbal Accession came about! Herbal Accession’s goal as of now, is to open a wellness center in Chicago that offers free classes on how to grow herbs and plants for healing and wellness, how stress affects our minds and bodies, mindfulness and mental health workshops, public nursery, and Herbal store. TC: Love your brand story! I see from your website that you also have wine and elixirs. Wine Wednesday is one of my favorite days of the week. Tell us more about these products. HA: Yes! Girl I love a good wine! Our wine has been the top selling item lately! Kudos to that! I often indulge with a glass of wine or cocktail and a nice warm bath for relaxation, but on my journey to better my health and become conscious of what I consume, I learned that a lot of wine brands that I used to enjoy, were full of preservatives and additives. So one day, me and my fiancé went to a wine making class and it dawned on me, that I could make my own. I could include the level of sweetness I enjoyed, as well as any other perks or herbs I chose and most importantly, no preservatives! I started simply making sweet red wine (that’s my favorite!) and then I incorporated THC/Cannabis into my wine after learning about the natural benefits of Cannabis for stress relief, anxiety, and well-being. I was trying to create a drink that offered a delightful calming effect. My Elixirs are infused with Indica Strains of Cannabis for a relaxing feel. The wine is infused with Sativa strains for an uplifting, yet relaxing feel. I plan on expanding my collection to include wine infused with some of my favorite natural herbs such as lavender, rosemary, hemp, etc.  Full Moon Candle
TC: Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience? HA: I simply want to thank your audience for reading and allowing me to talk about my passion and experience. TC: Where can our audience find out more about your business, products and services? HA: You can keep tabs on updates, latest news, goal and mission progress, product announcements and engagements via Instagram-@herbalaccession or at herbalaccession.com/pages/expanding-the-brand.  I spend a lot of time reflecting during this time of year. I look back on the choices I have made and evaluate the life lessons I’ve learned. This season is also an opportunity for new beginnings; a time to choose a new path and start with a clean slate. Have you considered what will be your catalyst for an epic year? How will you fill the blank pages of the New Year? Answer these questions with one (1) of the seven (7) ideas listed below. 1. Hair Vision Board Do you have hair goals you want to accomplish this year? Making a hair vision board is a creative way to start the year. A vision board is an amazing tool for visualization. It’ll help you establish your intentions, clarify your goals, and create a plan of action. I’m the type of girl who thinks experiences are better shared. Why create your vision board alone when you can host a virtual vision board party with your curl friends via Zoom! 2. Try Something Different Trying something different is always better with friends! Virtual group activity events are very popular right now. There is a wide range of activity options from virtual paint-and-sips to happy hours. You can organize a Curl Friend Zoom Party and learn something new together. Forewarning, these group activities are full of fun and laughter. Your curl friends will want you to plan more events throughout the year! 3. Invest In Yourself This is a great resolution for my fellow natural hair influencers. Take an online class, webinar, or course that will help you better serve your audience. We should be “forever” learners and willing to invest in our craft. The topic possibilities are endless! From marketing to hair care classes find something that’ll interest you. 4. Love Your Tribe Life is too short! Stop wasting time and energy on people that are not an asset to you. Love on those who both uplift and inspire you to be a better version of yourself. Find ways to show them how much you appreciate the role they play in your life. Gestures such as thank you cards and small gifts are fantastic! 5. Take A Mini-Vacation For your mini-vacation, you can book a room at a local hotel or resort and unplug. Another option is a staycation; you can stay at home or camp-out in your backyard and unplug. Unplug by taking a break from your electronics and doing relaxing activities. Who doesn’t love an evening stroll or great book? I know I do and you can do them all during your vacation! 6. Get More Organized If you function better in clutter, this one is not for you! Organized things allow me to be more creative. Clutter has a negative affect on my productivity and mood. A clutter-free environment is also a pathway for me to get things done quicker. If clutter free sounds like something you need in your life, strive to get more organized this year. 7. Focus on Self-Care Curl friends please make time for yourself! Sow into your well-being whether its physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. To be your best self for others you have to replenish and restore yourself. Self-care can be something as simple as daily meditation or reading a few chapters of a book. Self-preservation is not a selfish gesture. It is something much needed for your health. I hope you found this list helpful. Is there anything else you would add to this list? If so, feel free to place it in the comments.
Tonya Cross - Accessory Designer It is a honor to share my insights on natural hair trends and how I feel Naza Beauty is raising the bar for Natural Hair Salons in Canvas8 case study! Canvas8 is the leading consumer behavior insights consultancy in the UK offering expert analysis on the latest consumer trends. The research address salon service needs of Black women with natural hair. Click case study to read about my experience on The Vine Events' (sister organization) website! Tonya Cross - Accessory Designer  Canvas8 Case Study: Naza Beauty - A Hair Salon With A Tech Twist |
Cierra CrossCierra has been a part of Accented Glory since its launch in June 2013. Outside of being an "Accessory Diva", she's a millennial who's currently navigating adulthood. Click Not One Of Your Little Friends to check out her podcast! Categories
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