“Bare Essentials” is exactly what it sounds like. Your essentials, but bare. Jennifer Lopez, owner of this small business offers natural essentials such as body butters, exfoliating scrubs, and soaps. “Providing quality products with ingredients that are easily pronounced, that truly nourish and enrich your skin, Dare to Bare”. 

Business owner, Jennifer Lopez, is also a teacher’s assistant at a local middle school. Lopez assists teachers in the classroom as well as runs a tutoring program. One job is difficult for most people, but Lopez manages to run a small business and work with middle school students at the same time. While this seems like a difficult balance, Lopez enjoys both of her jobs and does not find it as strenuous as one might think. “Thankfully my job doesn’t take any work home, so when I’m off, I’m off and I get to spend the rest of the day doing things that bring me happiness like my small business”. Working with students all day can be tiring, but in the end Lopez feels rewarded when she is able to teach and create products she loves. 

“Bare Essentials” was started in early 2021. Lopez began her small business journey while struggling herself with skin conditions such as sensitive skin and mild eczema. Lopez found that most store-bought products weren’t sufficient enough to moisturize her skin the way she needed them too. She decided to take matters into her own hands and make her own body butter. The process of making a homemade body butter that moisturized and nourished her skin better than the products she had been previously using was a difficult experience, “The experience in creating my own body butter was quite the journey because I was no longer creating for myself. I had to create a body butter that would be suitable for everyone”. Figuring out the perfect ratio and blend of ingredients took almost a year. After much trial and error Lopez developed the perfect formula. “Once I did find the right ratios and consistency that I was seeking it became really easy”. Lopez describes the process of making a body butter as time consuming, but necessary.  

Lopez saw a great difference in her skin when she started to use all-natural products. “When I saw how great it was working for me I figured that I couldn’t be the only one dealing with these issues and that’s how Bare Essentials was born, I wanted to share my products with the world”. Natural products such as those made by “Bare Essentials”, have been found to be less irritating and more nourishing than other products due to the simplicity of the ingredients and absence of chemicals. “Bare Essentials” uses 6 ingredients maximum in each product. These ingredients are easily pronounced, meaning the ingredients are simple and nonchemical. Lopez makes her products in small batches using raw and organic ingredients to ensure customers are buying the freshest products. “Our skin is our biggest organ so it’s important to know exactly what you’re feeding your skin,” Lopez said in regards to choosing natural products over typical store-bought products.  Lopez explains that using products with natural and minimal ingredients does not only benefit those with sensitive skin, but all skin types and conditions. 

“Bare Essentials” offers a variety of products for different skin types, conditions, and needs. Lopez’s personal favorite is the “Coffee Lovers Exfoliating Scrub”. This scrub creates a smoother appearance while rejuvenating and moisturizing the skin. Lopez enjoys the hydrating properties of this product, “It rejuvenates my skin while also hydrating and bringing back that moisture to my skin”. Another favorite of hers is the “Tattoo Butter”. “Tattoo Butter” is a salve that brings vibrancy back to tattoos and protects them by providing SPF. Lopez offers other unique skin care products such as the “Paw Salve”. This multi-purpose product can be used for many conditions such as eczema, irritation, rashes, and more. 

Lopez created this small business as a way to cure her own personal skin conditions, but has expanded to share her products with others who find themselves in similar situations. Lopez is just in the beginning of her small business and is looking forward to the future of “Bare Essentials”. “My goal with Bare Essentials is to get a website launched to sell online in order to continue to share the greatness of what Bare Essentials represents”. Follow @bare.essentials__ on instagram to stay up to date with Lopez and her many products. “Bare Essentials” has products for all skin types and is continuing to come out with more products.