Where There’s Simplicity, There’s Skincare
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020 has not been easy. Society continues to face unexpected challenges including ideas of separation, isolation, economic instability, and racial injustice. We have seen many small brickand-mortar businesses across the country struggle through closure, bankruptcy, and an unstable future, yet we have seen a flourish in e-commerce. One business to see a major uptick in sales is Beauty N Simplicity. Based out of Quincy, Massachusetts, owner Mavis Hicks made it her mission to provide quality skincare products that not only produce fabulous results, but also a new found feeling of self-love. In today’s society, many young women struggle with the concept of self-love thanks to the standard marketing practices of the beauty industry. Hicks believes that even just the act of taking care of one’s skin can become a gateway to better self-acceptance. “Self-care is the ultimate form of self-respect. There are so many reasons that women put other things before themselves, and I feel that it is my charge to have a product that helps women nourish themselves, and reconnect with self-care,” Hicks said. When Hicks started Beauty N Simplicity in 2015, it was a small operation. It was what Hicks called her summer and weekends hobby. Apart from selling on Etsy, she would often travel with her products to different craft fairs and farmers’ markets. She used her background knowledge in culinary arts to develop her products; using different blends of sweet almond oil, shea butter, and argan oil, she strived to make every product something that allows people to slow down and find inner tranquility. Her products range from the signature whipped shea body butter, to bath salts and facial toners. Her products are even safe for people with preexisting skin conditions, which is what spawned Hicks’ interest in skincare. “My interest in skincare began in late middle school to early high school. I struggled with eczema. As a young girl, I always had dry skin and skin issues, and I was always searching for a nonexistent cure for eczema. Any type of product that came out on the market I tried, and that fascination carried into my life as an adult,” Hicks said.
Although the beauty industry paints a picture of perfection, Hicks uses Beauty N Simplicity as a way to show women that it is not about perfect skin, it is about loving the skin you’re in. The current state of our world has allowed us to rethink societal values, not only through self-care and health, but also through cultural and social change. On May 25, the Black Lives Matter movement reached new heights when George Floyd was inhumanely killed by Minneapolis police officers. The media storm that followed brought to light the importance of recognizing and working toward ending racial injustice in America. The pandemic highlighted the importance of supporting small businesses, and in alignment with the Black Lives Matter movement, many people began to turn their interests toward minority-owned businesses. Hicks, a proud African American woman, saw an increase in sales and site traffic. Although she was amazed by the numbers, what really amazed her was the types of people now purchasing her products.
