From Recovery to Ritual: How Self-Care Becomes Healing w/ Cheree Ashley, Founder of Osier Wellness

Speaker 1: Welcome to She Built It. Thank you for joining us, Sheree. Before we learn about your businesses, please share a little about who you are and the path that brought you here. >> It's been quite the journey. I am in recovery 14 years. Just celebrated 14 years in January. And so, Congratulations. >> Thank you so much. I worked in the dental field really young when I was 15 on independent study and I thought that was going to be my career path and how things just took a turn through my own personal journey and going through addiction and that was a really hard time in my life and finding recovery through treatment and doing that for some time for myself to get back on track and find a new path and then working in the I did that for about a year and a half before I then opened up my own treatment facility back in 2015.

Skincare passion project

Speaker 1: And so I've been working in the field for over a decade. And I I love I love my job and that's what inspired me to do a passion project which is skincare. And through my own journey I I enjoy my self-care routine. I enjoy my my skin care routine, a good mask on a Sunday, gym, the sauna, all the things, a good cup of coffee. That's really how this started and it's been a lot of fun.

Event appreciation

Speaker 1: >> Good for you for going through the healing process. And it's interesting how business isn't usually linear. We'll start down a path and sometimes we can end up doing something completely different. And I had the chance to attend your beautiful product launch and anniversary party. It felt so intentional and grounded. Thank you for having me. What did that moment represent for you personally? >> The event was like planning a wedding.

Launch event feelings

Speaker 1: So much went into it and it's one of those things. Was everybody going to show up? But honestly, Melanie, that day walking in, it was so emotional for me. It was so emotional. I could get emotional now. It was everything and more to see something so beautiful that came from something so hard at one point in my life. to look back of where this whole thing started for me and to look at it and say I created this on my own 100% by myself and I have turned something that could have completely taken my life >> into motivation and the power to show up for myself every single day and really create on my goals. And to see it all in person like that was just amazing. It represented me in every aspect of that event down to the candles to the dim lighting, the food, and the products. It's just so who I am. So without even me being in the room, if somebody were to say this is Sheree Ashley and this you would you would feel that just by being there and being surrounded by so many amazing people and people that believe in me and my brand and the mission and being there for support just meant so much to me. It was such a beautiful evening for sure. It was so beautiful and so nicely done. And like you said, everything down to the details was really well done and beautiful. And good for you for taking the time to feel that because so often we work so hard to do something and especially as women, we just move on to the next thing and we don't always take that time to feel what we've done and what we've created and what we've accomplished, >> right? Yeah.

Skin care and recovery

Speaker 1: >> You spent years building recovery programs and helped thousands of people. When did you realize that skin care needed to be such a part of the healing process? >> So, it's interesting how that started. We used to carry travel size shampoo and conditioner and body soap at the facility for those who needed to urgently come and did not have any toiletries or belongings with them. And then put our label on it and then we started people started asking questions like, "Oh, is this Bright Future Recoveries?" And we're like, "Oh, no. was just, you know, from Amazon. And I've been into skin care for years. I try all the things where you open up all my drawers and there's tons of different products.

Speaker 1: >> And I was like, huh, that would be really cool if we actually created something for our clients, something that was clean and organic and vegan and all the things. And so, I started looking into it and thinking like, okay, but what would we start with? Like, what would it be? Would it be a shampoo? would it be a conditioner? And I'm like, no. Because I love to put something on my skin. I love the feeling of instant satisfaction of >> skinincare products. And so I'm like, okay, well, if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right. You know, we did the whole slap the the logo on the label and produce it that way. But for the facility, but I'm like, okay, if I'm going to do this, I want to be able to formulate it. I want exactly what my skin loves. and the packaging and the name. I kind of just wanted to tie it all in together. Where do I like to shop? Where do I go for products?

Brand name and packaging

Speaker 1: What stores carry products that I trust? And so the the name Oair actually stands for the willow tree. And willow tree means new beginnings. And so it tied into everything already that I believe in and what I do. And originally the packaging was green for the willow tree and we had everything ready to go and I'm like I don't like it. I green's not my color. It's just not my thing.

Branding and mission

Speaker 1: >> And the girl that was working with me, I actually went to high school with her and she lives in Dubai and she had started a brand and so she's the one that helped me as a consultant early on. And I was like change it all. And she's like what? And I'm like it's just not it's just not me. I love black. I love white. I want it to be unisex. I want it to be on the shelves and it's not going to go out of style. All the details. And I'm like, okay, how can I tie this into the facilities? How can I tie this into my work? I can only help so many people in my reach through my facilities. I only have so many beds. How can we help more people? How can we get this message out that you are not alone? It's still one of those things in my dayto-day world. I talk about it all day every day naturally, but that's not the case for a lot of people still struggling or having a loved one struggling, whether it's a spouse or a child or a parent. [snorts] And I wanted to be able to enter a new space and authentically walk in and say, "This is what I've gone through, and it's okay to talk about it, and how can we help more people?" So that's how we came up with a percent of proceeds will be going towards people that need help and treatment, get the resources that they need and deserve. And it's been really beautiful to walk into a totally different industry in a totally different space and be authentic and share my story and how many people have come to me and naturally gravitate towards OAIR and the brand and and what it stands for because of their own journey and their own recovery, their own struggles or they've lost a sibling.

Speaker 1: And it has tied into exactly what I visioned it to be. And it's going to help a lot of people and people are going to take care of themselves along the way in the process. It's educating people to be able to take care of yourself. Self-care and rely on that when days get hard. We're all going to have bad days. How do you release that? What do you do when you get home >> from a difficult day? Whether it's take a take a bath, go for a walk, put on a mask, put your skinincare routine on. So, it all ties in together. And I love that I have been able to merge my two passions into one. It's been so awesome and such a great experience. >> And it's so great that you're giving back through your products. And the two do go together. And also, it's great that you trusted your instincts because many people would have thought, "Oh, I have my packaging ready to go. I'm not going to make the change." But you trusted your instinct to say, "No, I don't think this is going to be right."

Speaker 1: And I'm a twin mom and for a long time I mean my life completely changed when I had two babies at once >> and I neglected taking care of myself for a while for a few years when they were little and then I started to do skincare and I thought this is such a simple thing that is so meaningful why did I neglect it for for so long why didn't I just take those few extra minutes and I have to share so my son is 12 and he saw your product and I thought of this when you mentioned making them unisex. He saw your products on the counter and now he wants the the right haircut. He's starting to think more about appearance and everything and he said, "What are these products? Can I try them?" And I said, "Sure, you can try them." So, it's interesting when you said that, it made me think of him. >> Yeah. [snorts] >> My son's 12 as well. Is he one of your twins?

Speaker 1: >> Yeah, I have girl boy twins. >> Oh, I love that. How fun. Yeah. My son, he's 12 and he has it on his vanity, too. And he uses it in a towel. every day just cuz you have young skin and it's it's it's okay for their skin especially at that age but I tell them you don't need it you don't need it that's the thing we do as moms even just forget to take care of ourselves and skin care is one of those very simple things that make you feel so good >> whether it's in the morning or at night time to give yourself that little bit of grace to feel good and say [sighs and gasps] what a day or okay I'm going to start my day and especially Especially through recovery, it is emotionally, mentally, physically tolling on so many levels for a lengthy period of time. >> And what's been amazing of providing these products to our clients is here, this is skincare products. whether you're you've used them or you haven't used them or you've neglected using them for some time through the current struggles that you're going through.

Speaker 1: Being able to put it on at night time and feeling that instantly that they're taking care of themselves because through substance abuse is dehydration and puffiness and your skin is just not bright. It's not what it should be and it's a very obvious sign. And so getting yourself back on track and taking care of yourself is so so important. And you saw firsthand how the stress and trauma can affect skin. What do you wish most people knew about that?

Speaker 1: >> It's hard because when you're in it, you don't care. >> You really You really don't. Even if someone said like, "Hey, you shouldn't be sleeping in your makeup 5 days." And it's like, "Yeah, but I also shouldn't be abusing opiates either, you [laughter] know?" So, it's like at the time your priorities are just so wrong. What I can say for those who don't have to learn the hard way like I did of neglecting yourself on a whole other level is taking care of yourself is a preventative from things happening in your future. The word wellness and mental health coming from a world of mental illness for so long. And when the word mental health was associated with mental illness a decade ago, to see it in a different perspective and a light today through social media has been the biggest blessing I could watch because my understanding of it is I get it when somebody is truly truly broken needing professional help >> such as one of my facilities or other programs out there.

Wellness trends

Speaker 1: So today to see wellness, mental health left and right is such a new thing and people are taking care of themselves. Alcohol statistics are dropping.

Younger generations' self-care

Speaker 1: >> Yes, >> younger girls are going out and going to yoga or pilates. >> Sound sound baths too. Sound baths have become a thing. not going out and partying and, you know, drinking and >> sleeping till 2:00 in the afternoon and doing it all over again like I did. And I love to see it. So, if there's one thing that I will say is get the skin care for your kid for Christmas. Introduce them to it. Educate them on how it's important to take care of yourself. Because if they lean into that more, it's less likely that they are going to lean the opposite direction of coping in a negative way that's going to have bigger consequences.

Family skincare habits

Speaker 1: >> Yeah. [clears throat] So true. My daughter has skincare coming out of her room. She's done all the research of this is okay to use. I shouldn't use this every day. I shouldn't use this at all. She's done all of that. But I think she just likes to have it. And you're right, she is encouraging me to take even better care of myself because of social media and what she's watching every day. And it is really great. Mhm. Well, my mom didn't even use skincare until I started Osair. I mean, that was not part of her routine and she's like, I love it. And she's using it, you know, in her 50s, and it's great to see. And it's like, I feel these young girls should be energy and and starting that.

OIR's mission

Speaker 1: But that's what the whole point of OIR too was new beginnings. Whether you are new to skin care because of recovery or you're young or you are in your 50s and you've never used something, the products are light and they are clean and they aren't harsh, so you can really start using them at any time. It's not something you have to ease your way into.

Affordable luxury products

Speaker 1: >> What did you want to do differently from traditional luxury skincare brands and what ingredients were non-negotiable for you? I wanted to be able to provide luxury but affordable products. So, I am so blessed to say that I have had my closest girlfriend since we were in grade school. We've been friends for over 20 years and they are all super mamas. Most of them are stay-at-home moms or, you know, work from home. And so I wanted to tie all of that into these products of what is something that is luxurious and nice but affordable. So that was something that I was passionate about when creating the products and why I also leaned into Korean skin care for our first two products is it's great for sensitive skin such as myself and their formulas are so amazing that you are really getting that luxury effect at an affordable cost. And so when coming out with the first two products, we have four now which you were there for the launch dinner. >> Yeah. Which two products do we start with? Cleanser was on the table. Do we start with the cleanser? Do we start with the toner? What are you going to instantly feel a difference with? And the recovery camide cream and the vitamin C serum. Those two products, the next day you instantly feel a difference. And so that's really what I wanted to focus on. Vitamin C and having brighter skin. Coming from a world of dark circles and dark spots, my face is just like so out of whack. As far as >> I love I love anything with vitamin C. Your face looks so good pretty much immediately, >> right? Really brightens it up. And what I love about our vitamin C serum is it has squaline, so it's also extremely hydrating. So, it's one that really just seeps into your skin and you it's almost like using it as a moisturizer. I personally do in the morning, use that as my moisturizer serum. >> Moving from programs to products was a big shift. What are some of the hardest decisions that you've had to make as a founder? >> It has been challenging for me to balance two totally different industries that operate two totally different ways.

Balancing industries

Speaker 1: And what I mean by that is for pro the programs is not about social media. We're HIPPA compliant. We're not sharing the dayto-day of what happens behind the scenes. There's no BTS of treatment facility, but that's all it is about for skin care and as a founder of a beauty brand is oh BTS, you know, get behind the scenes and all the things. So it's one is completely don't show that and the other one is don't forget to show it. And I'm sitting here in between coming >> to be a challenge.

Daily wellness routine

Speaker 1: >> It's so it's so challenging. I will say I'm definitely getting much better at it today. But was that probably the most unauthentic uncomfortable situation for me at the beginning was [clears throat] getting in front of a camera and showing this and showing that and applying the products. It it was not comfortable for me. I've gotten much better at it, but that has been a challenge. It has been a challenge to come from a place of really no social media to all about social media and uh navigating that and feeling like I'm trying to juggle two different worlds. >> Yeah. Because when you're healing, you go in, >> right? And then with the social media, you have to be comfortable with coming coming out. So, I see how that would be that would be a challenge. >> What do you do every day to protect your wellness? >> I am a total morning person and I stick to that routine. Of course, things happen or you're on a trip or you're working later, but I'm I'm pretty good about staying within my routine um with my kids with their sports and dinner usually at a set time. sit together as a family. Talk about our day. Clean up the dishes with my husband. We do that together every single night. Reading at night has been part of our new routine.

Reading, fitness, and routines

Speaker 1: We absolutely love it. We love the Kindles. I never thought I would finish a whole book before and here I am just >> book after book. But really, it's going to the gym first thing in the morning. I wake up at 4:30 every morning. It's a non-negotiable for me. And I go to the gym and that's my my therapy and my social time. I tell the girls there because it really is a time that I just feel I can that my phone's not blowing up yet and I get a solid workout in with a great group of women that I love. And then I sit in the sauna for 30 minutes and I read. I come home. I'm completely at peace to be able to wake my kids up without rushing anybody, make breakfast and get them out the door to school and start my day. that in my nighttime routine. I I love it so much.

Speaker 1: >> Yeah, it's so amazing. And I do the same. I work out first thing in the morning. And I also do a five minute meditation. The sauna and reading a book in the sauna sounds amazing. But the five minute meditation and the the workout. If I don't do that, my day does not go >> as I want it to and I don't feel as good as I want to. And good for you for reading at night. It's really hard to make that shift away from from a 45minute show or something like that. So, good for you for for doing that.

Speaker 1: >> Yeah, thank you. And good for you for being able to get up in the morning, too. I I love to hear it. I would love to be the person that can go to the gym after a long crazy day, >> but it's just it won't happen. I've tried and I found that first thing in the morning starting my day, >> it avoids all excuses. Even years into working out, >> I will still if I don't do it, I'm like, I'll just go at like 9:00. I won't do it. >> Yeah, it's so easy to say, "Oh, I'm tired. I've been through the whole day. I don't have time." But starting it first thing in the morning, you make sure to get it in. And now I feel it. If I don't do it, I'm, you know, my day doesn't go as planned. So, >> totally. Yeah. >> Thank you so much for joining us today and telling us about your amazing products. Please share with us how and where we can find you. So, best way to find us is social media, Oserare Wellness, or you can follow me on my personal page, Sheree Ashley. And if you have any questions and if you are somebody that is personally struggling with substance abuse or mental health or you have a loved one and you don't know where to turn, please reach out to I'm here to help any way that I