by Howard Campbell
[BRONX, NY] – Like dried coconuts and pimento, Jamaicans have used castor oil for different purposes for ages. A Jamaican family in The Bronx have made its versatility the core of their cosmetic line.
Belle’s Essential is their company’s name, founded three years ago to celebrate the birth of Isabelle, daughter of Evon and Kerene Edie-Ellis.
Before Isabelle was born, they decided to start a venture that would not only recognize her as a first-generation African-American, but acknowledge their Jamaican heritage.
Their products include body butters, as well as a raft of eczema/psoriasis and hair items. Their primary market are people of color.
Key Target Audience
“Our target market are people of color who aim to live healthier lifestyles not only through eating healthy but using vegan and chemical-free products. We want to reach beauticians, community markets, stores and most importantly black families; men women and children who practice healthy lifestyles and take pride in self-care,” Kerene Edie-Ellis explained.
She and her husband chose castor oil because they grew up in Jamaica seeing relatives and friends using juice from the spiky berry to relax hair and soothe dry skin, among other things.
Both teachers, they had no experience in cosmetic manufacturing. Twenty-nine year-old Edie-Ellis attended how-to seminars in preparation for Belle’s Essential which is largely funded by them.
She produces the face and body scrubs, hair and body butters, eczema butter, hair growth oil, dandruff oil and satin hair bonnets from home. The other items are done in Jamaica where the castor oil is sourced.
“Belle’s Essential stands out because all our raw ingredients come from ‘back a yaad’ where we can trust our local farmers to produce organically-grown ingredients and our shea butter is directly from Sierra Leone from local farmers,” said Edie-Ellis. “That’s what’s most important because we support our local entrepreneurs, the same people that support us. All our products contain Jamaican black castor oil. Our manufacturers back home produce our herbal soaps (in St. Elizabeth parish), castor oil (Manchester parish) and powdered ingredients (St. Elizabeth).”
The turmeric oats soap, eczema butter, Lemon Eucalyptus Castor Oil and hair and body butters are Belle’s Essential’s best sellers. New York is the company’s biggest market with interest coming from Jamaica, Canada and Italy.
Family Legacy
Edie-Ellis is from St. Mary parish in eastern Jamaica; her husband is from neighboring St. Ann parish. They have lived in the United States for 15 years.
While her mother wore processed hair, she insisted her five daughters kept their tresses natural. Initially, Edie-Ellis was ashamed of that look but as she got older, developed an appreciation for a stye that has become globally popular.
That sense of pride is something she and her husband would like to pass on to their daughter.
“We wanted her to learn to love herself first and give her the resources to care for her body using Jamaican herbs and natural products. We decided whatever decision she makes with her body is an option, not a defined choice,” said Edie-Ellis.
