Beauty, Spa Day, and Products, Oh My!
Who is Lyndsey Brantley?
Boy, we have come a loonnnggg way! I had an opportunity to work with Lyndsey back in the day at Wrapped in Wellness Spa, and she told me about her dreams and aspirations. Now, look at her! She is a successful business owner. When I first met her, she was and still is very sweet and cares about clients and their progress to reach their wellness goals. See why she was selected to be featured as a “Be Brilliant” interviewee. She dropped a few gems; collect them Glam Queens!
Stella: How did you come up with the name of your company?
Lyndsey: Initially, I had a different name, and when I tried to trademark it, it was too generic. So my lawyers told me to think about what is truly unique about my business. So I came up with Camellia Alise Spa & Academy. Camellia oil is a Japanese flower, and it’s the exclusive ingredient that’s in all of our products. Alise is my middle name. I always tell people that camellia oil is weaved into everything, and so am I. So, that’s where the name came from.
Stella: Beautiful! That is definitely unique. What made you decide that you wanted to start your own business?
Lyndsey: I have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and I was dealing with a lot of the ingrown hairs and hirsitism symptoms, and when I searched for an alcohol-free natural shaving product on the market I couldn’t find one. Especially a product that you could use on your bikini area as well as your face and all over. I couldn’t find one, so I decided to create one.
Stella: Wow, it’s good to know that you came up with something that you needed and couldn’t purchase. Ideas always come out of situations similar to the one that you had.
Lyndsey: Definitely.
Stella: What or who inspires you?
Lyndsey: A couple of people do. My mom inspires me first because I was raised by a single mom who had the drive to make a better life for herself and her children. She is one of the driving forces for me. On the professional level, there are two people in the skincare industry who inspire me—first, the owner of Carol’s Daughter, Lisa Price. I was able to be mentored by her very briefly when I first started.
Stella: Wow!
Lyndsey: Yeah, that was pretty cool. The second is Beatrice Dixon from Honey Pot. A lot of people know the name Honey Pot, but what they don’t know is that I was pitching to Wal-Mart the same time that she was. I met her, and the moment that I met her, she was just an open book. She is truly the epitome of a black woman who wants to see other black women succeed. When I look at the beauty industry, I want to be like those two ladies. I’m so inspired by them, and I was blessed to interact with them.
Stella: What services or products do you offer?
Lyndsey: We have six skincare products that are specifically for shaving, ingrown hairs, and razor bumps. I also have a daily skincare line of about 5 products that help eliminate cellulite and offer daily facial maintenance (face wash and toner). We have a brick and mortar spa where we do natural skincare services like body wraps. I also have a can academy where we train and certify aspiring spa owners to do natural skincare techniques. I am the only Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) certified school in the state of Texas for those skills.
Stella: That’s a big deal!
Lyndsey: Yes, it is. It’s really exciting. A lot of people are out here teaching people who are not certified. So, it’s interesting trying to stay above the fray.
Stella: Ultimately, what is your vision or goal for your business?
Lyndsey: I want to have a large school and spa retreat. I also want the skincare products to become so big that they are sold to a large conglomerate so that they can be available globally.
Stella: Yes, it would be nice to go to a big name store to purchase your products.
Lyndsey: Exactly, I am trying this year…well, everyone’s plans have been derailed this year, but my plan was to work on Whole Foods Market and Target. I’m still pushing forward, and we’ll see how it goes.
Stella: Oh, I’ll definitely keep praying for you. My last question is, what do you want the world to know about Lyndsey?
Lyndsey: I want the world to know that I am a wife, mother, and an entrepreneur, just like so many others out there. I want to empower or inspire people. That has always been my purpose.
Stella: Perfecto! Well, when the COVID-19 issue calms down, I would love to bring my girls to your spa and experience some of your services.
Lyndsey: For sure! We have a pilates studio, in the back, where we offer pilates classes and we have the detox and wellness services….so we have a lot of fun stuff that we do there. I’m ready to get back to it, but I want everyone to be safe.
Stella: Well, hopefully, this curve flattens soon, and we can go back outside! *laughs* Thank you so much for taking the time to be interviewed.
Lyndsey: My pleasure. Thank you!
You can follow Lydsey on IG: @camelliaacademy and you can find her contact information at https://linktr.ee/camelliaacademy