Mar 17, 2022

Next Door moms Making An Impact: Mandi Duong redefines beauty in Blyssen

Do you really believe you're beautiful?

Next Door Goddess was brought to life based on one belief: That there's a Goddess in every woman, and she deserves to come out, because every single one of us was born to Stay Unforgettable.

Beauty is a core value in life-being surrounded by it can change the soul and the world. But while feeling beautiful is one of the most empowering feelings and a birthright for all of us, it looks like the world around is out to get us.

Unattainable beauty standards make most women out there feel less than. However, the times are changing.

Today I'd love you to meet Mandi of Blyssen Beauty, a handmade clean skincare company that urges women to Redefine Beauty and awaken it from within with everyday self-care rituals that will help you feel beautiful inside and out, without breaking the bank. They were recently featured on NBC6 as a clean, sustainable beauty brand!

I'm a loyal customer of Mandi, as I find her products infused with clean care essentials and pure love for what she's doing. I grabbed the opportunity to ask this mama some questions about the magic she's bringing to this world, so that you can get to know her too:

-Mandi hi! So glad to have you here! Tell us a few things about your company, Blyssen, and how it came to be.

I started Blyssen to provide clean skincare options safe for pregnant and nursing mamas.
I, like many others, struggled to get pregnant so one of the things I did was focus on eliminating toxic chemicals from all my personal care and household products. Once I became pregnant, I was super fearful of possibly harming my growing baby. I stopped taking care of my skin altogether. Needless to say, this took a toll on me. I founded Blyssen so that you don’t have to pay that price.

With Blyssen products, you don't have to worry about what’s going into your body while taking care of your skin. Moreover, I empower moms to redefine beauty by loving every part of themselves, so they can glow both inside and out.

-Did you always know you wanted to be a founder?

I’ve always known I wanted to make an impact. Although I love my job in the construction industry, I felt something was missing. I studied aromatherapy a while back-but it took me a while to figure out how I wanted to share my love of natural ingredients with others.

I listen to this amazing motivational podcast on the way to work. One day, he was talking about doing what you love and just starting and if you wait for the perfect moment to start, it will never happen. It sparked something-he got me all fired up and ready to go. I connected to my deep love for what I do and how I could use my gift to help women so that they don't need to overcome what I had to. Less than a year and a half later, here I am owning a company and growing it as a side hustle while raising my daughter.

-Take us a bit behind the scenes-How do you decide on a future product? How do you pick the ingredients?

When it comes to future products, I love to get feedback from my community. I ask customers what they would like to see next. It takes some time to formulate and test a new product. When formulating, I select ingredients based on the desired outcome. I also take into consideration texture, color and aroma.I send out samples and get feedback and then go from there.

There are so many amazing natural ingredients available. As part of my sustainability mission, I keep my ingredient range small, so they stay fresh. I have about 15 ingredients that I work with, which I get from suppliers I trust. I also try not to use anything too rare or unique in case supplies run out.

-How do you choose the companies you work with as suppliers? How are you trying to be sustainable?

There are three main things I look for when purchasing ingredients: where, when and how the ingredient was harvested.

I research where the ingredient comes from and make sure it was harvested in a sustainable fashion. I require to know the month and year it was harvested, so I know how long it will last. Natural ingredients often have a short shelf-life, and I don’t add anything to my products to extend it, so I source and produce in small batches. This helps assure my products are top quality and I don't have waste. I also avoid conventionally grown ingredients. If toxic chemicals were used in the process, they can transfer into your body through your skin. I don’t want to pass that on to anyone. For that reason, I only use organic or wild crafted ingredients.

As for packaging, I look for sustainable options that are available in small quantities. I source as I need so that, again, I don't have waste. There are a few more eco-friendly changes I would like to make as my business grows, and I always keep an eye out for new eco-friendly packaging options.

In the same manner, my self-care cards are produced in small batches. I believe in sustainable growth-I produce to answer the demand that is in place so I don't hold a big inventory at hand.

-What is your bigger vision? Your 5-year dream?

I dream of having this be my full-time job so I can be an amazing role model for my daughter. I want to have the freedom to set my hours and be available to be there for her and attend all her special events as she grows up. And I also want her to be proud of her mama inspiring women to take care of themselves in a safe and meaningful way.

-Next to a founder, you’re a mom. Here at Next Door Goddess, we believe that every mom has the right to bring out her beauty and feel gorgeous. What are your thoughts on that? Do you get all sparkled up?

I believe that how I look on the outside, sets my mood on the inside and vice versa-it’s a circle. Dressing with intention can really add a brightness and a level of fun to my day. I feel confident and strong. I'm not overdoing it with clothes and make-up but love wearing bracelets, necklaces, or earrings of all different styles. I have a blast expressing myself and looking gorgeous without being too much.

-What’s your favorite Next Door Goddess piece and how does it make you feel when you have it on?

Crocheted Hearts on Green Earrings, Pink Boats on the Aegean and Golden Ball on Chain Necklace are my favorites, but I love all of my Next Door Goddess jewelry. I feel absolutely amazing when I wear these pieces. I feel beautiful and undeniably confident. I look forward to getting dressed up and looking beautiful. I often have to negotiate with my daughter to wear my Next Door Goddess goodies, because she loves them as much as I do!

If by now you're convinced of how amazing Mandi's products are, you can check them out on her website. I've tried them all (except for the baby booty balm) and I'm hooked-I can't wait for the next drop!

Pro tip: Don't miss out on the self-care cards. You can read my review and see why I believe this is one of the best decks out there if you're a free-spirited mind like me and you need some room to dive into mindfullness on your own terms.

You can find Mandi on Instagram and Facebook -follow her for self-care and beauty tips that will help you lift up your spirit and your confidence!

And if you're like me and you love to see the smile of the woman you're buying from, I've got you covered! Hop on to Instagram and check this IGTV out, where Mandi and I are discussing beauty and more!

And if you want to take a look at why Mandi's daughter is so in love with our jewelry, you can check them out on the link below:

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