We had the good fortune of connecting with Mikala Williamson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mikala, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am from Raleigh,NC. However half of my family is from Louisiana. Living in North Carolina allowed me to fall in love with nature which is the core of my life and my business. My grandfather is a landscape artist and has also been into organic healing his entire life. From taking natural supplements and vitamins to mixing home remedies for colds. When I was born I was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia and had the opportunity to have a stem cell transplant, after my transplant I had all kinds of allergies and developed severe eczema from my scalp all the way to my toes. Nothing the doctors recommended ever helped so I quickly turned to my grandpa for help. He taught me that herbs can heal and you don’t have to eat them for them to heal you! We spend a lot of time in the fresh air, and I am thankful for my upbringing, if we were in a heavily populated state with lots of pollution, we wouldn’t have as much nature to appreciate.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Celeste Essentials was founded in 2017 by CEO, Mikala Williamson at just 20 years old. She has gone through a childhood of hospitalizations due to Sickle Cell Anemia. She was then chosen for a research study on stem cell transplants and was cured of Sickle Cell Anemia. After her transplant she began developing a lot of skin issues from eczema and psoriasis to severely dry, chapped skin from head to toe. Nothing was working from dermatologist, to medications, and even other organic brands. Mikala used this experience to build a better life for herself and others who may be experiencing the same things by creating healing skin care using rare ingredients that quickly worked. 5 years later she is a Registered Medical Assistant with an associate degree in applied sciences making her knowledgeable in the science behind handcrafting organic beauty and the overall health of the body and skin. Not only does she handcraft and sell products on her own website but she also is in local stores and Walmart marketplace. Mikala even teaches others how to handcraft their own skincare products, provides wholesale and private label products, and educates her customers on how to take care of the body and skin from the inside out.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love to learn new things and visit new restaurants. I believe that fun can also be relaxing. Fun doesn’t have to be going to clubs and bars or even being around a lot of people every weekend. If someone were visiting me in the Raleigh/Durham NC area I would definitely take them to Southpoint mall so we can go to Minerology and purchase crystals and sage. After we leave we would go get food at PF Changs right across the street. The next day we would go visit the Sarah P. Duke Gardens to take in the scenery of nature in all their different gardens. I would definitely go to the Duke Lemur Zoo or the Museum of Life and Science there’s so many cool things to see and learn. To finish off the weekend we would have to go to one of the many plant nursery’s around to buy a new plant friend and get breakfast at LaFarm Bakery. Relaxing weekend for the win!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I absolutely have to give a huge shoutout to my parents for allowing me to use their kitchen when I started my business to mix products together. My grandmother Anita for passing down her crafty genes and the will to achieve whatever I set my mind on. My grandfather for teaching me to appreciate nature for all it can provide and for always being a listening ear when I need someone to talk to. I want to also shout out my brothers for always supporting my dreams and brand and my godmothers and friends being my go to support system. I’m so grateful for my Celestial Tribe as well for supporting me through all the trial and errors of running a small business.

Website: Www.celesteessentials.com

Instagram: @celesteessentials

Twitter: @celesteessco

Facebook: Www.Facebook.com/celesteessentials

Youtube: www.YouTube.com/celesteessentials

Other: Walmart Marketplace https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dream-Sheen/275321241

Image Credits
Hanna Jurgensen

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