Brand
Brand
What It’s Really Like to Build a Skincare Brand in a Tiny Space
Building a skincare brand in a tiny, very visible production space comes with quirks, challenges, and a surprising amount of freedom. Here’s why we still choose to make everything in-house—and why it serves our customers better than anything else.
Why We Use Glass (and What It Says About Our Values)
When most people think about skincare, they picture silky serums, velvety creams, or the fresh scent of botanicals. Packaging? It’s usually an afterthought. But here’s the truth: what holds your skincare matters almost as much as what’s inside it.
That’s why we’ve made the conscious choice to use glass—not plastic—for our products. On the surface, it may seem like a small detail. In reality, it’s a decision woven into the core of our values: protecting your health, protecting the planet, and protecting the integrity of every formula we create.
Glass Protects What’s Inside
Plant-based skincare ingredients are naturally potent, but they’re also sensitive. Cold-pressed oils, botanical extracts, and vitamins like C and E can break down faster when exposed to light, air, or reactive packaging.
Unlike some plastics, glass is non-porous and chemically stable. That means it doesn’t leach microplastics or endocrine-disrupting chemicals into your serum or moisturizer. It’s an inert container, which simply means what goes in stays exactly as it was meant to be—pure, safe, and effective.
We also use amber glass—that beautiful brown tone isn’t just for looks. Amber glass naturally filters UV light, shielding delicate antioxidants and botanicals from damage. This extends the shelf life of your products and ensures that the formulas you trust stay active and effective until the very last drop.
Glass Protects What’s Outside, Too
Now let’s talk about the bigger picture. Every year, about 300 million tons of plastic are produced globally, and at least 14 million tons of it end up in the ocean. Once there, it doesn’t disappear—it breaks down into microplastics, tiny fragments that are now found in sea salt, drinking water, and even human bloodstreams.
That reality makes every packaging choice count. Glass is different. It’s:
Infinitely recyclable: Unlike plastic, which can only be recycled a limited number of times, glass can be melted down and reshaped endlessly without losing quality.
Reusable: Glass jars and bottles are sturdy enough to be cleaned and repurposed—whether that’s as a travel container, a bud vase, or a spice jar.
Lower impact over time: While glass takes more energy to produce initially, its durability and recyclability make it more sustainable in the long run.
By choosing glass, we’re reducing the demand for single-use plastics, cutting down on long-term waste, and aligning our packaging with the same natural integrity as our ingredients. Now, clearly some parts of the container must be plastic--like the lids and pumps, but still--choosing a glass vessel significantly reduces the amount of plastic being used with our products.
The Problem with Plastic in Skincare
Plastic packaging doesn’t just affect the planet—it can affect the very products it holds. Certain plastics may leach chemicals like phthalates or BPA, especially when exposed to heat or sunlight. Even BPA-free plastics often contain similar substitutes that can act as endocrine disruptors.
And while regulators debate the long-term risks, we’d rather take the safer route: no plastic, no leaching, no “maybes.” Glass takes the guesswork out of safety.
A Reflection of Our Values
The truth is, packaging is never neutral. Every jar, pump, or bottle is a choice—and that choice tells a story.
For us, glass packaging says loud and clear:
We believe in safety: your skin deserves formulas untouched by plastic residue or chemical leaching.
We believe in sustainability: our planet is worth protecting, and reducing plastic is part of that commitment.
We believe in transparency: in our values and, often, in our bottles. Clear or amber glass lets you see the product you’re getting, while also ensuring what’s inside is shielded and preserved.
How You Can Join Us
We know one company choosing glass won’t solve the plastic crisis. But change multiplies when people take small, collective steps. Here are a few ways you can make the most of your glass-packaged skincare:
Recycle consistently: Rinse out empty jars and bottles and place them in your local glass recycling bin. Unlike plastic, glass doesn’t lose quality after multiple cycles.
Repurpose creatively: Small jars make great travel containers for lotion or jewelry. Amber bottles can be rinsed and reused as mini bud vases or DIY essential oil sprays.
Support companies with sustainable packaging: The more consumers choose brands that prioritize glass and eco-conscious materials, the louder the message becomes to the industry.
More Than a Bottle
At the end of the day, a jar of cream or a bottle of serum is more than just packaging. It’s a reflection of what we believe in: that skincare should be safe, effective, and respectful—to your body and to the planet.
So when you pick up one of our amber glass bottles, know this: you’re not just holding a container. You’re holding a promise.
Because glass isn’t just packaging. It’s our values, made visible.
xoxoJewels
What It’s Like to Be a Skincare Brand That Actually Talks to Its Customers
From the beginning, Simple Body has been more than jars and labels—it’s been conversations. Real, human conversations that start with a question, a worry, or a story. Our products aren’t dreamed up in some faraway lab; they’re shaped by the people who walk into our shop, send us an email, or lean in across a table and say, “Do you have anything for…?”
Listening Is Where It All Begins
Take my friend Jen, for example. She was determined to cloth diaper her baby but worried about using commercial diaper creams. One day she asked me if I had anything for diaper rash. At the time, I didn’t. But her question sent me down a rabbit hole—researching what really causes diaper rash, how to prevent it, and which ingredients treat the root cause instead of just masking it. In that search, I stumbled across a Native American recipe for a “wound healing salve.” It inspired what eventually became Skin Rescue—a product that now helps countless families just like hers.
And then there was the young waitress who worked at a nearby restaurant. She’d stop by after long shifts, sharing how the busy, greasy kitchen air was wreaking havoc on her skin. She was breaking out, and nothing she tried was helping. What she wanted was simple: a way to refresh her face during the day, to wash away the build-up without stripping her skin raw. That conversation became the seed for Clean Sweep. Today, she proudly tells people she’s acne-free, and she credits it to that little spray bottle born out of her story.
These Stories Are Our North Star
Moments like these remind me why we do what we do. It’s not just about formulating with beautiful plant-based ingredients—it’s about responding to real needs. The best products in our line didn’t come from a business plan; they came from listening.
Every time you share with us—whether it’s how your skin changes in the Colorado winter or that your teenager needs something gentle but effective—we’re reminded that this is a living, breathing conversation. And those conversations guide us far better than any trend forecast ever could.
Why It Matters
At Simple Body, skincare has never been a one-way street. It’s a relationship built on trust, curiosity, and care. You bring us your stories, and we do the work of turning those stories into solutions. When you pick up a jar or a bottle from us, you’re holding more than a product—you’re holding a collaboration between us and our community.
And that, to me, is the heart of being a skincare brand that actually talks to its customers. It’s listening deeply, creating thoughtfully, and always remembering that the best ideas are the ones we build together.
xoxoJewels
How Storytelling Builds Stronger Skincare Brands
Skincare isn’t just about what we put on our faces. It’s about who we trust. And that trust? It usually begins with a story.
Think about the last time you discovered a brand you truly loved. Odds are, it wasn’t a list of ingredients or a fancy label that won you over (though those help!). It was the feeling. Maybe it was the founder's journey with sensitive skin. Or a commitment to natural, non-toxic ingredients. Or how the products made you feel seen—like they were made just for you. That’s the power of storytelling in skincare.
What Is Brand Storytelling (Really)?
Brand storytelling is the heart and soul of a company. It’s not just a mission statement or a list of core values—it’s the real, lived experience that brought the brand into existence and continues to shape every product, every customer interaction, and every choice. For clean skincare brands like ours, that story often starts with a problem: sensitive skin, breakouts, ingredient overload, or a lack of trust in mainstream beauty.
And it usually ends (or begins again) with something more personal: healing, confidence, simplicity, and the joy of reconnecting with your skin.
Why Storytelling Matters More Than Ever
We’re all bombarded with options. Walk into any store or scroll your feed and you’re met with hundreds of brands promising "radiance" and "anti-aging miracles." But customers are smarter now. They’re reading labels, researching ingredients, and asking tougher questions. And what they crave more than perfection is honesty. That’s where your story comes in.
Stories make us relatable. They humanize our business. They give context to our formulas and meaning to every drop of oil or botanical we use. When we share why we do what we do—not just what we sell—we create emotional bonds that last longer than any marketing trend.
A Great Skincare Story Can...
Build trust. Sharing your origin story shows your customers there’s a human behind the brand who cares.
Create connection. People don’t just want a face cream; they want to feel understood.
Differentiate your products. When your story is unique, your products naturally stand out.
Inspire loyalty. Customers who align with your mission stick around, and they tell their friends.
The Simple Body Story
If you’ve been with us for a while, you probably know that Simple Body was born from personal experience. Our founder, Jewels, was fed up with ingredient overload and tired of guessing what her skincare was actually doing. She went to school, studied natural formulation, and built a brand rooted in clarity, care, and connection. No fluff. No filler. Just real ingredients, real results, and a lot of heart.
We keep our story at the center of everything—from how we formulate to how we show up for our community. It’s not a gimmick. It’s a promise.
How to Spot (and Share) an Authentic Brand Story
Whether you’re shopping for products or building your own brand, here are a few things to look for:
Consistency. Does the story align with the packaging, website, and social media?
Transparency. Are ingredients, sourcing, and process explained honestly?
Emotion. Do you feel something when you engage with the brand?
Humanness. Can you tell there are real people behind it?
Final Thought
In a world of curated feeds and polished promises, a real story cuts through the noise. It invites people in. It says, "Hey, we see you. We’re just like you. And we made this for you."
So whether you're a skincare lover or a fellow maker, remember: the most powerful ingredient in your brand might just be your story.