We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tina Benbow a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Tina, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
Optimism.. what a beautiful word!
Honestly , my optimism has come from hard times and genuinely good people.
Facing and overcoming obstacles and barriers has helped me to become a better person, in general. It’s taught me to be strong.. to persevere and to keep going.
When you’ve had traumatic experiences they force you to acknowledge better days are ahead. And that’s what helps you grow and heal. So when it rains I smile.
Seeing and being in touch with people who have good hearts and intentions.. always restores my faith in the human race. It helps me to see that this thing called life is not as bad as we like to think it is at times. Things do eventually get better.. you just have to believe that and walk with optimism… EVERYDAY.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I carefully and consciously handcraft vegan, organic skincare products with an emphasis on the lips.
Our skin is our largest organ and it protects us in ways we can’t even fathom.. so it’s important we protect it and take care of in return. We deal with so much pollution and free radicals on a daily basis, it’s ridiculous. It’s necessary that we do everything we can to keep our skin in good shape and order.
My Mother used to suffer from Psoriasis severly. She had it on 80% of her body and many Dermatologists that seen her said it was the worst case they had ever seen. I’d watch her cry and yelp in pain from the thick, scaly plaques build up on her skin. Not only was it profusely painful, it was extremely itchy and it would burn. She would scrape the plaque off and apply Vaseline to help soothe her skin but it didn’t help a lot. It was hell watching my Mother go through that. Not only was the pain physical, it was a relentless mental pain. People who pull back and away from her when they seen her skin, fearing it was contagious. They look at her and scoff and say mean things. Ask her hurtful questions? “Were you burned?.” It was an innocent question.. but it hurt all the way around. I knew then that I would help someone who suffered from skin ailments when I got old enough to do so.
I’ve placed an emphasis on the lips because we use our lips to show love, affection, adoration and pride. I wanted to be someone who made it so you’d have nice lips to pucker up and plant on your loved ones.. hence the name.. The Kiss Factory.
I use high quality ingredients that provide proven results. I strongly believe in vegan, organic and all natural ingredients because we already face enough toxicity from our environment and diets. These kind of ingredients become a powerhouse when put together. These ingredients soothe, nourish, hydrate and protect our skin. They help the skin to look youthful and radiant.. and who doesn’t want or need that?
I create products for the lips and body. Products such as: Gloss, lipstick, balms, elixirs, scrubs, beard and massage oils. I take pride in creating them all but my absolute favorite product to craft are my Novelty lip gloss. Every year I create seasonal and holiday lip gloss with cute characters inside the bottle. You get 2 treats in 1. You get an amazing product that has tried and true benefits and then you have a piece of art that’s aesthetically pleasing to look at. It triples as a conversation piece.
I am currently in the process of creating other glosses for Halloween but I have some amazing colors I’ve already introduced and they all include pumpkin in them in some type of way.
Im excited to create my spooky gloss. Look for that new launch coming soon!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The most impactful part of my business journey has been gaining knowledge and understanding of what ingredients to use and not to use. What ingredients help restore the health and appearance of the skin. Research, trial and error is VERY important and valuable. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH!
The most impactful skill or qualities are being able to recognize your clients problem and understand how you’re going to solve it. To be able to connect, communicate and build a good rapport with your clients. Kind, patient, friendly and respectful attention is key. Be personable, be relatable and thorough.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was teaching me the necessary skills to be successful in life as whatever I wanted to be. They taught me to be strong, resilient and confident. To be the best at whatever I did and to NEVER give up. It’s because of them that I have a spirit of unrelenting determination and faith.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://thekissfactory.bigcartel.com/
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thekissfactoryllc
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thekissfactoryllc
- Other: TikTok @thekissfactoryllc
Image Credits
Ifreeman Photography & Videography The Kiss Factory LLC
