Meet Melissa Van Putten

We were lucky to catch up with Melissa Van Putten recently and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I’ve always loved that quote from Mary Oliver that goes “Someone I once loved gave me a box of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too was a gift.” I’ve found that some of the hardest things that have happened to me, or the parts of my life that I’d consider the “worst” or the kinds of things I’d really rather never have gone through, yield great gifts of perspective, broadened understanding and even force us to find solutions we never would have had to find had the path been different. Those things come at such a cost to us, but they make us who we are and give us a point of view and a perspective and a purpose that is deep and genuine.

This is not on the scale of major life trauma, but basically what made me create RE/FRESH was growing up in the 70s when the only lotions my parents were bringing home for us to use where very watery, highly scented and artificially colored. I’d try to heal my scaling legs or my flaking skin with it and it did nothing but sting and smell weird. As time went on, skin science got better, products improved, consumer knowledge grew, and customer access increased. All that helped me have the materials and the knowledge I needed to create the blend of lactic acid, urea, raw honey, raspberry seed oil, coconut-based emollients and glycerin. I love it, it solved the issues I was having with my skin. But what has been most gratifying is seeing it help people with the same issues find relief.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I made some videos that tell the story of why I made RE/FRESH. You can find them on my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@ReFreshSkin https://www.instagram.com/refreshskincream/, my Instagram or my TikTok.

But as for me personally, I’m a mom to 5 wonderful humans, and a grandmother to 5 beautiful babies. I grew up in the Salt Lake city area but have lived in Nevada, Connecticut and Massachusetts. I’ve been a Pilates instructor, been an aide for special education students, gotten a graduate degree in educational psychology, worked as a school counselor in Utah for 7 years and am now starting a new chapter in the Bay Area. I am so excited to keep making RE/FRESH and growing the number of people I can reach. I have most recently been making a mixture that contains frankincense essential oil and cold-pressed carrot seed oil and it is amazing for soothing and healing. It is super soothing to smell while applying too. The benefits of frankincense essential oil and carrot seed oil are really similar. Both have antioxidants plus soothing, healing and oil-regulation affects. It’s the perfect season to focus on repairing the sun exposure most of us get more of in the summer time.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I think life is best as a curious person. I once heard someone say that the opposite of depression isn’t happiness but curiousity and I think it’s true. A person who asks questions and wants to know what’s out there is a person who is learning and growing. My skin certainly made me search and try things and research ingredients and formulations.

I also think you need to be persistent. You aren’t going to find immediate solutions in most situations that are challenging, or they wouldn’t be challenging. So continuing to try and learn and research some more takes persistence.

I’d also say you need to be open minded and flexible in your thinking. Things change, technology and science make advances, and keeping yourself aware of new ideas and new developments in your field will help you find the best solutions.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

They biggest challenge I face is getting my lotion to people who would love it and who need it. I’m really just starting with my YouTube videos and my Instagram videos. I recently started a TikTok channel. I’m GenX so this is weird for me to talk to a camera in a room and make a video. At the same time, I recognize how incredible it is that we live in a time when anyone can create and advertise and have a platform to send information out. I really struggle to feel normal and comfortable making videos telling about RE/FRESH. And editing videos is a real growth edge for me lol. I just keep doing it, keep practicing, keep being uncomfortable until it’s normal for me.

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