We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Aaliyah Fajut. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Aaliyah below.
Hi Aaliyah, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I come from an immigrant family. My family and I moved from the Philippines to the United States back in 2007. My dad was just in his early 30s when he worked his way up in his job and was eventually transferred to work in Thailand for two years. He told my sisters and I that it was probably the most difficult thing he had to do — leave his family. He worked tirelessly during those two years, so he could afford to feed and house his family. After those two, long years, he was promoted and was asked to transfer to the states. This time, he was able to bring us with him.
Not everyone is given the privilege that my family and I had back then. My dad worked hard for us and he created his own luck. I have always felt grateful and fortunate to be where I am now. My work ethic comes from the years of hard work my parents did to get us here. They never fail to inspire, motivate, and push me towards my goals and dreams.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Skindalous is an ongoing passion project that I created in 2019. It started with a hobby of making soaps and sharing them with family and friends. Everyone loved them so much that I eventually began selling them. I tried out different scents, shapes, and formulas. I had so much fun making them for everybody, especially during the holidays.
Then, the pandemic happened. I was also finishing up my senior year in college during this time. I decided to take a break from selling soaps and rebranded. The goal was to expand into skincare and cosmetic products.
Skindalous’s rebrand launched in September 2022. The first product I launched was a facial cleanser. It’s currently a customer favorite! Since then, I have launched two other skincare products and one body care product.
Skindalous products are specially curated to serve everyone’s skin care needs. All products are created from clean and thoughtful formulas using consciously-sourced ingredients. We are cruelty-free and 100% vegan-friendly.
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?
Pursuing your passion is a start! I believe that this is the basic foundation. I have always been passionate about skincare and makeup, so this business doesn’t feel like “work”. Motivation is also very important, but sometimes, this can run out. When it does (and it will), I shift my mindset and I remind myself that this is part of my desired identity. The identity I wish to embody is someone who continues to show up for herself and is committed to their business 100%. This simple reminder is what pushes me to take actions. Lastly, patience is vital. It is a hard trait to practice if you aren’t already a patient person. Not everything you have planned for will go according to plan, so you have to find the patience to shift or adapt.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed or anxious about anything, I will take a step back and meditate. During this time, I will just focus on my breathing and try to clear my mind. I will do this for about 20-30 minutes. Sometimes after, I will take a power nap to re-energize me. I will then face the situation again and do a task one at a time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://skindalous.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skindalousco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopskindalous
- Twitter: twitter.com/skindalousco
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@skindalousco
Image Credit:
Grace – graces.galleries@gmail.com.
