About Us
Get to Know the Founder
Welcome to the world of Botanical Essence Natural Skincare, where science meets nature in the capable hands of Essence Turner, founder and visionary. Essence, a proud native of Detroit, MI, brings her passion for both science and the environment to every product.
Growing up in the mid 90s-early 2000s, I was raised an outside kid. Whether it was riding my Barbie Jeep or making salads with wild berries, wild green onions and leaves, or making mud pies, I would be covered in dust, hair a mess but excited to do it all again. Being an outside kid, frolicking and climbing trees without a care in the world is what peaked my interest of nature. As I got older, my interests grew, including my curiosity for science and medicine.
Since I can remember, I always wanted to be in the business of healing. My inspiration was my grandmother, who is a nurse. I would meet her walking from the bus stop everyday after work. In her pockets she would have alcohol swabs, bandages, medical tape, all which she'd let me have to play doctor with my younger siblings. She was my driving force for the reason I wanted to become a doctor. Through my academic matriculation, whenever I was asked "what do you want to be when I grow up, the answered remained the same. I maintained exceptional grades and even completed advanced courses in high school at Cass Technical High School, receiving a diploma in Chemical Biology. I volunteered numerous times at Henry Ford Hospital in different departments, including Gynecology, Gastroenterology and Cardiology. After graduation, I attended THEE Central State University, majoring in Biology. During this time, my goals in life started to change.
Starting in 2011, I began working as a work study student in the greenhouse. After classes, I would tend to the various plants, both floral and edible. I even found myself working on the weekends instead of lying in bed enjoying my days off. When I was in the greenhouse, it brought peace, comfort, and nostalgia, remembering the scent of "outside" that parents and grandparents usually say kids smell like. Away from home, I found a part of me that was put away for a long time. I went on to complete internships at Aullwood Audubon Nature Center & Farm in 2012 and 2014, and working in the greenhouse until my graduation 2016. It wasn't until 2015 that my hobby of creating natural skincare came to be.
After giving birth to my oldest daughter in 2015, I suffered from postpartum acne. During this time, I was struggling with being a new mom, finishing school, and creating a school/mom/life balance, whatever that means. Not that the acne was such a big deal, but at that time, I felt like I was at my worst. My self-confidence shifted and I was finding myself on the verge of depression. I was purchasing some of the top skincare items, just for my acne to remain the same or worsen. From that moment, I knew it was time to take matters into my own hands. Utilizing my resources at the time, I began researching natural remedies for acne. Thus initiated my journey with Botanical Essence Natural Skincare.
As I was started my journey creating skincare products for myself and my family, I enrolled at Wayne State University for graduate school for my Masters of Science in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. I worked in a lab under Dr. Robert Akins, studying Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) and one of its causative agents, Gardnerella Vaginalis. I completed research and published a peer-reviewed article. While completing my masters, I was offered a job to work as a dialysis technician. I was excited because I was accomplishing my dreams of working in medicine.
In the summer of June 2019, I started my training for the dialysis tech job and put my skincare hobby to the side. The training was new and exciting. I was so proud of myself. By the end of July 2019, I was working with actual patients, administering their treatments. However, that excitement and pride started to die away. While I thought I was going on to enter my dream career, I felt out of place. What I once was so sure about, I soon realized was not my dream at all. I didn't feel like the work I was doing was beneficial, but the opposite as I seen many of the patients feel physically sick after their treatment or worse. After working 12+ hour shifts, I would go home and feel less than, overwhelmed and tired. After 9 short months as a dialysis tech, I made the decision to stop pursuing medicine and work full time on my business.
Of course my family was disappointed that I no longer wanted to work in the medical field, but I made my decision. As a then 27 year old woman, I was ready to make choices for myself. Too often, we read about people who are unhappy in their work and lives, living for the pleasure of others. I knew if I didn't want to live like that, the time to start living for me needed to be ASAP! I decided to trust God, the steps he took me through to get to that point, and the idea he blessed me with and launched my business on May 20,2020. 
It then dawned on me that my purpose was not to create products for myself, but to share them with the world and those who are looking for healthier skincare options.
Since launching my business, I have participated in a number of local and national pop-up events, including The Shop @ TechTown, the Black History Small Business Pop-Up Event at Nordstroms Rack in D.C., and many more local events in Detroit, MI. I have completed a host of different small business programs, working to obtain more knowledge and skills to continue providing consumers with quality service and care.
Our Mission
Botanical Essence Natural Skincare is a black woman owned skincare brand dedicated to creating natural skincare products. From soap to lip balms and things in between, each product is created free from harsh chemicals such as sulfates, phthalates, parabens, artificial dyes and synthetic fragrances. Built on the foundation of plant-based ingredients and remedies, Botanical Essence Natural Skincare looks to celebrate the earth and its gifts, as well as our skin. Our goal is to provide consumers with peace of mind, healthier, eco-friendly skincare options, and a satisfying skincare experience. Our products are created to address a wide range of skin ailments, including acne, eczema, and dry skin. At Botanical Essence, we believe skin care and self care should be accessible to all, which is why we offer affordable products that are easy to incorporate in your skin care routines and effective, without trading off quality. So remember when you choose Botanical Essence Natural Skincare, you're choosing care that's rooted in nature, working to improve the mind and body, starting with the soap!