Earthganics

Erin Christen launched Earthganics in 2016 after suffering a slew of health issues. From infertility to endocrine disease, she set out on a mission to change the products that she was not only putting on her body, but what her potential customers were putting on their bodies as well. 

“Once I started to really understand that ingredients can play a huge role in affecting our systems and functions, I began to take a look at the products I was using multiple times a day, every day,” she explains. “I would read the ingredient list and become frustrated when I didn’t know 95% of what was listed and could hardly pronounce them.”

That’s when, she says, she knew she needed to make a change for herself, her family, and others. 

Earthganics is a business that offers health products at an affordable price with minimal ingredients – that you can actually pronounce. She started off with deodorants and the rest is history. 

However, before she could launch an affordable body care business, she needed to learn how to create these products.

Then she thought back to her childhood, and how her mother used to make lip balms and sunscreen for the family. 

“I thought: a deodorant has the same consistency as a lip balm,” she explains. “I started picking her brain on the processes. I really started studying DIY videos, reading healthy product blogs, researching ingredients. I really started to understand the specific ingredients and how they work with body chemistry. Trust me, it was not a recipe test that worked out the first time. It took multiple attempts with a lot of mistakes.”

In the time since she launched Earthganics, Christen says that she’s grown in a variety of ways. She’s learned lessons in letting go when it comes to products that didn’t sell or locations that carried her line that didn’t work out. But when she thinks back on the very beginning, she says that she remembers selling products without a label and the smaller events she attended.

She’s also grown in the expansiveness of her business. Before COVID-19 arrived, Christen was planning a second phase of Earthganics called “Love Mother Earth” on Kickstarter. 

“Phase one, I like to refer to as ‘Love Yourself,’” she explains. “This is where we have been choosing the healthier products for ourselves and our families. Phase two is evaluating the single-use containers we are using and do better for our environment.” 

Earthganics is currently looking at ways to have refill options, glass options, and how supporting retailers can participate.

“With COVID-19 and not knowing what the next couple months will bring, we are putting this on hold until 2021,” she explains. “It’s important that we allow people to get back on their feet and be ready to support the community and what we are trying to bring to it. This will be a campaign that everyone can participate in. We will be offering product packages for certain set amounts but we are always accepting of the most minimal financial support as well. I will have a launch party to start of the campaign and this will be a fun event where I can truly thank you for your support in person and offer a wonderful experience to go along with it. Stay tuned and stay in touch by signing up for our mailing list on Earthganics.com!”

With all that Christen and Earthganics has been through in recent weeks, she says that she’s learned to roll with the punches. “Nothing ever turns out as expected and it’s easier on yourself if you can calmly come up with solutions,” she says.

Earthganics has its biggest presence on Facebook, but you can also check out www.earthganics.com to purchase products and sign up for the mailing list. Earthganics is also on Instagram and Twitter.