How Little Buddha Got Started...
I spent years battling breakouts, oily skin, and a puffy, inflamed face. I tried everything—from drugstore to high-end—but most products only made things worse. I was constantly covering up and feeling frustrated with my skin.
In my 30s, after 14 years in a high-stress finance job, everything crashed. I was burned out, living on coffee, barely sleeping—and then came a serious health scare that shook me. I was exhausted, gaining weight, and bouncing from doctor to doctor, only to be told that “everything looks normal.”
They offered me antidepressants and sleeping pills—each with a laundry list of side effects—but never once asked what I was eating, how I was living, or how I was actually feeling. That’s when I knew I had to find another way.
I started going down the rabbit hole—looking into how food affects our hormones, what we put on our skin, and how we manage stress. And that’s when it hit me: it’s all connected. Our skin, our sleep, our mood—they’re not separate. They’re signals.
That’s when I decided to take things into my own hands. I started digging into how food, stress, and skincare were all connected, and quickly realized that many of the products I was using were full of harsh ingredients that were only making my skin and sleep worse. And not only that but affecting my hormones, my mood & my health.
I took a soap and candle candle-making class and began creating my own skincare using clean ingredients and infusing them with magnesium. For the first time, my breakouts calmed down, my sleep improved, and I felt less anxious. Taking care of my skin became a way to support my nervous system—and I was finally able to start sleeping again.
Then my mom was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Watching her turn to natural healing deepened my commitment even more. I saw firsthand how much what we put on our skin affects the whole body—and how stress, skin, and sleep are all deeply connected.
As I began sharing my handmade products, the feedback was clear: people weren’t just seeing results—they were feeling better. Less tension. Deeper sleep. Clearer skin. They felt more grounded, rested, and at ease in their bodies.
At Little Buddha, everything we make is rooted in that purpose: clean skincare that calms your skin, supports your nervous system, and helps you sleep—so you can feel like you again.