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Astrida Naturals

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2008 – 2020

For over a decade, I created and ran Astrida Naturals—a handcrafted skincare and body care line rooted in natural ingredients, intentional formulation, and the belief that what you put on your body matters as much as what you put in it. This is a look back at that chapter.

The Story

How It Started

Astrida Naturals began out of curiosity— could I make my own skincare products with ingredients I trusted to work for my skin? What started as small-batch experiments in my kitchen grew into a full product line that I sold online, at local markets, indie shops, bookstores, beauty boutiques, and Whole Foods.

The Philosophy

Every product was formulated with natural, plant-based ingredients, minimal processing, no unnecessary unnecessary fillers and most featured pure, unrefined shea butter imported from Ghana. The goal was never to compete with big brands, but to offer something genuinely niche, authentic, and artisanal.

Winding Down

After 12 years, I made the decision to close the business. It was spring of 2020 and the world faced the uncertainty of a global pandemic. Life evolved, priorities shifted, and I felt Astrida Naturals had run its course. It was time to move on.

See remnants of what I built on Etsy

What I Carried Forward

Product Thinking
Running a product business from scratch—sourcing, formulating, branding, fulfillment—taught me to think end-to-end. That instinct shows up now in how I approach software: always considering the full experience, not just the code.
Brand && Identity
I designed the brand, packaging, and visual identity for Astrida from day one. I handled email lists, shipping integrations, marketing funnels... with my coding skills I built and managed my custom ecommerce platform implementations along the way. Building something from scratch that felt cohesive and authentic is one of the most rewarding experiences I've had in my career. It deepened my understanding of design as communication—a skill that carries directly into fullstack engineering work today.
Customer Empathy
Selling directly to people—hearing their feedback, learning what they loved, adjusting based on real reactions—gave me a deep respect for the end user. That empathy is foundational to everything I build now.