Emotional Wellness Month is a reminder to slow down while creating intentional plans to practice self-care and strengthen relationships. Not everyone can book a dream vacation to reduce stress, but even taking some time to improve social skills, soaking in the bathtub without interruptions, or catching up on counseling appointments, can be steps in the right direction to improve emotions. When emotional balance is lacking, it can impact a person’s overall well-being.
“To properly practice self-care, you must focus on all three areas: mind, body, and soul. Self-care is a set of daily practices that you do to support your well-being. These exercises, activities, or actions require you to put yourself first every day,” Oludara Adeeyo wrote on the website, Life Time.
The Los Angeles, California based psychotherapist pointed out that self-care is imperative. Acknowledging radical self-care is not a sign of weakness. It reflects guilt-free self-love.
Diamond Brown, a full-time entrepreneur based in Charlotte, North Carolina, celebrates self-care and the memory of true love, while giving back to cancer survivors. The founder of Diamond’s Body Care once worked in the marketing department for a fortune 20 company for over 16 years. Although she now leads a luxury body care brand consisting of botanical body oils; shea butter; organic body scrub; shea massaging soap; and a yoni care line with a smile, Brown’s story is rooted in losing her spouse to illness.
“I started Diamond’s Body Care back in 2008 when my husband was diagnosed with cancer. His skin became dehydrated after undergoing chemotherapy and radiation,” Brown said. “My late husband’s name was Darrell Brown. He had sarcoma cancer in the lungs.”
Diamond possessed experience working as a certified medical assistant and was in college studying to become a registered nurse. Since her husband didn’t want a hospice nurse to care for him, Diamond said that she handled caregiving until the day he passed away laying in bed next to her. Managing to gather positive elements of a tough life experience, Diamond was inspired to turn self-care into an enterprise. She wanted to help other people, too.
“I’m proud to say I do just that with my products. I receive so many emails and direct social media messages from cancer patients and survivors telling me how my body care line has impacted their life. They also share their stories with me which truly warms my heart to hear,” Diamond said.
Darrell inspired his wife to create the body care line’s shea body butter. Along with her staff, Diamond formulates, blends, labels, and bottles all the company’s products. The luxurious items bring proper hydration to those who have sensitive and dry skin. Plant-based ingredients such as jojoba oil; sweet almond oil; shea butter; sunflower oil; and avocado oil are used to formulate the products.
Taking time to use them is also an act of self-care.
“Self-care is vital not only for your physical health, but also mental health. In order to show up as your best self in the world for your family; friends; career; and community, taking care of yourself first must be a priority,” Diamond said. “Self- care doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a habit we must teach ourselves by learning how to incorporate it into our busy lives. Therefore, I would define self-care as self-love. Loving yourself enough to take quality time to do something that brings joy rather big or small.”
The entrepreneur’s target audience is women ages 21-50 who are conscious of what they put on their skin. Diamond remarked that they understand the benefits of plant-based ingredients, see value in buying products that are quality, and they are willing to make the investment.
Her biggest challenge to get her enterprise up and running was capital.
“I have been bootstrapping and using all of my financial resources to fund my business. Recently, an investor gave me a loan to scale my company,” Diamond said.
The entrepreneur’s biggest success is being the first Black woman to have her products exclusively used for spa treatments at the JW Marriott Uptown Charlotte. Another win was being an official sponsor for New York Fashion Week.
Honoring Darrell through Diamond’s Body Care allows his wife to keep his memory alive. Additionally, the entrepreneur’s first cousin, Bibianna Clayton, passed away from cancer at the age of 31.
“I donate 10% of proceeds from my business to cancer survivors,” Diamond said. “Losing my husband and best friend to cancer, I want to honor those who are still alive. That cause is very near and dear to my heart.”
Visit www.diamondsbodycare.com to learn more about Diamond’s Body Care.
Loss of Husband Inspires Entrepreneur to Create Luxury Body Care Brand
