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APRIL 2022 InTouch | 9 I completed a Bachelor of Business with double majors in Information Technology and eBusiness. Growing up in poverty, my drive to be successful overshadowed my depression of having a disability. Since I graduated, I have been working full-time in the IT industry and enjoy what I do. I have achieved all the goals I have set for myself including building my own home in 2017 and having a small investment property portfolio. And now, I want to try my hand at building my own business in the industry that I truly resonate with – wellness. I have struggled with mental health since I was young, and I have found that the only way to find the light in all the darkness is to continue learning and working towards small goals. Every year or so, I would learn something new, create something new or travel somewhere new. For me, this is my coping mechanism. It gets me out of my head. It stops me thinking of my deteriorating strength and the thought of slowly losing what little physical abilities I have left. My love of cooking led me on a journey to learn about formulating my own skincare products. I have suffered from skin problems since I was young. I had severe acne as a teenager and have always had psoriasis. I have spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on skincare products and treatments and I wanted to learn if there was a better way to treat my ailments. I started researching skin problems and found out that it isn’t impossible to make my own skincare products and it doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars. I learnt about the unethical manufacturing practices of big skincare brands and how a lot of the ingredients they use to make their products shelf stable may be causing harm to my skin. I have struggled with mental health since I was young, and I have found that the only way to find the light in all the darkness is to continue learning and working towards small goals. FORMULATING MY OWN SKINCARE, AND HAPPINESS For more information on WAI Skin & Body, please check out my website or Instagram below: www.waiskinandbody.co.nz instagram.com/wai_skinandbody I started to learn basic formulation skills and made a few products for myself to try. I was surprised that the products I made at home worked better than the skincare products I paid hundreds of dollars for! I started giving samples to friends who have skin problems and I started treating them to get rid of itchy skin, rashes, and acne. It feels so rewarding when I see their skin conditions improve. Since I’ve always wanted to start my own business, I decided in October 2021 to take the plunge and launch my business, selling two of my products. I’m super proud of myself for this. I have been working on my brand on a part-time basis for over a year. Even though my energy levels are depleted at the end of the day from working full- time, managing my own team of support workers and working part-time in the evenings and weekends on my brand, I go to sleep every night feeling fulfilled. It feels great to help people on their wellness journey by helping them take care of their skin. My brand aims to build awareness around the physical and mental challenges that goes with living in this world, and we want to remind people to focus on their wellness. Our message is, when you look after yourself physically, you give your brain the happy hormones it needs to keep you going and may even help get rid of the darkclouds in your head. I have learnt so much already, and I know I still have so much to learn. In January 2022, I applied to the Bradley Jenkin Memorial Fund for a grant to further my knowledge into Skincare Formulation. I was successful with my application and will now be completing a Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation offered online by a reputable company in Britain called Formula Botanica. I am confident the course will further my knowledge and skills, so I am able to expand my brand and offer a variety of other self-care products. Formulating with my favourite ingredients.