That's a Wrap: Recap of 2021 at ABT and What's New for 2022

We're a few weeks into 2022 but I wanted to take some time to recap 2021 and take a look ahead at some of the exciting things to come here at Aromatherapy by Tricia.

Despite the chaos of supply chain disruptions and viral variants ABT grew alongside our wholesale partners and in the retail sector. Our best selling wholesale product of 2021 was the Be Free Rose Water Mousse created for Be Kekoa. Customer's love it and I couldn't be more thrilled. I'm also excited to be working on product collaborations with Pure Silk of Temecula, Ethereal Day Spa of Temecula, and several other small business owners and salon owners.

Two ABT retail products that created quite a buzz in 2021 are the multitasking Gel to Milk Cleanser& Mask and eco-friendly shampoo bars. Our testers absolutely loved the Gel to Milk cleanser and it's made with organic oils, plant derived glycerin, a naturally derived surfactant, and jojoba wax beads.

The shampoo bar is also made with naturally derived, EcoCert and organic ingredients. It's a little different than traditional shampoo and can take some getting used to but many of our testers love it (some even better than "traditional" shampoo!).

In 2021 I enjoyed contributing to the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy quarterly eJournal with articles and recipes featuring thyme, lime, and vetiver hydrosols. It's a fantastic organization for aromatherapists and essential oil enthusiasts alike. In 2022 I'll continue to contribute to the eJournal.

I attended my first Society of Cosmetic Chemistry Supplier's Day in Long Beach California in October and it was incredible. My focus was meeting with suppliers of sustainable and environmentally friendly ingredients. I was helped along by Dandi Day, a conscious beauty firm, with sustainable ingredient hotlist map. Meeting with these suppliers was inspiring. In 2022 my goals include to reformulate products with sustainability in mind and to look for more ways to give back to our local community.

In 2021 I continued to update my organic formulation skills with Formula Botanica coursework, focusing on organic hair care formulations and using even more organic and EcoCert ingredients.

So what's ahead in 2022? Some goals include:

* Updating formulations to have even cleaner, more sustainably derived, EcoCert approved ingredients. With improvements in emulsifiers, preservatives, and other ingredients it is create products with great performance and great ingredients.

*I'm on a quest to create a conditioner bar to go along with the shampoo bar using EcoCert approved ingredients. The initial bars definitely need some work but I'm in the initial stages of developing this product.

*New collaborations with salons and spas. And I have plans to create a wholesale program to allow retailers to carry ABT products in their stores.

*Completing my Formula Botanica coursework Advanced Diploma in Skincare and Hair Care.

*More regular blog posts and newsletters to keep customers up to date.

Thanks for being a part of the Aromatherapy by Tricia community. I appreciate being able to create products made with care for you and the planet.

If you'd like to share feedback about what products or ingredients you'd like to see at ABT please fill out this short survey.

Aromatic blessings and wishing you a beautiful and blessed 2022,

Tricia