By Anna Griffin, Editor in Chief
PC: Drew Xeron
Spring boarding from a dramatic season as a principal cast member of the Real Housewives of Potomac, Monique Samuels is now evolving in her new role as an entrepreneur and the founder of Mila Eve Essentials.
PC: Billy Maloy
A deluxe line of eco-friendly, non-GMO, gluten free, cruelty and paraben-free, essential oils, Mila Eve Essentials was inspired by Monique’s supporters, and with their wellness at the heart of her brand, she is steadfast in her commitment to create a line that is both non-toxic and effective. Conscientious and thorough in researching and testing her ingredients, Monique is hands-on with every element of her business and will not put her name to any product she won’t personally use. Customer experience is important to her, and from the quality of her products and attention to detail she has put into her brand’s website, to providing recipes and information with each purchase, she is dedicated in her mission to provide quality, chemical-free, holistic, aromatherapy oils. A devoted wife and mother, Monique incorporates Mila Eve Essentials into every facet of her family’s life, which inspires the products she creates for her customers.
PC: Drew Xeron
Monique is generous, warm, and fun, and has a savvy business perspective that we could all learn from. Her passion is infectious, and she immediately draws us into her quest to enhance our physical and spiritual wellness through Mila Eve Essentials. Also the founder of Not For Lazy Moms, a community for new generation moms who are striving to be the best version of themselves within their parenting, relationships, careers, and self-care, she is now emerging as an entrepreneur whose focus is to assist us in bettering our lives.
PC: Drew Xeron
Whatever your opinion of her based on a past TV-show narrative, you might want to reconsider. Monique’s desire to amplify positive, emotional well-being through her brands is authentic, and as she takes us on that journey, the reality is she’s refreshingly and essentially real.
Coco Eco:
I'm really thrilled to interview Monique Samuels, who is our March cover girl, and our March issue is Spring Forward. Monique is going to share with us really exciting news about her organic beauty and lifestyle line. Mila Eve.
Monique Samuels:
Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited.
CE:
We're really honored to have you here. So a slight backstop: Obviously, you were on The Real Housewives of Potomac, and now you are expanding and pioneering into clean beauty and wellness. Can you tell us about your line please?
MS:
Mila Eve Essentials was actually inspired by my supporters, the people who have followed me on the show. They know I rave about essential oils and natural alternatives all the time, and they kept commenting saying, “Where can we get your oils?” And I would give them recommendations and they're like, “No, we want your oils.” So it got me thinking, and it's perfect timing for me because the market has become so oversaturated with oils that contain chemicals and all kinds of bad stuff, and because I have so many people who I have referred to using essential oils too, I thought it would be best if I come up with my own line. This way, you know you're getting 100% pure, chemical free, top quality essential oils, and the added benefit is that they are available for a fraction of the usual cost. So yes, that's what inspired the whole movement.
CE:
I really love that. Because, you know for me, with Coco Eco, everything is clean and chemical-free, and my thing is always if it's good for the planet, it's good for you, or if it's good for you, it’s good for the planet. I'm really inspired by your instinct to really have this be a clean line because people green wash all the time about having natural products. So your journey with Mila Eve Essentials, tell me all about it and about needing this to be clean; how you source and what your inspiration was, because it's a really incredible line.
MS:
Thank you. My inspiration is definitely my children. If I can't have a product that I can feel safe to put on my children, then I'm not going to use that product. I've always been a person who has searched for natural remedies and alternatives. I like things that are very clean, very organic, and when I went on my journey to find the perfect distributor, to start with, I wanted to make sure that they were a distributor that was certified MOSA. For people who are into essential oils, they know how important that is to have that stamp of approval. I wanted to make sure that the products were cruelty free. And I when I tell you I've sampled so many different aromas and since to the point where sometimes I would have to just sit it down for a second, because just smelling so many different ones, making sure that the quality was there. They also test for the quality, the color, the appearance, the aroma, so I wanted to make sure that whatever I brought by way of Mila Eve Essentials was just the best of the best.
PC: Billy Maloy
I really enjoy using the products. They're safe to use topically and they're safe to use for aromatherapy, which a lot of people don't realize sometimes when you purchase essential oils, and they say aromatherapy use only, that's actually a trigger, that's a warning sign right there. You should not use essential oils that are only aromatherapy grade; they're basically letting you know that there are chemicals in here. There may be fragrance inside of each oil. And what I have is 100% pure, distilled the proper way, and they are safe to use right on your skin and to diffuse. When you're using a diffuser, even if it's for aromatherapy, you want to make sure you are using top grade. When you're breathing in those essential oils, you're still absorbing them in your bloodstream, so that's how important it is to make sure you're using top quality, therapeutic essential oils. That's important to me and I want people to really enjoy using the products, but I want them to know that they're safe, and that there is a way to experience the benefits of essential oils and making sure that the products are completely clean. I really just love everything about it, and the feedback has been amazing.
CE:
I love that you're so strict about it because a lot of people don't know that inhaling is like putting something on your skin and going into your blood, because your skin is your largest organ. So whatever you put on - these chemicals - you're ingesting or if you're inhaling fragrance, I explain to people when it says fragrance, you're really looking at petrochemicals that you are ingesting in some form or another, which always horrifies people, but I think it's a message that really needs to be drilled home. Everything around that you ingest either orally or through your senses, can harm you.
MS:
Yes, and one thing about the people who are customers of Mila Eve Essentials is they know how particular I am. So they know if I'm putting something out here, it's something that I truly believe in. I've never been a person that will endorse or promote anything that I don't use myself and for my family, so I use them daily. We have our diffusers running every day several times a day. At night my kids must have their diffuser on when they go to bed. It was funny. My son actually woke up around two o'clock this morning and he started calling for me. Usually he calls for Daddy. My youngest son always wants Daddy - he’s a Daddy's boy, but he was calling from me, so I was like, “Okay, this is odd. Let me go in and see what's going on,” and I heard his nose is a little stuffy. So immediately I have an essential oil called Breathe Easy. I took some drops of Breathe Easy - I have all of them on their nightstand so they're always in hand’s reach - and I added a few drops of fractionated coconut oil and I massaged his chest and his back with them, and I just laid with him until he fell asleep and he breathed nice and clear after that. So we use them all the time - it's our go-to if my kids are having a bad day. My son, especially my oldest son, he'll come to me and he'll say, “Mommy, where's the Mind Over Matter? I really need it right now.” It's one of my favorite essential oils, and it's a blend and it's amazing, and it really works. They calm down and they're like, “Okay, I feel like I can go ahead and get back to my schoolwork now.”
CE:
You also talk about how you've got diffusers and you've got bath salts, so there's a lot in your line and I love that it's for physical and emotional well-being. The genesis of your brand just really inspires me. So tell us about some of your oils, the different oils. We've talked about lavender and eucalyptus, but please share so we know what we should be looking for.
MS:
Yes, so right now I actually have a total of 53 essential oils available on our website. We actually launched with 34 and we added an additional 19. So the oils, they're amazing. The one thing I love about Mila Eve, let me also say this, when we're posting different essential oils each one comes with a profile, so it actually explains to you where the oil comes from, how it's used, and we also give you recipes. We never want to just sell a person oil and it just sits on your shelf, and they don't know what to do with it. We'll give you all different kinds of tips and ideas so that you can incorporate the oils into your daily routine. One of my favorites is Hormonal Symmetry. It is a blend and it actually helps to balance your hormones, it helps to boost your libido, and it smells amazing. I use two drops directly on my wrists, I rub it together, I put it behind my ears on my neck areas, and it really does help, especially for us ladies during those times of the month. It helps to balance everything out so that you're more consistent, and it really works.
PC: Drew Xeron
We have so many oils and they're all for different reasons. If you want essential oils for sleep, we have blends like Sleep Tight, which is a combination of four or five different essential oils all put into one. For the people who don't really know what they want to mix their oils with, they know lavender and eucalyptus - those are the most popular scents, but if you have an oil called Sleep Tight, you know by the name that “Okay, this will help relax me for bedtime,” and it has different combinations of oils already put together for you, so we take all of the hassle out of the process. We have an oil called Positivity, which is great for boosting your mood. We have essential oils for everything you can think of when it comes to just giving yourself a mood booster, mental clarity, relieving stress, for sleep, for hormones.
There's so many different ways you can use them, and I love that you can just go to our website, type whatever your need is in the search box, and essential oils and products will populate based on whatever you searched for. So we try to take the guesswork out of it and we're also launching essential oils workshops that will be virtual, and we'll start out once a month and then as the classes start to fill up and grow, we're going to add different topics and we'll increase how often we have the classes. For me, it's not just about selling a product. It's really about educating people and letting them know that there is a natural way to help your body do what it's meant to do, which is to heal and these oils just assist you with that. If you need better sleep, it helps you to improve the sleep so that you get to that REM sleep quicker. Your sleep is more of quality versus a lot of hours of sleep, and then you wake up and you still feel groggy. So there are so many different uses. I could go on and on. I love talking to oils.
CE:
I'm absolutely fascinated and hearing you talk and the different things you mentioned. I'm like, tick yes I need that. Tick yes I need that. Oh, hormones. Oh, hell yeah. Oh, sleep. Yeah. You know, anti stress, positivity, libido. Great, I could just be your perfect candidate for every single product you have, I really love though, Monique that you are so thorough about this, and you've obviously done extensive research. You've obviously put a lot of yourself into this, and just going beyond just selling a product, you want to educate all of us so that we know what we're doing and how to use, and that we can become an oil addict too. Not many people put so much thought into their brand, and especially then with a website, you can type in your issue and boom, you're just led to and then it arrives, and there's recipes. It's just brilliant.
MS:
One thing I do love is that we're starting out and the company is growing with the consumer, so the people that are following Mila Eve Essentials and that are purchasing from us, we're starting out very small and we're adding products so that we don't overwhelm you. I remember being that first-time essential oil user. I received my kit, I have all these oils and I'm like, “Okay, what do I do with them? How do I know which oil is for what? How do I know if I'm coughing, which oil do I go to?” And after doing thorough research, you realize that certain oils have different properties. The more minty oils are great for reducing inflammation, and you realize a lot of times when you're coughing or congested, it’s from inflammation, so you know to go to the Eucalyptus, the Peppermint, the Rosemary, those ones that really will open you up. So it's been a long journey and I'm just excited to be able to share everything that I've learned, and I try to sum it up so that it's very easy, and easy to understand for the person that is using the oils.
PC: Drew Xeron
I make kits, so we have essential oil kits that come with a bath salt, a carrier oil, and four oils that you can use four different ways. We actually outline the way you can use it - I call it setting the mood. So I will basically give you an image of what your day looks like, and as you're going throughout your day, I'm giving you a way that you can also incorporate the essential oils into your day; into your daytime routine, your nighttime routine, and it kind of just helps you to visualize yourself in that moment, using the oils, which makes you feel more comfortable to actually use them and apply them every day. Our kits are amazing. I try to put them together strategically, and then I offer them for a price that is much cheaper than if you were to purchase each individual oil or bath salt by itself. We love offering that. We have a little card that comes with the kit when you purchase it, so now instead of just having to go right to the website, you can actually refer to the card that's right in your hand, and we have all of the different ideas and recipes right on the back of the card.
CE:
That's amazing. You've put so much into this. I'm blown away. Really. I'm really inspired by you. I love females in business. I just think it's so our time, and so to connect with one who's, you know, a badass, quite frankly, and a pioneer, I want to just take a moment to discuss that. I bring back that word pioneer. You are obviously doing that within essential oils, and clean beauty and wellness. What is your experience as an entrepreneur? Please share with us.
MS:
I absolutely love it and it's funny, it was always within me. Growing up, my Dad, my Mom, we always had businesses that my Dad would have me and my siblings working within the business, we saw it firsthand. The first time I ever experienced working for myself, I was like, “Oh, this is everything.” So to be able to take whatever creativity you have, to take things that you really enjoy and you're passionate about, and then to be able to turn that into a business, to me is the best feeling in the world. And then to have my children be able to take part in helping me with the business, they're witnessing firsthand what it's like to be a business owner and to be an entrepreneur, and that is the best example that I can be for them. So I really enjoy it.
PC: Billy Maloy
I enjoy the flexibility. I enjoy the challenges. I enjoy trying to figure out how I can perfect this, how can I make this better and easier? How can I give more knowledge to the people that are within the community who I'm selling to? And that's really what it's all about is just creating the community and creating that atmosphere, and helping each other. When I'm fulfilling the different oils, the orders that I fulfill, I feel like I have a direct connection with the person who is purchasing. I see what they're buying. I see what maybe some of their issues are. If I see a lot of stress relieving oils in their order, and then bath salts, I'm like, “Wow, this person really needs to relax, this person really is looking for a way to de-stress,” and the fact that I could assist them with that, it just warms my heart. My husband will see me downstairs; I actually fulfill the orders myself. The only time that I have staff come in is if we just get so overwhelmed, when we're doing like a sale. Upcoming we actually just restocked our diffusers, which fly off the shelf, so I already know I'm going to have to have someone come in and help me get these orders out for the new diffusers that we just got in. But most times it's me, and I put so much love and care.
I like to make each order and when I package it, I package it as if they're an influencer because they really are. The people who purchase from us are the ones that are going to be spreading the word. They're the ones that are going to be posting on social media and tagging us, and writing reviews on our website, so every order looks like an influencer kit. I just really want people to feel special and for them to feel like, “Wow, this is something that I can tell a lot of thought and care was put into it.” And them opening the package, I hope will make them just feel like a weight has been lifted. I just want people to feel that feeling of just feeling stress-free, getting good sleep, and feeling like you're in control of your life and your environment and it's not controlling you.
When I start doing my workshops, I really want to have people do like Q and A's and ask those questions at the end, and I want them to really feel like they are a part of this whole journey. I'm right on it with you.
CE:
So much love is coming from you, and the really sincere care for wellness for your customers and your fan base is a really beautiful thing. I'm very touched by how thorough you've been, and how much of yourself you've obviously put into this for the well-being of others. That's huge.
MS:
Thank you. I appreciate that.
CE:
Okay, so what are your very favorites in the line? What is the one product we should all have?
MS:
Okay, it's a kit and the reason why I completely fell in love with this kit as I was building it and crafting it, it's called the Lovers Lane Kit. It features a massage oil that is not available for sale by itself. It's called Rekindle. This massage oil is infused with the libido boosters that I'm always raving to people about, such as rose oil, clary sage, cinnamon leaf - it has everything you need all in one kit. It comes with the Lavender Oasis bath salts, it comes with a lavender-infused, soy candle, and it comes with the four oils, and I love this kit. My husband and I used it for Valentine's Day, the week after anyway, and I get so many great reviews from this particular kit because it gets you in the mood, but it also relaxes you. It is amazing, and it really works.
A lot of times I have women in my community, because I have a parenting website as well, Not For Lazy Moms, and they asked me how do you do everything you do and then have time for your husband? I had to sit back and ask myself that like, okay, let me not only answer that question, but let me incorporate it into my routine and then I can report back. So one of the things I noticed was big for me was sleep. I need to get a healthy amount of sleep. If I want to cuddle with my husband more than my pillow, I need to get some good rest. I was like, this is a problem. I am so tired and tonight, I'm looking at him and I'm looking at my pillow like “Yeah, I think I'm gonna cuddle on my pillow right now.”
So I created this kit, and I tested it on myself and my husband to see what we can do so that we know we're getting adequate sleep, but then we're able to be ready for each other on those moments when we want to just kind of like cuddle and do other things, and this kit is everything! The massage oil is so relaxing; I actually use it even before I go to sleep.
PC: Drew Xeron
I tell my followers all the time, I love to take the massage oils and I rub them on my shoulders underneath my feet every night before I go to sleep. I've been using the Rekindle lately, and it is amazing. It has rose, it has clary sage, it has jasmine, and oh my God, it's amazing. It smells so good - it's a very sensual scent. So to have this kit and have all of that in one, it's huge. Rose oil is a very expensive oil to find - it's super expensive. I try to do everything so that you're getting it for a great price, you're getting a good deal, and you're getting the best of the best. So I love love, love the Lovers Lane Kit. It's definitely one of my favorites. It makes me proud, and when I get the feedback from the women who use it and the men, everybody's happy.
CE:
You just completely triggered in me roses, my favorite smell, and possibly, because growing up in England, and English rose bushes in my Mom's garden, and it's just my happy place. I think one of the really important things for me about oils and scents is just that. Sometimes just a smell can lift your mood, and it's all about feeling good right now. I think it's so important after everyone's stressful year, so kudos to you for doing this. Final question: Any leadership tips for women in business? Please share anything that you have learned that you think would bring value and inspire others to just do it?
MS:
Yes, when it comes to leadership and what are those qualities to make your business work, knowing what you want and being very thorough about what you want, is probably the biggest challenge. Sometimes we have our goals and we have our vision, but we really don't know how to get there, so having people around you that can help you to achieve those goals is everything. One of my biggest work in progress is delegation: Delegating things and then trusting someone to be able to handle my vision, because when you create these businesses, they're your baby. You want to make sure that they're cared for properly, they're nurtured, and that they grow up to be exactly how you would a child. So learning how to delegate, learning how to be very specific and thorough with your delivery.
PC: Drew Xeron
A lot of times, we'll have in our own minds what it is that we want and it's hard to translate that. Taking that time to just kind of sit with it, visualize how you want the process to look or the product or the service, and then writing a plan. I'm a big person who loves doing checklists: I will make a checklist of every thought that comes to my mind, and it's nice to just check it right off and then you know, you're not missing anything. Really trying to be that planner that lays it all out, don't rush it. If it's meant to happen, it's going to happen in the time, that is the time that's right for you and for your business. Just being patient and going with the flow, and knowing when to move, when to move, knowing how to be discerning, and following your intuition and your gut instinct. And don't feel bad. When you get to those moments where you're like, “You know what, I need to regroup, I need to change up the team that's around me.” Or if there's something that you have a person that you really trust in and maybe they're missing the mark, don't be afraid to have that conversation with them and say, “Hey, I really appreciate you, but here's where we're not seeing eye to eye.” Sometimes we'll shy away from those difficult conversations, but they're necessary because in the end we'll end up being so frustrated, like pulling our own hair out when we can simply just have that conversation. And if you can't say it verbally, maybe write an email; maybe make a note of it? But those are definitely some of the biggest leadership techniques and skills that myself I had to learn as well, and it's helped me along the way.
CE:
Everything you say is so bang on. For me, it's like, “Okay, Monique Samuels Virtual Leadership Course is coming next,” because you should be sharing this. It's amazing how you just simply lay out groundwork for really great tips and tools for us girls to follow because it's time for women in business. Most definitely.
MS:
Absolutely.
Photography Credits:
Drew Xeron, Billy Maloy
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