(no.01) – A.OK

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Feeling: Optimistic

(no.01)

It's been a big year for A.OK, and looking back on it all I wanted to reintroduce myself and where the brand came from.

I'm Alessandra and I started A.OK. Three years ago when we couldn’t hug other people or gather with our friends and family, I began self-soothing with essential oils & Abhyanga (the Ayurvedic practice of self-massage and oil application). This practice helped me cope with the stress and loneliness we all were collectively feeling.

I dove into aromatherapy and found an amazing teacher. I would ride my bike over the Manhattan Bridge to lose myself in her East Village space. There, I trained to become an aromatherapist merely out of curiosity and awe at how plants and nature could help me feel better.

I started creating my own formulations and would gift them to friends and neighbors with instructions to take some time to feel ok.

The response was so positive that friends encouraged me to think bigger. I started with a body oil and called it A.OK based off my initials and how it made me feel!

Serendipitously a speciality oil maker named Matthieu from Northern California reached out wanting illustration help. After meeting on google chat we quickly realized i needed his help too, so I got on the next plane to California.

Matthieu's family started their company in the Loire Valley of France in the 1800s and he brought it to the states in 2002.

It was important to me that A.OK sourced
* the best quality ingredients
* had small-batch production
* operations rooted in artisan know-how

A symbiotic relationship between us was born.

(*photo perfecting the blend in the lab)

Back home, I researched packaging and supply chains, designed my brand, built my own e-commerce site, and set up a little shipping center in the corner of my apartment.

Before I knew it, I was in my first few stores — Inness in Accord, NY and Prema in Clinton Hill, Bk (my yoga home & where i completed my vinyasa certification) — plus I was getting a few online orders. I didn’t do any marketing, but word of mouth spread. I had to start moving inventory into every inch of my home. It was exciting and also exhausting, as I was literally doing everything myself, from shipping to sales to what little social media development I could eke out.

I was still in the middle of finishing my book (Hello, Grief) and had a handful of illustration clients — but I loved A.OK, my brand, and it was what brought me the most joy.

I love the body oil because it smells incredible and sinks right into my skin without feeling greasy. But, more than it just being so good for my skin, I made A.OK with the intention of reconnecting with myself and also the world around me.

I use it every morning and night as a little ritual that ignites my senses from smell to touch and reminds me to take a moment for myself.

In 2023, I made the commitment to move forward with A.OK in a big way, starting with this newsletter, where I’ll be sharing updates and playlists and all of the feelings.

AND—I just moved into my first office space in Red Hook. So much is on the horizon including a new product launch in January!.

I am overwhelmed by the enormous support that my small business has received. Thank you for helping to spread the word about this oil and for all your kind words—both online and off!

Love,

Alessandra