A Look Back on 2021

We all had really big hopes for 2021, but quickly found out it was going to be quite a tumultuous year. All the stretching and bending and adapting business owners had grown accustomed to in 2020 came in handy this year as we saw supply chain disruptions and ever growing price increases, among many other potential distractions. I know I struggled with uncertainty about the future as I allowed myself to get bogged down in the daily news releases, but at a certain point, I just had to decide to lean into the crazy and take things one day at a time.

We made some difficult decisions about products (bye-bye bottles and jars for always-available items), and decided to double-down on our solid formulations. We also decided to buy a second bath and body business, which increased our production capabilities and streamlined our systems and procedures. We grew more this year here at Silver Stone Apothecary than any other year in our history, and I want to thank each and every one of you who has visited our website, engaged with us on social media, shared about your experience with us with friends and family, and purchased from our small, family operated business.

I want to take a moment and go over some of our highlights for the year!

Top Products for 2021

Our solid shampoos and conditioners were the most popular products this year for Silver Stone Apothecary. More and more of you are becoming aware of the amount of waste we all create and are looking for ways to cut back on this. Switching to solid personal care products has a HUGE impact and is really easy to do! Since our bars are formulated to be curly hair friendly, we have made lots of friends in the curly community. These bars have become staples for many curly-haired individuals, and have been shared in many groups to help those of you who are looking for something that will nourish your unique curls while also minimizing waste. 

The Aqua Aura Shampoo and Conditioner were the most popular. They work best for dryer, coarser curly hair and have keratin protein to help enhance the natural curl pattern. The Spirit Aura Conditioner was a close second. It is used a lot as a co-wash; it is moisturizing, but has excellent wash out.

The Silver Aura Shampoois gaining a spot in a lot of curly hair lineups, no matter the hair density or moisture level. It is a great clarifying bar to use every now and again as a reset button for your curls.

The Angel Aura Shampoo is a favorite among lower density, finer haired individuals. It provides extra volume with added rice protien.

This year I started writing more informative articles about our products. I was getting a ton of emails and messages about how to choose the perfect bars and how to use them. I found I was writing a lot of the same things over and over again, so I compiled the most common explanations and turned them into articles. I still get emails from people asking some of these questions, but usually because they have a unique circumstance that isn't covered in the article. It seems they have been helpful, and I plan to write many more this coming year! If there's a question you have, please let me know and I'll see if I can turn it into an "Insights from the Alchemist" article.

How do you use solid shampoo and conditioner bars?

Which Shampoo is right for me?

Which Conditioner is right for me?

Although I had way more planned to release in 2021, I am really happy with these new products. Our Obsidian Warrior line got completely reformulated. Remember how I said I double-downed on the solid formulations? Yes, this was part of that. The Obsidian Warrior line used to consist of an oil serum in a glass bottle with a dropper, a cream face wash in a glass jar, and a clay polish in a glass jar. Well, things got weird when it came to securing bottles and jars this year, and I really don't anticipate it getting any better anytime soon. And, even if it does, do we really need bottles and jars? So, I sat with this for a while, and decided to reformulate the most important parts of the Obsidian Warrior line into solid bars so that we can 1) always be able to have these essential products and 2) reduce unnecessary packaging. So far, everyone that has switched from the previous versionro to the solid versions has enjoyed the switch! Success.

We launched just one new scent in the Gemstone Hand and Body Soap line. The beautiful, glittery Opal. It has the BEST plastic-free biodegradable eco-glitter on top, and smells like a bright sunny day in a field of peonies.

And finally, the biggest release ever, this whole other life-form: the Create Magic Monthly Subscription Box. Every month I pick a theme, an affirmation that focuses on an area of personal growth. I formulate exclusive personal care products that help you incorporate that theme into your daily self care ritual. I include a crystal for the month as part of an intentions kit to help you focus on setting your intention for the month. Subscribers to the monthly box have the best things to say about it; it really lights my day to hear how these boxes are fitting into the lives of our subscribers. Personal growth is really important to me, and being able to help others focus on this area is just so amazing.

Despite the craziness of the world "out there", we are pushing forward here at Silver Stone Apothecary. I'm so blessd to have this little corner of the internet and place in your lives. Thank you so much for your support this year and I'm so excited to continue serving you in 2022!

Take care,

Angela Mayorga

Alchemist and Owner

Silver Stone Apothecary