There are new businesses opening every day and often times we give them a quick glance and then move on. But this is one business that may be new to you, BUT you definitely don’t want to miss learning more about it – and you’ll likely want to delve into their inspiring website to learn more!
Two Women: Nurses and Moms
Katie
Iris Co is a business owned by two labor and delivery nurses with a passion for creating healthy, natural products for women and girls. With years of experience in the field of nursing, they have learned plenty about what women need and what’s best for them too. That led them to create their unique business together.
Iris started as a small aromatherapy company for pregnancy & childbirth, and soon expanded to include many more items to compliment, enhance and support women throughout their entire lives. With their knowledge and experience in nursing care at the foundation, these two remarkable women have made it their mission to promote a healthy and holistic lifestyle through skincare basics and essentials for women.
Erin
We sat down with Katie Coleman and Erin Hill to learn more about Iris – and boy were we blown away! Check out our interview with them and you will love what you learn!
RMOM: From delivering babies to starting a new kind of business? Seems unusual – what a great story but how and why did it happen?
IRIS: Sounds strange, we know, but it was a very logical move for us. Our passion and jobs have always been supporting women in our community. As Labor & Delivery nurses, essential oils & aromatherapy were a key part in assisting us to help women through labor. After witnessing the positive impact they had on birth outcomes, we started creating more blends to extend the support into pregnancy and Iris grew from there. Using our nursing backgrounds, we now make several types of natural products, and educate and encourage the connection between women of ALL ages.
RMOM: What makes your products different than other natural skin care products?
IRIS: All our products have a story behind them. Our body butter was Katie’s attempt at helping my daughters severe excema (which it did), the Heal Your Skin was our answer to our dried-out nursing hands. And because what goes ON your body, goes IN your body we were adamant about making it free of chemicals and harmful preservatives.
RMOM: Doesn’t “natural” mean “more expensive”? And is it really worth it?
IRIS: Good question! We actually discussed this in one of our blogs. First and foremost, we advise everyone to read their labels. “Natural” doesn’t always mean free of harmful things. Products that are truly free of chemicals and harmful preservatives tend to be a bit more expensive for many reasons.
- Clean ingredients (pure or organic essential oils, nature-based products, eco-friendly packaging) typically cost more than cheaper fragrance oils, chemicals/preservatives and plastics.
- Some small companies make small batches to preserve the efficacy of their products which takes more time (i.e. increases cost). Without the harsh chemicals shelf life is shorter, BUT you aren’t exposing yourself to substances that can irritate your skin and have been linked to many diseases.
Nature-based companies spend more on ingredients, so their price usually reflects this. They aren’t profiting any more than the cheaper product companies, they just care about what they are selling you!
RMOM: WE LOVE mom-owned businesses and ‘made in America’ products – it sounds like you do both – is that right?
IRIS: Yes to both! We are mothers before anything else (4 boys and 3 girls between us) – something we decided as a priority on day one. We also use U.S. based companies for our supplies and local companies as much as possible.
RMOM: Katie, how do you manage this business and continue to be a mom to 4 boys and a practicing nurse?
IRIS: Yes, it is a very busy life that I lead, but it is exciting and extremely fulfilling at the same time. The beauty of having a business partnership creates balance – and allows both of us to put our families first when needed, encourage creativity and new ideas, and foster daily growth.
RMOM: What would you recommend as a place to start with taking better care of ME?
IRIS: Start with small changes, reading your labels (skin care & food). Educating yourself is key to understanding and committing to healthy change. Follow our blog for great information.
RMOM: I’ve neglected my skin and body for too many years – is it too late to get started?
IRIS: No way! It’s never too late to start making better decisions for yourself, in any regard. But be realistic…we recommend that you don’t change everything at once. You are more likely to stick with good habits when you take them one at a time – get used to them, work them into your daily routine and then reap the benefits of your decision.
RMOM: I understand you have special products for pregnant women. What’s so different about the products for expectant moms?
IRIS: All of our pregnancy products contain only pure essential oils blended in natural carriers that are safe for you and your baby. They are free of chemicals, dyes, fragrances and preservatives, like parabens & sulfates. (Note from RMOM: we found not only great products for expectant moms, but the absolute cutest gift ideas like birth necklaces, fertility necklaces, and postpartum necklaces! – check them out at this link).
RMOM: Where can we try your products or purchase them?
IRIS: Locally in Richmond, we are available at Ellwood Thompson’s Natural Market, Whole Foods, Hip To Be Round, plus several stores in NC, Northern VA, and Maryland. Or…you can always purchase online through our website for convenience. (Click here for a list of all locations carrying Iris products).
RMOM: Erin, your newest product for young girls is really unique. Did you have your daughters in mind when you created it? What is the story behind this?
IRIS: Throughout our years of nursing, we have been at the bedsides of many women, witnessing some beautiful moments as well as eye-opening ones. What always struck us was the lack of knowledge that many women have about their own bodies and anatomy. Being the mother of young daughters, I have made it a point to start teaching them about their bodies, answering questions and starting conversations to build trust. Katie and I had always talked about how we could help young girls and their parents with these conversations and found our answer with the First Moon Kit. It’s a gift to give in honor of the first menstruation with lots of fun things for a young girl, but it also includes informative cards that cover anatomy, why and how our bodies change and other helpful topics. If we can help start the conversations now, the self-confidence and trust will follow and more young women will realize the beauty they hold.
We enjoyed talking with Katie and Erin, but more importantly, we’re excited about trying these wonderful new products (and we even found some great information on nutrition on their website too!) Watch for a follow-up article after we try more products – we’ll let you know how we love them!
And be sure to try the products and leave us a comment below too because we want to know what you think. Visit the website here.
Thanks Katie and Erin – for creating Iris Co for women everywhere!
