At the young age of just 22, Ashley Terrell, Flossie Skincare Founder amp; CEO, has taken the world by storm with her seven companies and counting, including a clothing label and a production company. It is no wonder she won third place in the State of Virginia for entrepreneurship when she was just 18 years old.
After graduating two year early, nearly the head of her class, Ashley went on to pursue her education, tackling an Associate of Arts Degree in Pastry Arts at Johnson and Wales in Charlotte, NC, and is currently working on a business degree at Bryant and Stratton in Virginia Beach and a Public Relations degree at Tidewater Community College. Ashley is also the author of “The Diary of the Successful Stilettos” book series, as well as a model.

And not too mention she has one of the hottest new natural skincare lines on the market today, and one of my personal faves. Prepare-ment for Relaxation peppermint scrub, Get Growing Tea, and Apple Cider for Softness are just a few of the fabulous products that Flossie Skincare has to offer. It all started with Ashley’s biggest inspiration Grandma Flossie and her incredible homemade recipes.

Recently, I was awarded the opportunity to sit down with the amazingly talented Ashley Terrell, founder and CEO of Flossie Skincare, to talk about; her amazing skincare line, incredible accomplishments, and what keeps this young woman going from day to day. And here is what she had to say.

How did you start your first business and what was it?

My first business originally was my clothing company, it was called Yel’ Hsa Clothing (my name spelled backwards), but over the years, I changed the name to B. Dang3rouz Clothing. I started it when I was seven. I was making clothes for my Barbie’s because I couldn’t afford to buy the clothes, so I started making them myself. From there, I started making bigger pieces for adult people in my bedroom. From there, my mother saw my potential and gave me her sewing machine and I started making dresses and skirts I could dress up in.

How old were you when you realized what you wanted to do when you got older?

I think I was about seven. Over the years, I kind of had a grasp of where I was headed. At ten, I started reading business books, just to get a head start. At the age of fourteen, I was telling my business mentors what to do and how to get things done! Nonetheless, I had potential at a young age.

What is your biggest inspiration? And Why?

My great grandmother Flossie Lee. My companies are all pretty much named after her. She was so strong and powerful. She meant a lot as well as I learned a lot from her. She was the one that kept me motivated and told me when to steer away from things that could hurt or affect me. She always use to tell me what you want in life is worth fighting for and if it doesn’t happen when you want it to, keep trying. I even use her name as an acronym for business! F.L.O.S.S.I.E. = Fun, Luck, Optimistic, Satisfy the customer, Smile, I contact, Excite. It has helped a lot over the years.

What is your favorite project that you have worked on?

I have to say this year; it has to be Flossie Skincare. Only because we switched over from plant and root based products to completely organic and getting them certified has been the part where you have to be optimistic because the process is quite long. Not to mention, the new labels, the new bottles, the new marketing campaign, and the constant need and use of guerilla marketing. Everyone has their own reaction to the new line. I still have a lot in store for Flossie Skincare this coming year, so be looking out for it! Also check out www.flossieskincare101.com .

What is the most challenging or stressful part of your career?

(Sigh) Overcoming other’s thoughts on you being a young entrepreneur. People sometimes think that since you are young, your attention span, morale and motivation to complete anything isn’t worth trusting. A lot of people in the business world didn’t take me seriously in the beginning because of my age, the ideas I had developed and where I saw myself– they thought I was a joke. So I had to perfect my craft more and come back harder to show them I was the real deal and I have so much potential. I still have the same problem on certain days, but at the end of the day, I give my all, I work hard and I barely sleep to show the world that I am an example of a hard working entrepreneur and this is what I love to do.

What is the most rewarding part of your career?

Seeing that people really like my products and appreciate my work ethic. I like knowing they love my skin care products, my samples from my clothing lines, my customer services reps, the whole nine. I love the feeling that people see and understand my hard work pays off.

What words of wisdom would you pass onto others following in your footsteps?

Blessings come in many shapes and forms. Keep an open mind and all things will come within time. Don’t ever feel or believe that the road you are needed to go down will show you all the obstacles ahead of time. Obstacles on our roads help God see if we really want our blessings or not. Don’t ever be afraid of failure. Believe it or not, failure is what motivates us to be better at our gifts. You work longer hours for yourself than you would for someone in Corporate America, but at the end of the day, when you hold the key to your own building, it means more than anything. Keep God first, family second and yourself third. Show Him praise even in the midst of your problems. Thank Him for all your blessings. Stay motivated and determined; think outside the box and you WILL get there.

What is your favorite Flossie Skin care Product?

Wow, that is definitely a hard one because I love them all! I have to say the Shea Butter Moisturizer is my favorite right now because it seems to be the most talked about item this season! It definitely keeps your skin moisturized in this cold weather. We also have the Shea Butter Moisturizer Kit on flossieskincare101.com . Aside from this, I would definitely recommend to use derma roller amazon. It is truly amazing!

What else will we see in the future? Any new businesses or products?

I am currently making some adjustments for the year 2011. I am working on the first issue of my online magazine, Spotlight Magazin3, which will be debuting in January. I am in the real estate field right now. The sense of independence– I so love it! I am looking to open a real estate lead generating business, called FL Marketing Solutions, in Portsmouth, Virginia sometime next year as well as my clothing boutique, Dang3rouz Trendz, in Virginia Beach, Virginia in September 2011.

Check out the amazing products that Flossie Skincare has to offer by visiting www.flossieskincare101.com .

And check out some of her other fabulous companies:

www.bdang3rouzclothing.webs.com

www.flossieswishfoundation.webs.com

www.flossieleemanagement.webs.com

Consuming sugar is probably one of my favorite past times. I appreciate the substance in all its myriad forms and almost always have a bountiful supply in my cupboards. I’m guessing that you do, too. If not, it’s super inexpensive and easy to come by. Oh, and you can make the following (fabulous) recipes with the wonderful stuff! Here are 3 of my favorite DIY Beauty: Sugar recipes.

Orange Sugar Body Exfoliator

This is one of my very own recipes and I love it because it smells great and leaves your skin feeling clean, revitalized and glowing! Here’s what you need to gather before you begin:

2 tablespoons Sugar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium sized lemon

½ teaspoon honey

This is mega-easy to make. Simply combine all of your ingredients into a medium sized bowl. As for the orange, cut it in half and squeeze out the juice of one half. Remove any seeds should they escape into your bowl!

Next, mix well. Apply a generous amount to your washcloth or cleaning puff and massage into your skin in a circular motion. Rinse off in the shower with warm water and gently pat dry. Ta-da!

Sweet Cinnamon Milk and Sugar Face Mask

Another recipe conjured up in the kitchen of yours truly. This one is easy to prepare, too. Here’s what you need:

2 tablespoons non-fat powdered milk

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

¼ tsp. Cinnamon

1 tablespoon honey

1 tsp. milk

In a small to medium sized bowl, combine your cinnamon, powdered milk and powdered sugar. In a separate bowl, combine your honey and milk and stir until thoroughly blended.

Now add your liquid mixture to your dry mixture and stir until you have a nice, consistent paste. Wet your face and apply the mixture, gently rubbing in a circular motion. Let it set on your face for 5 minutes and then rinse off with tepid water. Splash with cold water to tighten pores and gently pat dry.

Vanilla Brown Sugar Foot and Body Scrub

This recipe is good enough to eat. Literally! But don’t be tempted once you’ve whipped up this easy as pie beauty recipe – it’s for your body! Gather these items:

½ cup Brown Sugar

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon vanilla

Combine all of your ingredients into a medium sized bowl and mix thoroughly. You don’t want any clumping! Next, hop in the shower with your mixture and wet your skin. Apply the brown sugar scrub to your body paying careful attention to extra dry spots like your feet, elbows and knees!

Massage with a loofah or washcloth in a circular motion for 1-2 minutes. Rinse off in the shower and gently pat dry.

If you liked these recipes, check out my other DIY Beauty secret’s by clicking on “Wendy Rose Gould” at the top of this article. Enjoy!

We’ll be having a workshop about this happening in  Kinderdagverblijf Leiden. See you there!

In May 2010, I followed the Camino de Santiago, a centuries-old pilgrimage route, across Northern Spain. In thirty days, I covered over 500 miles on foot, carrying all my belongings on my back and sleeping each night in pilgrim hostels, called albergues , along the route.
It was a journey of discovery in many ways, but undoubtedly one of the best things about walking across an entire country is the opportunity it offered to really immerse myself in the local cuisine – and you can bet I was hungry after all that walking! In fact, the pilgrim appetite is legendary, prompting many restaurants to offer a special menu, the menu de peregrino, made up of inexpensive but delicious dishes designed to nourish and satisfy even the healthiest of appetites.

Like many pilgrims, my journey began in the quaint medieval town of St. Jean Pied de Port, located at the foot of the French Pyrenees, where I barely had time to wolf down a fresh baguette (how stereotypical!) before heading over the mountains and into Spain. The Spanish Basque Country is known for its use of peppers and cured meats so it was little surprise that my first meal consisted of large, fresh piquillo peppers stuffed with meat and, of course, more peppers. The next day I encountered chorizo , a coarsely marbled, smoky, paprika-infused sausage that was to be a staple, with some regional variation, of dishes throughout my journey.

From the Basque Country, I crossed into La Rioja, a region famous for its wines and spicy kidney bean dishes, spiked with chorizo, called capparones . I enjoyed some of each on my way across the region, partly thanks to the monastery at Irache which provides a self-service fountain of red wine (and one of water for those less alcoholically inclined) to slake the thirst of passing pilgrims.

In Castile and Leon, the next region through which the Camino passes, I found myself walking through ‘the granary of Spain.’ Fields of waving wheat provided a sibilant accompaniment to my daily walks and, in the evenings, I fortified myself with hearty beef stews, grilled pork chops served with potatoes, and creamy bowls of brown lentils, spiced with the ever-present chorizo.

Santiago de Compostella is the ultimate goal of the pilgrimage and also the capital city of Galicia, the final region in my slow and steady progress across Spain. Spreading from the coast inland, this is the perfect place to enjoy Spanish seafood at its best. For a dedicated seafood lover like myself, the days I spent here were a feast of flavors both new and familiar. A meal often started with caldo Gallego , a brothy soup filled with potatoes, a local green called grelo (similar to turnip greens) and, of course, chorizo. To follow, one might order chipirones , fresh young squid quickly seared in olive oil and sea salt, or a pan-fried fillet of hake.

Perhaps the most Galician of all dishes, however, is the aptly named pulpo a la Gallega or ‘Galician-style octopus.’ I love touring here using my The PNW backpack.

Locals call the dish pulpo a feira and tips for locating a good pulperia are commonly exchanged amongst pilgrims. On the strength of these recommendations, I sought out the highly touted Pulperia Ezequiel in the town of Melide, just 56km outside of Santiago. The place was modest, simple, and host to more locals than pilgrims, which on the Camino is always a good sign. Patrons seated themselves anywhere along one of several long wooden tables, fostering a communal and lively atmosphere. If you tired of the conversation, however, you could watch your dinner boiling away in one of the vast copper pots near the door. For less adventurous eaters, the sight of a tentacle or two curling over the edge might be enough to spoil the meal, but I relished the opportunity to watch the cooks at work. Each octopus was dipped into the pot before boiling to allow the tentacles, the most palatable part, to curl. After boiling, the octopus was cut with scissors, sprinkled with rock salt and pimenton and drizzled liberally with olive oil before being served, family style, on a large wooden trencher. Chunks of crusty bread rounded out the meal and made the perfect tool for sopping up any spicy oil left on the plate. The paprika flavor, overpowering for some, provided an interesting contrast to the smooth oil and the young red wine with which the octopus was eaten. I loved the interplay of texture in the final dish, since the center of each piece remained firm while the outer skin was soft – delicious!

As someone who once thought that Spanish food was a lot of paella and tapas , my culinary sojourn provided plenty of surprises. I’ve never eaten so much spiced sausage, nor thought that I would actually learn to love and crave lentils, but these are just some of the things I discovered as I ate my way across Spain. Whether warming myself with a hearty stew or sipping a Rioja wine, I have a host of savory snapshots from the trip – and I still dream about devouring wooden platefuls of octopus. It’s a good dream and someday, I know, I’ll go back.

Recently a little birdy told me about Vessi. What is Vessi, you ask? It’s an international footwear site that specialises in waterproof endurance shoes. Imagine a vamped-up version of sneakers – that’s kind of the idea. Vessi’s selling point is the waterproof element of the footwear. I have to admit, coming from the UK, the idea of waterproof shoes was pretty appealing. God, what I wouldn’t give for a nice, dry climate. I’d settle for arid to be honest. It’s a shame I like England so much.

So, I took the plunge and decided to give Vessi a go. Normally I can be a little apprehensive about ordering things online. Can you blame me? You could be getting a chocolate teapot for all you know!

I ordered the Women’s CityScape shoes in Midnight Black, retailing at $129 USD. One downside is that the smallest size is a 4. Sorry, all weeny-footed people. I did some digging though and discovered that you can get smaller sizes in other shoes. As long as you don’t have your heart set on that particular set of shoes, you’ll be alright. I’m a size 4 (UK) so I ordered the US 6. Admittedly, I was a little nervous when making the order in case the shoe wasn’t true to size.

The shoes arrived a lot earlier than anticipated. This was a nice bonus, especially since they’re across the pond. The shoes were true to size and fit snug around my feet. On Vessi’s site, they claim the shoes to be ‘freakishly lightweight.’ I chuckled a little when I first read it, but I’d say it’s a fairly apt description. The shoes are super light! They’re the kind of shoes you could toss in a gym-bag or squish into a suitcase. The site portrayed the shoes in a realistic manner, looking as high-quality as they do on Vessi Footwear.

To test them out, I took them for a jog on a rainy day. I have an issue with sweaty feet when I exercise, and if the shoes aren’t breathable, they’re going to pong. My feet were well-ventilated and didn’t smell (well, not that much.) They’re comfortable to run in and provide support for the heels. At my age, support is crucial when I work out, so this made Vessi a winner for me.

Comfy, trendy, breathable and lightweight – the price definitely reflects the quality! I give Vessi Footwear a big thumbs up.