Today I get to interview the very wonderful Sonoran Rosie. Rosie wildcrafts desert plants here in Tucson, Arizona to make nourishing beauty products that are always free from chemicals, and always made from small batches with love and care.

Rosie, I’m so interested in your story. How did you get to where you are today?

I have always been a DIY type of person. Living the all natural, organic, sustainable lifestyle with an emphasis on food, health, and beauty has always been important to me. I began learning about desert plants from my immediate environment out of curiosity. I started studying edible desert plants, and that naturally progressed into learning about medicinal desert plants.

I found myself disappointed in a lot of natural beauty products that I purchased. In my opinion a lot of the natural products I was purchasing were weak acting and smelling, and contained a lot of plastic packaging. Very few of them utilized desert plants. So, I started experimenting by using the resources around me.

When I became happy with what I was creating I would let the people closest to me try them out. I received a lot of positive feedback right away. I started being approached by people asking to purchase my creations, and my business grew from there. I have Tucson and Instagram to thank for how fast my business has grown in such a short amount of time. People enjoy watching my process and learning about the Sonoran Desert through my Instagram (@sonoranrosie).

Tucson is very community oriented and supportive. People in Tucson love to support small local businesses, and they appreciate the desert so they love my products and the ingredients! It has been super exciting and fulfilling. I am so grateful and looking forward to the future.

What do you wish you knew before you started your business?

Hmmm…I wish I knew a little more of the technical side like tax info and things like that.

How do you find inspiration?

There is almost always a desert plant out there that will help you with whatever beauty aspect you may need. I find inspiration learning about new plants and then I see what hair or skin care product isn’t already out there and over saturated and then I make my own version of it.

What do you do when you’re not working?

Hehe…I feel like I have been working non stop for a while now, but I force in little breaks. I like to hike, forage, wildcraft, take care of my pets and garden, learn from my herbalist teacher, travel, discuss life and the world with my partner, and hang with like minded folks.

Please give @SonoranRosie a follow on Instagram!

Interested in some of her lovely products? Sonoran Rosie’s store can be found through this link: Sonoran Rosie

I get insanely excited to photograph local badass entrepreneurs like Sonoran Rosie. Having a passion for what you do is so important. My passion is supporting local businesses. Being a Tucson Personal Branding photographer is a dream come true. Follow your dreams!