Today we're chatting with Nicole Thomas, the founder of Nicki Leigh, a line of handcrafted skincare and bath and body products. Her product line includes everything from creamy bath whips and body balms to soap, perfume and lip balms. These products are free of parabens and harsh chemicals, and many items are vegan-friendly.

Tell us a little about yourself and your work. My name is Nicole and I founded Nicki Leigh back in May 2008. I have always been the creative type, needing to be busy with my hands. I was like a butterfly when it came to crafts; I had to visit each flower at least once to see if I liked it. The work that I do currently is products made from scratch using my own recipes. In the near future I will be using a few bases for additional, all natural products.

I am always looking for new ideas and ways to expand. My customers help out a lot in this event. For instance, when I am working on a new line, I post about it in my blog, asking for feedback. Each suggestion is taken into consideration and weighed upon the pros and cons of each and how I may be able to successfully market it.

How did you get started as a making things? April of last year, I had to quit my job. There was no choice as it was of a personal matter. In any case, while on the search for a new job, I found myself being restless in need of something to do. I had been painting and did try that for a while, but I ran into a few snags. I can only paint when I have a very strong emotion, otherwise it looks empty to me. So I started working on candles and bath and body.

I knew I would want to sell at craft shows, so I did my homework first. I got my DBA, my license and my soaper's insurance should anything possibly go wrong. I invested a lot of time and money just in the first few months of testing. I then began selling to the public on September 1st. It's been fairly steady ever since.

What inspires your work? Nature. I love going on hikes and that is when I spend my best time just thinking about everything. I plan a lot when I am alone in the quiet. I may see a bush or a flower and suddenly, an idea with color will come to mind and it just advances from there.

Who are your favorite designers? As in fashion? I honestly could not say. I wear what is comfortable and I have never purchased a piece of clothing for the brand or name that made it.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? Lip balm, soaps and sugar scrubs.

Any advice you would give to aspiring entrepreneurs? Do the research first. I know that reading about taxes is very overwhelming, but it is a necessity. Invest the money in your license and business insurance if you are in a business that requires it. Expect to not break even or make a profit for two to three years. After six months, I have almost broken even. However, I never ran into this thinking that I was going to make a profit right at the start.

Also, take the time to do your testing. Make sure that your products are safe to use. For jewelry, check for sharp edges that should be filed down and any loose links that may cause a piece to break. For food and bath & body, the FDA has specific guidelines that we need to follow. Read up on these and be prepared to come forward with your proof of following them. They can and will visit you if time allows.

I have not been investigated by the FDA; however, over the last few months they have been changing how we can label our products as well as product testing. I am not allowed to claim that my products heal or make miracles. I can hint at it, but I cannot come right out and say it ... since it may not be true for all of my customers and in fact, may be unsafe depending on what ingredients are used.

Where can people find your work? My work can be found on Etsy and over at Artfire:
http://nickileigh.etsy.com
http://nickileigh.artfire.com

Anything else? You can find my blog at: http://nickileigh.blogspot.com


We love all of the amazing independent designers out there and we wanted to find out more about what makes these creative types tick. If you do too, check out more of our Indie Designer Interviews.