Meet Carisa Orlicz of Ursula Naturals

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carisa Orlicz.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Carisa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I”ve always felt extremely fortunate to have been raised by a family that has so greatly valued holistic health. I was taught about essential oils and the medicinal properties of many plants by my German/Polish grandmother at an early age, so most of my products and ideas come from those lessons and others I’ve picked up along the way.

The name “Ursula” belonged to my grandmother’s sister, whom I’ve been told was a strong, beautiful young lady, in love with nature. My grandmother often shared stories of Ursula, and how much I was a reminder of her.

Before I had any real vision of owning a business, I was making some life adjustments and found myself searching for something to keep myself busy and positively focused. Cooking has always been a hobby, so naturally, I started in the kitchen.

I began handing out samples and gifts of handmade body butter, bath bombs, & scrubs to friends and family, and soon was being asked for larger quantities and different types of products. So began my small business.

Ursula Naturals also grew out of my own desire to create something good for my skin, while accommodating my yoga practice and every day, (mostly) chemical-free lifestyle. By day, I am a personal trainer & therapist for a chiropractic clinic.

I’ve found that I have a passion for helping others achieve wellness, and Ursula Naturals ties into this with ease. Much of my “free time” is spent researching oils, plants, and even foraging some of my ingredients during warmer months.

My recipes and scent profiles are inspired by findings in nature, childhood memories, as well as the strong energies surrounding their female namesakes.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Thankfully, there haven’t been too many obstacles along the way for Ursula Naturals. It’s still a pretty young business, though! I’d say my biggest struggle would be staying focused and limiting my experiments & projects.

I find myself excited to try too many new things at once! Juggling my time between jobs, events, and production, especially during busy holiday seasons, is also a challenge. I currently do not employ anyone, so everything from marketing to creating labels and hand making products is done by me.

I’m hoping to grow my business enough to hire help in the (somewhat) near future. This would allow me to accomplish more in production and hopefully spend more time on continuing education, also.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Ursula Naturals story. Tell us more about the business.
Ursula Naturals specializes in handcrafted, small-batch natural bath, body, and skincare goods. Each of my products is made with the highest quality ingredients available and is scented with at least one, if not a blend of pure therapeutic grade essential oils.

I love to customize scent profiles to meet customers’ needs, and often, I end up making their blends available to everyone. I try to focus on what will benefit my customer the most, and sort of tweak things to fit what they like in a scent, texture, bath bomb color, etc….

Do they want something calming, uplifting, full of florals? Turning my products “their” products is important to me. I also make sure I have fun with each and every item I turn out! I’ve been known to sometimes hand paint bath bombs into cartoon characters, superheroes, holiday themes, mandalas, and more!

I’m always posting them on social media and I’m open to creating something unique and special for anyone!

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Thomas Jefferson is quoted as saying, “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” Although I’m not really a believer in “luck”, I do acknowledge that I am very fortunate.

My family and friends have been a wonderful support system, offering up encouragement, fresh inspiration, and ideas, as well as feedback on my products. I’m also grateful for the resources that are available to me.

I guess I could say I’m lucky to have the determination and skill to utilize all of this and make something good of it that everyone can benefit from!

Pricing:

• Visit ursulanaturals.com and use code VOYAGE15 at checkout to receive 15% off your 1st order!

Contact Info:

• Address: Sugar Grove, IL
• Website: ursulanaturals.com
• Phone: (630) 670-1794
• Email: ursulanaturals@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ursulanaturals
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ursulanaturals
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ursulanaturals
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ursulanaturals

Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.