My Journey to Schere Essentials

My journey to becoming the founder and formulator of Schere Essentials began in 2009, when I decided to loc my hair.

At around the same time, I was becoming more conscious about my health and making an effort to live a cleaner, healthier lifestyle. I started paying closer attention to what I was putting into my body, and that naturally led me to question what I was putting on it as well.

I began to realize that living a healthy lifestyle isn't limited to what we eat. The products we use every day on our skin and hair are also part of the equation. That realization sparked my interest in natural ingredients and in finding better options for everyday personal care.

From Reseller to Formulator

Before Schere Essentials became a business, I was a reseller of skin and hair care products from a supplier in the United States. I liked the range of products and saw the potential in offering them to others.

Eventually, however, the business changed hands, and the quality and professionalism I had come to expect from the original founder were no longer consistent. Rather than walk away from something I believed in, I decided to learn how to make the products myself.

That decision changed everything.

I started researching formulations, studying recipes and reading extensively about ingredients and the experiences of other formulators. I deliberately stayed away from complicated formulations and anything I felt was unnecessary. I wanted to understand how much could be accomplished with simple, quality ingredients.

The first product I formulated was body butter. It had already been a best seller when I was reselling products, so it seemed like the natural place to begin.

It turned out to be the right decision.

The body butter was well received, and as customers began asking for complementary products such as soaps and scrubs, I started researching and developing those formulations as well. I later expanded into men's grooming products after realizing that my original product line didn't offer much specifically for men. That led to the development of products such as beard oil and aftershave.

My interest in hair care eventually brought another area of formulation. As I learned more about shampoos, hair oils and other hair-care products, I began developing formulations to complement the needs of my customers.

Interestingly, I didn't initially think of myself as a “formulator.” It was only several years after launching the business, when I completed an online formulation course, that I realized I had already been doing exactly that. I had been researching, adjusting formulations, testing ideas and creating new products based on specific needs. I simply hadn't given the process a name.

Schere Essentials Becomes a Business

I officially launched Schere Essentials in 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic gave me something I hadn't had before: more time to dedicate to the business. What had previously been a side hustle had reached the point where I felt it was time to take it seriously and build it into a true business.

The name Schere actually came from another business I had established, providing graphic design and printing services along with website development and hosting. I chose Schere Essentials because the name represents the philosophy behind my formulations: using the bare essentials to achieve the best results.

That philosophy remains at the heart of everything I make.

Why I Keep It Simple

I believe that more ingredients don't necessarily mean a better product.

My approach is intentionally simple. I don't use artificial colours or unnecessary additives, and I carefully select the ingredients that go into my formulations. The fragrance oils I use are selected with the same philosophy in mind and are free from parabens, phthalates, Lyral and Lilial.

For me, formulation isn't about putting as many ingredients as possible into a product. It's about understanding what each ingredient contributes and creating a product where every component has a purpose.

That's what “Skin care... naturally!” means to me.

It's a commitment to being conscious about what we put on our bodies and making thoughtful choices about the products we use every day.

A One-Man Business With a Personal Touch

Today, Schere Essentials remains a one-person operation—and I'm proud of that.

I still do it all: researching ingredients, developing and testing formulations, producing the products, packaging them and selling them directly to my customers.

There is always the temptation to create something new. As a formulator, I'm naturally curious about new ingredients, new ideas and new possibilities. But I've made a conscious decision to focus on the products I currently offer and continue making them as well as I can.

That focus is important to me because I want Schere Essentials to be known first and foremost for quality.

My customers are people who are conscious about the products they use and want quality ingredients to support their skin and hair-care journeys. They care about what they're putting on their bodies and, increasingly, about the effect their choices can have on the environment. They are men and women—often 30 and older—who appreciate quality, simplicity and thoughtful product choices.

The Moment That Means the Most

One of my proudest moments doesn't happen when someone buys a product from me.

It happens when I'm attending an event simply as a patron and someone recognizes me.

They'll walk over and say hello, tell me that they know Schere Essentials, and then tell me how much they're enjoying the products.

Those moments remind me that the work is reaching people beyond the table, the market or the transaction. Someone has taken my product home, incorporated it into their life and found value in it.

That's what keeps me going.

I started this journey because I wanted to understand more about what I was putting on my own body. Over time, that curiosity became a craft, the craft became a business, and the business became something that allows me to make a difference in the lives of others.

If I could go back to 2009 and speak to the person who was just beginning that journey, I'd tell him:

“You were right. You are making a difference, and it is being noticed.”

And that's why I continue to make Schere Essentials.

Skin care... naturally!

— Michael Smith
Founder & Formulator, Schere Essentials