We were so thrilled to hear that we were selected as a 2014 finalist for the Martha Stewart American Made Awards so we had to share the news!

The American Made awards spotlights the maker, supports the local, and celebrates the handmade.  Since Aromi is 100% handmade and made in America, we're particularly excited to be selected as a finalist.  Voting is now open to the public and we would be honored to have your vote.  Please vote for us here!  Voting runs through October 13, 2014 and you can vote six times per day.

Read more about our nomination here otherwise a copy of our nomination is listed below.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.

As a chemist by trade, I started Aromi to fulfill my desire to create my own cosmetic and fragrance formulations. Aromi is the accumulation of my love of science and my love of beauty products. The company originally started out as a hobby and quickly developed into a huge passion of mine. As I started wearing some of my concoctions, my friends and family began asking if I could create cosmetics for them. As a result, Aromi was born shortly thereafter, and I was soon selling my products online at www.aromibeauty.com and in boutiques across the country. All of the Aromi products are formulated by me in my laboratory, and I take pride in using the finest, highest-quality, vegan, and cruelty-free raw materials. Each and every product is handcrafted and each batch is compounded from scratch, mixed, and poured by hand. The Aromi line includes a line of cosmetics, perfumes, and colognes.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORKSPACE, SHOP, OR STUDIO.

All of the products I create for Aromi are formulated, compounded, produced, labeled, boxed, and shipped from my laboratory. I moved Aromi into a dedicated production and laboratory space a few years ago and have been there ever since. My current workspace is actually a former hair salon that I converted into a chemistry laboratory. The Aromi lab is equipped with all the modern tools required to produce professional, high-quality cosmetics and fragrances from start to finish. I use only laboratory-grade scales, mixers, glassware, and other tools to create all the products. Because of my chemistry background, I decided to incorporate all the elements that are traditionally found in a standard cosmetic chemistry lab into my lab. There are five main areas in my laboratory. There is a product development area where I work on new formulas, a production space where I actually create products, a mini-warehouse to store inventory, a shipping and packing bench, and my office.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

I am inspired by the way makeup makes people feel and the way it can completely transform how a person looks and feels about themselves in a positive way. By creating cosmetics, fragrances, and beauty products, I want to provide women with the tools to look and feel their best. I want women to feel confident by wearing products that I create. I believe cosmetics can be used artistically and to boost self-esteem, confidence, and well-being. Makeup has personally helped me feel more confident about myself, and I strive to be able to provide products to help other feel the same way. Hearing that a customer felt great while wearing my product is truly what keeps me going and what inspires me to keep creating and making cosmetics and fragrances.

WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT?

My business stands out because all the products are formulated using my chemistry and biology background as well as a decade of experience in formulation chemistry. Most cosmetic companies do not formulate or manufacture their own products. Rather, they private label from other companies or manufacturers develop their formulas. Other cosmetic companies also outsource their actual manufacturing, which leaves the sourcing of raw materials and components up to the manufacturer. Aromi is an incredibly unique company because absolutely everything is handled internally, from the product development to manufacturing. I also have the skills and qualifications to formulate a professional cosmetic and fragrance product based on my work experience as a formulation chemist and because of my education. Using my background, I am able to formulate high-quality and high-performance products that that meet all of the FDA requirements for ingredients, products, and even labeling.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE AN ASPIRING CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR?

My advice would be really simple but vitally important. I would tell any aspiring entrepreneur to make sure to go into something they’re truly passionate about. I am a firm believer of pursuing something you love. Any aspiring entrepreneur should really think about what they like to do in their spare time and somehow incorporate that into their work. I've found that it is important to love what you do because being an entrepreneur means a lot of long days and a lot of hard work. Because there will inevitably be ups and downs, it is my passion for science and cosmetics that really keep me going during the tough times. Above all else, working on something you truly love and being an entrepreneur is challenging but incredibly rewarding at the same time. My personal motto that I say to myself each day is to be passionate, love what I do, and work hard.

WHAT DOES AMERICAN MADE MEAN TO YOU?

American made means going back to the way things “used to be” when people made things with their hands, goods were made in America, and products were crafted instead of manufactured. Whenever I think about American made, I think about my grandparents, who have always made so many different things by hand and grew and raised their own food. Creating things by hand has always been a part of my life, whether it was my father crafting something out of a piece of wood or my grandmother making rugs on her loom. Because I’ve always been around people that enjoyed making things by hand, I believe that is where I got the desire to have a company that offers handmade products that are made in America. American made is particularly important to me and my business because everything I create and sell is created in my lab in Minnesota. Aromi products are and will continue to be the true definition of American-made products.