Community Highlights: Meet Hillary Tijerina of Merigold

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hillary Tijerina.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Oh wow, I always describe my journey to Merigold as following a lot of swerves in my life. I am a nurse, and one thing that I saw time and time again when I was working in the hospital is how often women primarily don’t take care of themselves. I’m not saying this experience is limited to women but it was something that I witnessed in myself and the other nurses that I worked with. It seemed that those who were caretakers…would care for others so much better and more deeply than themselves. So during a late-night talk with my husband about how burnt out, I was from nursing, I ended up taking the step to go to culinary school just out of sure passion to become a natural food chef. I didn’t do this because I was thinking I would start another career…I just loved to cook (I’m gluten-free) and wanted to attend a school where I could eat what I made so I decided to go a more holistic route. That swerve led me to go back to school again for nutrition (again thinking it was just a passion) which then led me to start working with some individual nutrition clients, which led me to start making some skincare products (your skin is an organ and what you put in and on your body matters), which then led me to swerve to go back to school for formulation…which was the birth place -if you will to Merigold. My goal and mission with Merigold has been to create clean, mindful skincare that empowers women to pause. A lot of us already wash our face…so why not add some intention and mindfulness to our routines. Wellness isn’t something drastic that you do…it’s all the little choices. The little moments of pause, the little swaps from traditional skincare products to cleaner ones that add up.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’m not sure there is such a thing..haha. No, starting your own business is anything but smooth. There are so many bumps and obstacles along the way. But I always tell myself “everything is figure-out-able” even if I can’t figure it out…I probably know someone who can. For me owning my own business was a 180. I went from working as a nurse where we follow our policy and procedures…to the wild west of small business. There are no rules, no one size fits all, and no handbook, what worked for someone else might not work for you. So I think just that along was a hard lesson. Initially, I think I would listen to other people’s opinions a lot more than stopping and wrestling with what I wanted to do, or thought was right. I think it was a lesson in learning to trust myself. Which was hard…since I hadn’t done any of this before. But I’ve found if someone promises you something in business….or if it seems too good to be turn…stick with your gut. You have to take some risks but other people are more willing to risk all your hard work (or money) and the ‘guarantee’ isn’t actually a guarantee.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Merigold offers clean, mindful skincare that is good for your body and good for you. Our hero products are our powdered facial masks that you activate yourself simply by adding water or if you really want to set out of the box (and aren’t vegan) mix with honey. Currently, we have twelve different types of masks that are all unique and support all different types of skin types. We also have our line of oils, where we offer a day oil our Hydrate and Glow, cleansing oil Revive and Restore, and our night serum the Night Nourisher (which is my husband’s favorite).

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Run your own race. It may sound simple and perhaps a bit mundane, but it’s crucial. When you start out, it’s easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing. For me, this led to losing my sense of self and my unique voice. I’d end up talking myself out of things or quickly falling into the comparison trap. However, I’ve learned that by keeping my head down and focusing on my own journey, I can stay true to myself. This approach not only makes things easier for me but also allows me to genuinely celebrate and cheer for others without comparing or feeling insignificant.

Pricing:

• $18 (bath soaks)
• $24 (facial masks)
• $36 (hand soap/body wash)
• $39 (cleansing oil)
• $79 (facial oils)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://merigold.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/merigold.co/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/merigold.co