The Bona Dea Naturals Story

Hi! My name is Jessica and I'm the owner of Bona Dea Naturals. I wanted to share a little about who I am and the evolution of my shop so far. 

I first started Bona Dea Naturals in March 2016. I had struggled with vaginal infections my entire life and traditional pharmaceuticals often made little difference. I really wanted to find something that actually worked to lessen my issues without having to take regular medications. I had heard that some essential oils had antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, so I began reading university and medical studies on essential oils, to determine if there was really science to back up these claims.  

From this initial research, I began experimenting with different recipes, using the essential oils that seemed to perform best in studies. I had to also do general research about formulation. You see, my career background has nothing to do with health or formulation! I've worked in education and nonprofits my entire life so I had never done medical research or explored making my own natural health and beauty product.

After months of trial and error, I felt I had finalized my recipe. For someone who constantly had yeast infections with embarrassing discharge and also a pretty regular itch, a couple pumps of this spray on a pantyliner each morning meant I was completely discharge and itch-free all day! This actually surpassed my own hopes! I shared it with some friends who I knew also suffered from similar feminine issues and they reported similar results. A few suggested I try selling it but I initially brushed this idea off. I mean, I've never owned a business. What did I know about selling products online?

But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if my spray could also help other women. I realized I likely wasn't the only woman who had been routinely let down by what pharmaceutical companies offered. So I worked with a friend who was a graphic designer and she created a label for my bottle, as well as a logo and business cards. I opened my little Etsy shop and waited to see if I'd get any sales. 

It took a week before I sold my first bottle. But that first sale was so exciting! And eventually sales begin to increase, a few more sales each week. 

Those first few months (actually, the first whole year and a half) were exhausting. I was trying to do all things you have to do to start a business (bookkeeping, registering for a license, paying taxes, marketing, etc etc etc), keep up with orders, AND still work my regular full-time job. There were a lot of hurdles, a lot of things I had to figure out from doing it the wrong way first.  

But the reviews and stories women would share were inspiring. I really felt like I was making a difference and I was gratified to know that my little product was helping so many. 

I eventually expanded to Amazon, listing my feminine spray in October 2017. Since then, I've sold over 100,000 bottles, have over 7,000 5-star reviews, and now sell on Amazon in Canada, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, and Belgium. I also sell on Walmart.com. 

I still work a full-time job but this business has made a difference in my family's life and it's helping build its future. No matter how frustrated I may get by the long hours (I'm currently sitting in a coffee shop on a Tuesday night; my nights and weekends belong to the business!), I know it's worth it because of the feedback I get from so many. 

I really do want to offer a great, quality product and exceptional customer service. If you ever felt you didn't receive either, please let me know. 

Thank you for supporting Bona Dea Naturals. Please feel free to reach out to me anytime!

Jessica 

Owner

Bona Dea Naturals