Essex Skin Care owner Patricia Essex is seen Tuesday in her new showroom, office and distribution center at 125 W. 3rd St. in downtown Tama. News-Herald photos/John Speer

Skin care products – a retail outlet for the Essex brand, as well as an order and distribution center – is now all happening at 125 West 3rd in downtown Tama. The lotions and creams for the skin are not the ordinary variety according to co-owner Patricia Essex.

“Your skin matters” is the Essex slogan and keeping the price affordable is an important aim, Patricia says is the focus of familiarizing consumers with their products. A fleur de lis motif graces the product containers.

Developed by her daughter, Isabelle and herself over a period of some 10 years, their skin care products are “as natural as we can keep it,” Essex says.

The birth of their Essex brand came from treating the severe psoriasis Isabelle suffered from.

The resulting lotion and other items contain essential oils and is gluten free, Patricia says. Shea butter is another ingredient which “promotes healing” Patricia says.

Glycerin is also a part of the formula. Patricia says many manufacturers have extracted glycerin from their products and, in turn sell it to the military for the production of hydro-glycerin.

Their Essex products are also “as preservative free as possible,” Patricia says. However, she notes they must contain a certain amount of chemical to prevent spoilage.

There’s a selection of natural bar soaps which are made from the same ingredients. “We want to promote a return to a return to soap,” Patricia says and is an effort to avoid “mass-produced” products.

All of the Essex line is made in a Denver, Colo., laboratory. A group of women in Denver then package the goods and they are then brought to Tama for distribution.

Much of the business prior to opening of the showroom and office in downtown Tama has consisted of internet sales and Isabelle’s business in Florida.

There, she has developed a house party business to sell the products.

The Essex line also offers household room spritz and soy candles.

“We’ve been profitable since 2015,” Patricia, who has a background as a financial director, says.

The mother-daughter team have a goal of getting their products carried in department stores, skin care and possibly beauty salons.

With the concept of “making one dollar a sale” and selling more items they hope to achieve their goal of continuing to keep the Essex products available to everyone at affordable prices, Patricia says.

Patricia Essex recently relocated to Tama to be near her son’s family.

“It;s a great place,” she says of the Tama area. She says their business pan is to expand more in the future.