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Coffee Talk with Everyday Oil Founder, Emma Allen

By Darby • May 13, 2022

If you haven’t tried Everyday Oil yet, then you’re missing out on the best thing you can ever do for your skin (besides drinking lots of water and applying sunscreen)! Based in Black Mountain, Everyday Oil is made using the absolute best organic and wild-harvested botanical oils, and is uniquely balancing, hydrating, cleansing, and nourishing for all skin types.

Woman in a black jumper with white tee on. Sitting in a chair and looking over her shoulder while smiling.
Emma Allen

The founder of Everyday Oil, Emma Allen, is an amazing woman with a calming presence about her who is willing to share the wisdom she’s gained from building her own business with others in the community who are doing the same. We were thrilled when she agreed to be highlighted for May’s Coffee Talk with Darby! So, without further ado, we’ll let Emma take the floor (or the blog).

What’s your birth sign and do you think it fits your personality?

I am a Taurus Sun, Cancer/Gemini Rising, and Virgo Moon, and I do think it fits me quite well! I can’t say I fully understand how the planets are affecting our personalities but it’s intriguing.

You have an AH-MAZING all-natural company right here in Western NC, called Everyday Oil. Can you share with our readers why you started Everyday Oil?

THANK YOU!!! I honestly started Everyday Oil because I wanted it to exist so I could use it! I made it for myself and after spending a few years trying to get it perfect, I realized it was really something I should try to share 🙂 

Emma and Jackson Allen working in Everyday Oil booth
Emma and her brother Jackson Allen

For those who aren’t familiar with Everyday Oil, can you highlight what makes it so unique and why they should add it to their skincare routine right away?

Sure! Everyday Oil is all-purpose organic skincare. It’s a mixture of plant oils that are uniquely cleansing and hydrating, nourishing and supportive. You can use it on your face, body, and hair, and put it on your friends, partner, grandma, children – everyone! If you are a minimalist but want to take great care of your skin while only using the safest, most pure ingredients, Everyday Oil is for you.

A few of us at Darby recently got hooked on Everyday Oil and can’t stop telling everyone about it! The fact you can use it for pretty much everything from skin to hair makes it an ideal traveling companion. How long did it take you to develop such a perfect skincare product and do you have plans to expand the line?

That makes me so happy! Thank you! It took me a few years, honestly. That is something that I realized is missing in a lot of companies that make five new products a year – it really takes a lot of time to create something magical that works! Or maybe that’s just me, haha. I am definitely a perfectionist and want all of the elements to come together just so. Yes, we have plans to expand the line, in the same vein – carefully and only with things that are necessary and just perfect 🙂 

Woman sitting in a booth smiling with her hand over her mouth.

We read that you used to be a vintage buyer in the textile industry. This sounds like an amazing job. What is one of the most amazing vintage pieces you found/saw during your time there?

It really was! I saw so many things – one thing that I always remember was a Lakota dress with these special shells sewn on – that were used as currency at one time. There were also really amazing Victorian pieces and a lot of incredible designer pieces as well. My favorite thing was to go through the huge stack of vintage t-shirts every day. I wish that I had documented that time better. 

Your staff at Everyday Oil has been with you since the beginning (or joined as you grew) with very minimal turnover. What makes working at Everyday Oil so special, and how do you keep employees engaged and seeing a path for growth within the company?

Yes, we haven’t had a full-time employee leave yet, which is kind of wild. We are such a young company that providing paths for growth hasn’t been difficult. It has been so cool and inspiring to see everyone find their place and grow in their roles as the company grows. Luckily everyone is pretty different, so people have really moved in the direction of their innate skillsets. I have mostly just tried not to stand in the way of that and to trust people to grow and take on more responsibility. Aside from that, I try to create a company environment that respects everyone as human beings and equals and to create policies from that place. Unfortunately, the standards for workplaces in the U.S. are not a solid reference point for making decisions. I think what makes Everyday Oil so special is really the people here – there is a lot to contend with in a small business, but thankfully we laugh a lot and it’s good vibes all around. I think good energy is contagious and there is lots of it here, THANK GOODNESS!!

Group shot of the Everyday Oil team and two people are holding their dogs
The Everyday Oil Team

What’s your favorite thing to do in Asheville when you’re not working?

My favorite thing to do is go for a swim in a lake or river, or be outside with friends and a fire.

Your team page seems to have a lot of staff pictures with farm animals. Coincidence or photoshoot prop? 

Thank you for asking this very important question! It started as a coincidence and has become tradition, haha.

What song/artist is on replay for you right now? 

I have been listening to Helado Negro! I heard he moved to Ashevillle!

Best place for brunch in Black Mountain or Asheville? 

Abejas is my favorite brunch spot! It’s a family-run business and you can order chilaquiles and perfect GF blueberry pancakes – what could be more perfect? 

Woman in a black jumper with white tee on. Standing next to a rack of containers of bottles.

Favorite thing to do to recharge?

You can usually find me in the bath when I need to recharge, which is a lot of the time, haha.

Are you into podcasts? If so, what podcast should we check out that you’ve been into recently? If not podcasts, what book are you reading right now? 

I have been addicted to the Murdaugh Murders podcast, which is exposing a LOT of corruption in the SC judicial system and some wild events down there. And I just started a book called “When Women Were Birds.” I can’t speak to whether it’s good yet!

If you could share anything with your 16-year-old self, what would it be?  

That the most important thing is to love yourself, support your friends by really being the friend you wish you had, chill out, and have fun.

What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you? 

Maybe it’s that I have a dark sense of humor.

Find Everyday Oil online at:

www.everydayoil.com

Instagram: @everyday_oil

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