Erica Patterson intends for her newly relaunched brand, Blended, to stand out in an increasingly crowded body care category.
“I wanted to create the most advanced version of these products featuring new ingredients such as shea nilotica, which is East African shea butter compared to the popular West African shea butter we see in many products right now,” she says. “However, I also wanted the formulations to have actives that were clinically proven to be effective such as licorice root. It was important for me to blend culture with science.”
Blended’s merchandise collection includes $32 Speckle Spot Body Butter, a product designed to address dark spots from acne and eczema-related scratching, $21 Decompress: Destress Roll-On, a stress-relieving scent mix of peppermint, eucalyptus and cedarwood, and $30 Slick Hydrating Body Treatment, a body oil mist for dry, chapped and inflamed skin. Blended incorporates ingredients from Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.
Patterson’s journey in therapy has been important to her. Self-care has been critical to it and is interwoven in Blended. The brand features functional fragrances chosen to help customers unwind and boost their mood. Patterson says she asked herself, “How can I make these products not just active for the body, but also active for the mind?”
Launched in 2020, Blended’s earlier iteration looked very different from what the brand looks like today. Patterson poured $5,000 from her personal savings into introducing the brand with a hair serum, room sprays, matcha, face oil, candle and the original versions of Speckle, Slick and Decompress, but she quickly realized that the numerous product options overwhelmed consumers and decided to narrow the selection.
Patterson says, “I did a classic 80/20. I looked at which products were generating 80% of the revenue and then looked at how I make these products something you can connect with, something you would want to add to your routine, and I started the reformulation.”
Positioning Blended in a body care category that the beauty industry has been elevating from a commodity category, the rebranding was propelled by a $25,000 Home For Dreams grant Blended won from bedding and bath company Parachute Home. Along with the grant, Patterson received mentorship from founder Ariel Kaye and participated in a self-care pop-up tour that took it through Chicago, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Boston and Washington D.C. Parachute Home spotlighted Blended on its social media accounts and in its newsletters.
The grant money went toward Blended’s marketing. The brand’s marketing efforts at the moment are focused on building its community via social media, influencer partnerships and direct mail. Soon, it expects to branch out to public relations and hire an influencer marketing and social media manager.
Patterson foresees Blended’s growth happening in three phases. The brand is currently in the first phase dedicated to growing e-commerce and awareness. The second phase will mark Blended entering a major retailer. Last month, the brand launched at beauty e-tail and retail destination Amp Beauty LA. The third phase involves opening physical locations.
Blended’s products can be used by all skin tones, but Patterson developed them for melanated skin in particular. The brand initiated digital campaign #fiftyshadesofbrown a few months ago. Patterson says the campaign shows “that we created our products with shades of brown skin tones first in mind.” Blended’s most recent campaign, #slickedup, has a nostalgic, 1970s-era feel. Patterson says, “The ‘70s is when we saw self-care and the liberation of our bodies begin and start to take hold.”
Blended and its campaigns serve a bigger purpose. Specifically directed at people who are part of the African diaspora, they aim to dismantle the idea that everything else should come before their needs. “I’ve always been told, you have to do things for your family or you have to do this because you have to do it, there are no questions asked,” says Patterson. “I want to really break that idea of you can’t put yourself first. You actually do deserve to put yourself first, and self care is really beneficial not just for your outward appearance, but also for your mental sanity.”
To spread the self-care message, Patterson hosts the podcast “Soft Life Sunday.” It delves into various self-care practices. One episode, for instance, is on power of redoing your closet. Patterson says, “That is something none of us think to do, but it could definitely give you a mental piece that your closet is in order, you’re building out the fashion that you want to dress in, and you’re showing up as a person you want to be.”
