About Harley James Baby

After being in the beauty business for over nine years, Jessica thought she had seen, tried, and tested it all! But, after landing a job working in product development for a cosmetics manufacturer, she got a different side of beauty products. Two days after starting this dream job, after working in chemicals all day and playing with "lotion" that wasn't quite "lotion" yet, she got sick. Bumpy, scratchy, can't breathe sick. She had rashes all over her body. The minute she walked into the building in the morning she couldn't breathe. Friday afternoon until Monday morning, mysteriously, everything was perfectly well.

After a stint in the hospital, the doctor asked Jessica what she did for a living. As soon as he found out where she worked, and with that "ah ha!" sort of look on his face, he said she was slowly poisoning herself by working with these materials and chemicals. She was working at a job that manufactured some of the top names in hair, skin, and body care. Stuff that is on your shelf, her shelf, and her 7 year old niece's shelf, too. Diagnosed with allergies at 6 and asthma at 19, she started putting two and two together.

So, she kicked the hives, scratchy throat, and misery to the curb, and started thinking about all of the gross chemicals and toxins she was putting into her system (and into the environment!) as her fruity shampoo washed down the drain. She decided she wanted nothing to do with the chemicals, plastics, and nasty preservatives. Just thinking about it was enough to make her start itching again!

Soon after, she started to think that if these chemicals in products were bad for adults, you can imagine what they were doing to babies and children.   Jessica started to research the good and bad side of the cosmetics and personal care industries. As a "pre-mom" who at some point would start having her own little ones, she was amazed at all of the "un-natural" products that we are slathering on our little ones. There are lines out there that claim to be natural and they aren't. So many products claim to be good but really they are, well... not so much! Thus, the idea for Harley James Baby was born!

About the Creator

Obsessed with the beauty business from a young age, Jessica wanted to bridge natural, healthy personal care products with an emphasis on charity and the environment. The idea for Harley James Baby came pretty easily, but doing the research for it was quite another thing! One scientist said this, one doctor said that! This caused cancer, this didn't! It was enough to pull your hair out! When all was said and done, Jessica decided to put out a baby line that was simply...well, simple! No harsh chemicals, no unnatural preservatives, and certainly nothing with gross chemicals that people couldn't pronounce. Jessica worked hard and long to put out a great line, a line that also gave back to children, the community, and the environment that needs protecting. What started out as slightly complicated became pretty simple, and with much love and passion, simply wonderful.

She lives a borderline "obsessive" green existence in Los Angeles with her extremely patient husband and their 3 rescued animals. She has turned their entire home into a "green" mecca but has promised not to change the toilet paper! Jessica is currently working on launching the rest of the baby line and on her new green line for adults.

In February 2009, Jessica had the honor of being named one of Pasadena Magazine's 40 under 40 to watch for her effort's in entrepreneurship and philanthropy. She is super involved with many organizations and charities that help children, women, animals and the environment. She is also a frequent guest speaker educating people on the importance of being green.