Jael, LLC is an effective and healthy personal care line with ingredients derived from nature. Created by four sisters and their mom, Jael makes high-quality shea butter products with love and care.
They source some of the finest raw ingredients from the four corners of the globe.
Sisters Jerilyn Lewis, Janet Lewis, Jeana Lewis, Judy Lewis and their mother, Grova Lewis, created the brand back in 2013.
RELATED: Minority Business Highlight: Touching Hearts Home Care
“It took a lot of trial and error. I’ve always been interested in making natural products. Our skin absorbs everything we put on it. Back then, shea butter wasn’t as easily accessible. I had to wait for expo or African vendors to come around,” said Judy Lewis, the youngest sister and product creator.
“I created a butter that can be a cream to easily go on the skin cause shea butter by itself is rough.”
Minority Business Highlight: Jael
The licensed esthetician was making her own products long before launching the business with her family.
Her family calls her the architect of the product, mixer and kitchen chemist.
Their mom, Grova, was a microbiologist for years and knew about the type of chemicals to avoid.
Jeana Lewis suggested they start a business together.
“She has always been the naturalist and herbalist. She did a lot of research, and a lot of products out there have harmful ingredients. Mom and Judy were essentially just giving it away for free to people, and I said we should sell it,” said Jeana Lewis who takes care of the graphic designs and media for the company.
“Starting a business with family wasn’t hard because we were always together anyway.”
Jerilyn Lewis takes care of the business and financial side of Jael and said they create the highest standards possible with their natural and chemical-free products.
They will not make anything that they do not use themselves or would not put on their children or give to their friends.
The products contain oils often not used in America including kukui oil and African violet oil.
“It’s been about 15 years since we’ve been making this product, so we have proven the concept, and we have a great customer base locally and, actually, we’ve never had a complaint,” said Jarilyn Lewis.
Janet Lewis fills in everywhere to help her sisters with the business and uses her math skills to bring efficiency to the process.
They look forward to scaling their business to a national brand.
This minority business highlight was composed by Jade Jackson at the Indianapolis Recorder, who can be reached at (317) 762-7853 or via email at JadeJ@IndyRecorder.com.
If you would like your business highlighted in the Indianapolis Minority Business Magazine, click here!
