Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaimir Berrios Rodriguez.
Shaimir, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have always love art, all kinds of art, specially painting and pottery. I started drawing and painting when I was 15 years old, then explored different forms of plastic arts. I took my first soap making class when I was about 17 years old, but never really focused on it. It wasn’t until I was about 25 that I discovered both henna and soapmaking from scratch. Both henna and soapmaking are a wonderful and beautiful art form. I make both the henna paste and soaps from scratch with natural ingredients. Is my way of expressing so many feelings. Right now, I’m a Speech and Language Pathologist full time and a henna artist and soap artist part-time. Hopefully, soon I can focus on my soap business full time.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has been smooth most of the time, but like everything it has been a struggle in some occasions. I use to go to festivals or events and come out with negative because people don’t think my work is worthy. Yet most of my clients keep coming back, clients who really appreciate and understand the quality of my work.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
As I mentioned before, I have two companies really, technically 3. In my soap business called Habonica I make soaps from scratch which are called cold process soaps, all of them are made with clays, herbs, oils and butters that work wonders for the skin. And in my henna company called Henna by Shaimir, I make henna and jagua from scratch. The henna paste is made from a plant called henna or lawsonia inermis. I use the powder of the plant and mix it with water essential oils and sugars to create the paste. But I also make jagua gel which comes from the fruit “jagua” in which I squeeze out the juice and mix it with essential oils and a natural emulsifier to turn it into a gel which makes a blue temporary tattoo. To make the jagua gel is a very hard process, the tree is very high so I have to find someone to get them, then peel them(the fruit is very hard) and make the juice, then turn into gel. I was actually the first one(and I think the only one) in Puerto Rico(my country) to make that gel from scratch since is a fruit that is not very common anymore, specially after Hurricane Maria.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Definitely, that’s the beauty of Miami. There’s so many people with so many different backgrounds and tastes. I would totally recommend it.
Pricing:
- Natural soaps $7-$9
- Henna/Jagua designs $10 and up
Contact Info:
- Website: www.habonica.com (coming February 2020)
- Phone: (305)305-1466
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/habonica
- Other: www.instagram.com/hennabyshaimir
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