It was late june of 2013 that founder kristina kochan wingrove decided she needed to do something about the chemical-ridden lip balm she was using daily. She tried many of the all natural options at her local supermarket, but couldn't find one that fit all of her preferences: smooth application, all natural ingredients, and stylish packaging. Feeling a little like goldie locks (too weird of a flavor, too waxy, not easy to apply, etc.), kristina began experimenting with her own recipe. In a whirlwind of chemistry and attention to detail (that's almost redundant), she came up with what was, in her mind, the perfect recipe. She tested them on her friends and family. The positive feedback was too exciting to ignore. Within weeks, she added more flavors to her line-up and decided to launch an etsy shop under the brand name, "Homegrown" with eight naturally flavored lip balms. The business, however, was slow to start and the learning curve was steep. In september 2013, kristina realized that her brand was going in a direction she wasn't passionate about, but she wasn’t ready to give up. One month later, she launched her candle line. While it was small, the demand became overwhelming so focus shifted on building a larger line. Within 2 weeks of the launch, she landed her first retailer and a week after that, her second. Using her creative side and Fashion Merchandising degree, she continues to try to find innovative ways to appeal to customers and retailers alike.