Oak Park, Mich. – When Jamesha Bates was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and began missing work, she started researching opportunities to own a business while still having time to care for her two children.
That’s when she created Me’Shea Bath and Body Products. She hand makes the natural and organic bath and body products out of her Oak Park basement.
Today, Jamesha says her biggest seller is the lip balms and soaps. The soaps come in all shapes and sizes, with creative designs.. One of the soaps is called Woodland Elves.
“It smells kind of like pine trees and then you have the little elf in it,” Jamesha describes.
Her company name comes from “Me,” for her nickname “Mesha,” and “Shea” for the shea butter she uses in most of her products.
But it's the name of the some of the scents she offers that really turns a lot of heads at craft shows and other festivals where she sells her products... Names like "monkey farts."
“It’s what they eat; so it’s coconut, strawberry banana, so it’s real fruity,” she explains.
Other unique products with the scents 'Reindeer Poo' and 'Bite Me.'
Jamesha, a mom of two, says the unique names help grow her business.
“Because when somebody walks past my table and sees 'monkey farts' sitting on my table, they’re like, ‘What is that?’” she says. “And they just have to come over and explore it.”
She offers a full line of bath and body products including soaps, bath salts and lotions, many with more traditional scents and names.
For now, Jamesha sells mostly at craft shows and festivals around the state. She also has a website with online sales.
“I would like to grow more, but I’m humble where I’m at right now,” she says. “I do everything myself, so I can only do so much.”
To learn more about Bates and her business, visit mesheabathandbody.com.
