www.saltitudewest.com

Layton, Utah

Founded: 2018

Privately owned

Employees: 1

Industry: Consumer & Lifestyle

Products: Beauty products

Founder Sam Edwards puts her love of her new home in a bottle with a salt-infused haircare product.

When Edwards moved to Utah from England three years ago, she was blown away by its beauty. So much so that she essentially decided to try to share Utah with her friends by putting it in a bottle. With a strong design and marketing background, she was able to do just that.

“Before I had worked with home and kitchen products, just general products,” says Edwards. “But when I moved to Utah and saw all of the amazing scenery and resources, I decided I wanted to manufacture something people would love, that was sustainable, but only by using products from the local area. Everything is from Utah.”

The first product Saltitude West is starting with is Salt Hair Mist. “It repairs hair,” explains Edwards. “The products are all natural, all local, and good for people. People may not fully understand that salt protects and nourishes. It contains minerals that are beneficial to hair by adding softness and body. It increases shine, reduces dandruff, and can absorb sweat from the scalp. It sounds contradictive, but we’ve done our research, and our customers have seen the results.”

With The Great Salt Lake just a few miles from her home, Edwards certainly has a lot of raw material to choose from. But don’t look for her down at the lake, digging up salt.

“We have a supplier in the local area that processes the salt for us,” Edwards says. “[W]e need to ensure that our salt is clean and certified for use in beauty products.”

Finding a supplier was an easy process. “We reached out to a few different companies, did a lot of tests, and found a perfect match for us,” Edwards says. “We are really pleased with the relationship we found.”

Raw materials secured, she looked at packaging. She knew she wanted to utilize recycled materials, and went from there. “I knew what it had to consist of in order to physically survive worldwide shipping. My education was a big advantage.”

Worldwide shipping is not a pipe dream for this brand new company. Salt Hair Mist is already sold on two huge platforms: Walmart.com and Amazon.com.

“We have also been backed by Utah’s Own,” Edwards says. “They feature us on their website and social media accounts, which is fantastic.”

She adds, “The networking opportunities, business help, and friendly people in Utah have been amazing. This is a business-friendly state. I don’t think I could have picked a better place to live and grow a business.”

Edwards hopes to keep sharing her love of Utah in 2019 by potentially adding two new products to her line, utilizing ingredients from Utah.

Challenges: Growth. Edwards launched her Salt Hair Mist in March and is trying to stay ahead of the demand. “It’s so popular. The response we’ve had from people has reinforced everything we believed in,” she says. “It’s fantastic.”

Opportunities: Building up a new brand. Edwards is moving forward to see what else she can create. “What else can we incorporate Utah into?” she says. “I am excited to find out.”

Needs: Talent. In the future, Saltitude West needs a staff. “I’m trying to find the right fit,” says Edwards.

Shares: