Jenny Crouch, the owner of the Figgy Company and an ultrasound tech by trade,  Jenny Crouch, the owner of the Figgy Company and an ultrasound tech by trade, was living in Tennessee when she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disorder. “I went to see my functional doctor, and he talked about the different things that we use on our bodies,” Crouch explains, “and how anything that comes into contact with our skin can have an effect on our endocrine system.” As a self-proclaimed product junkie, Crouch soon found herself deep in the rabbit hole of clean, natural products she could use without concern.

Moving to Wilmington, North Carolina, Crouch was left without the natural beauty stores and wellness brands that had been accessible to her in Tennessee, which eventually inspired her to start her own clean beauty business in December 2019. Stocked with nontoxic makeup and hair care products, the Figgy Company proved to be an invaluable addition to the Wilmington community. “I look at every product that I bring in and read each ingredient to make sure that there is nothing harmful in anything that I sell, so customers can come in and shop worry free.” Take brands like Ilia for example. Ilia is the most popular brand the Figgy Company sells, that said, its eyeliner contains phenoxyethanol, a preservative that falls in the gray area of what is considered clean ingredients. Consequently, Ilia’s eyeliner is not for sale at the Figgy Company. If there’s a questionable ingredient, Crouch will unquestionably refuse to sell it. Reflecting on her journey, Crouch has this advice for those taking their first steps towards wellness, “It’s all about baby steps; make one change at a time, and before you know it, you are well on your way towards your goals.”