Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamecia Smith.
Hi Jamecia , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey is a testimony of God’s grace, mercy, and restoration.
For many years, I struggled with insecurity, depression, and not knowing my true worth. It showed in the way I lived my life. I found myself caught up in drinking, smoking, partying every weekend, and making irresponsible decisions. Eventually, I reached a place where I didn’t care whether I lived or died—I was simply existing, not truly living.
As a result, I was evicted from my apartment, my car was repossessed, and I became so depressed that I stopped showing up for work. I lost a significant amount of weight and spent most of my days sleeping. During one of the darkest seasons of my life, God used my mother, Kimberly March, to help nurture me back to health and remind me that I still had purpose.
After getting back on my feet, I began working at Amazon, where I met my son’s father. At 25 years old, I gave birth to my son, and becoming a mother changed everything. Looking into his eyes made me realize that I wanted to become the example I never had. I didn’t want him to experience the pain and struggles I had endured. I made the decision to leave behind my old lifestyle—no more drinking, smoking, or partying—and I began searching for God.
Before I ever stepped foot into a church, God had already begun leading me. I started watching sermons from an Apostolic Pentecostal church on Facebook without realizing that it would soon become my church home. Around that same time, I repeatedly came across a testimony shared on Facebook by a woman I had once known, Thomastine Richardson. I kept scrolling past it, but the Lord would not let me ignore it. When I finally watched her testimony, everything changed.
God used that moment to reconnect us. Thomastine invited me to church, and to my amazement, it was the very church whose sermons God had already been leading me to watch online. I attended a women’s Bible study, and I immediately knew I was exactly where God wanted me to be.
Soon afterward, Thomastine asked if I wanted to be baptized, and I gladly said yes. However, the day before my baptism, the enemy seemed determined to stop me. My car broke down in the middle of a busy road with my four-month-old son in the backseat. By Sunday morning, I was discouraged and embarrassed, so I stayed home and watched the service online. During the service, they called my name to be baptized, but I wasn’t there.
Thomastine called to check on me, and when I explained what had happened, the church immediately offered to come pick me up. At first, I refused because I was embarrassed. Then I heard the Lord speak clearly to my heart: “It’s now or never.” I got dressed, gathered my son, and went.
Even though the service had already ended, God had ordained that moment just for me. That day, I was baptized in Jesus’ name and filled with the Holy Ghost. It remains one of the most beautiful and life-changing experiences of my life.
During my pregnancy with my son, I became very ill and was unable to work. During that difficult season, God blessed me with the vision to start a business. I originally named it Trees of Righteousness, but I was trying to sell everything instead of following the specific direction God had given me. After nearly two years, I became pregnant with my first daughter and stepped away from the business altogether. I felt discouraged, but God continually used Thomastine and several other faithful believers to encourage me not to give up.
After the birth of my second daughter, I found myself in prayer, asking God what He truly wanted me to do with my life. I realized I was unorganized, unfulfilled, and not operating in the purpose He had originally given me. During that time, God reminded me that His original vision for me was to create products that would help care for His people through natural skincare and haircare.
In obedience to His direction, I completely rebranded my business and launched Beauty for Ashes, a faith-based skincare and haircare company inspired by Isaiah 61:3. Today, I create natural products designed to support individuals dealing with concerns such as dermatitis, alopecia, eczema, and other skin and scalp conditions, while sharing the hope and healing found in Christ.
Looking back, I can clearly see that every setback was preparing me for the purpose God had planned all along. My story is proof that no matter how broken life may seem, God is able to restore, redeem, and transform ashes into beauty.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road, but I believe that every obstacle has become part of my testimony.
During my pregnancy with my youngest daughter, I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease that brought unexpected physical and emotional challenges. Around the same time, two of my children were diagnosed with autism—my son with Level 3 Autism Spectrum Disorder and my daughter with Level 2 Autism Spectrum Disorder. Learning to navigate my own health while advocating for my children’s unique needs required tremendous faith, patience, and perseverance.
I also faced significant financial hardships while trying to build my business. There were moments when I questioned myself and lacked confidence in the products I was creating because I understood the responsibility that comes with developing skincare and haircare products for others. I wanted to ensure that everything I offered was made with care, integrity, and purpose.
As a single mother of three young children, attending vendor fairs and growing my business presented its own set of challenges. Balancing motherhood, entrepreneurship, doctor’s appointments, therapies, and everyday responsibilities was often overwhelming. At times, I also experienced the discouragement that comes from being judged as a single mother.
Despite these challenges, God has remained faithful through every season. Each setback strengthened my faith, refined my character, and reminded me that my purpose is greater than my circumstances. Today, I continue to serve the Lord while using Beauty for Ashes as a ministry as much as a business—serving my community with compassion, encouraging others through my testimony, and creating products with the hope of bringing comfort, confidence, and care to those who need them.
Every trial has become another reminder that God truly can turn our tests into testimonies.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
At the heart of everything I do is my faith in Jesus Christ. Beauty for Ashes is more than a skincare and haircare brand—it is a faith-based ministry with a mission to restore confidence, encourage hope, and remind people that true beauty begins with God’s love.
I specialize in thoughtfully formulating natural skincare and haircare products, including nourishing hair oils, restorative hair butters, body care, and skincare designed to support concerns such as alopecia, seborrheic dermatitis, eczema, acne-prone skin, dryness, and overall skin health. Every product is created with careful research, quality ingredients, and a genuine desire to serve others.
My personal experiences have played a significant role in shaping my business. Living with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) has allowed me to understand firsthand the emotional and physical effects of hair loss, while my daughter’s experience with seborrheic dermatitis inspired me to learn more about caring for sensitive skin and scalp conditions. These experiences motivated me to study the needs behind these concerns so I could create products that offer comfort and support.
What sets Beauty for Ashes apart is that every product is created with purpose. I incorporate Scripture, biblical encouragement, and real-life testimonies throughout my brand because I want every customer to leave with more than just a quality product—I want them to leave encouraged, valued, and reminded that God is able to bring beauty from life’s ashes.
The accomplishment I am most proud of is building a business that reflects my faith while serving my community with integrity, compassion, and excellence. As my business continues to grow, I look forward to expanding my product offerings, educating my customers, and creating even more opportunities to personally connect with the people I have the privilege of serving.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t believe in luck—I believe in Jesus Christ, faith, obedience, and perseverance.
Throughout my life and business journey, I’ve learned that growth doesn’t come from chance; it comes from trusting God through every season and being willing to learn through trial and error. Every mistake has been an opportunity to grow, improve, and become a better business owner. I believe that if you’re afraid to fail, you’ll never give yourself the opportunity to learn.
There have been many moments that looked like setbacks, but God used each one to strengthen my faith, refine my character, and prepare me for the purpose He has called me to. Looking back, I can see His hand guiding me every step of the way, even when I couldn’t understand what He was doing.
Today, I am grateful for every lesson, every challenge, and every victory. God has been exceedingly faithful to me, and I have learned to be content with the portion He has entrusted to me while continuing to work diligently and trust Him for what lies ahead.
Pricing:
- Hair oil $20-$25
- Hair butter $18-$20
- Facial oil $15
Contact Info:
- Website: https://beauty-for-ashessss.square.site
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beauty.for.ashessss/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EbXrWqETy/
