I'm Danika and I'm so honored that you're taking a peek at Oak & Ashland. Many of you want to know where the name "Oak & Ashland" comes from, so I will fill you in on that first. Much of my inspiration, work ethic and passion for creating ingredient-conscious beauty products, comes from growing up in the very quaint and eco-conscious town of Ashland, Oregon. Nestled up in the hills, this gem of a city is extremely rich in culture, the arts, mouth-watering garden-to-table eateries and talented artisans. So there you have the "Ashland" part of the name. The second half is named after the sweet little street in Ashland that I grew up on (which as you may have guessed it by now) is named "Oak" street.
Prior to launching Oak & Ashland, I spent over a decade practicing as an esthetician (a licensed and trained skin specialist). For the first four and a half years, I worked in a cosmetic surgeons office in Oregon where I did everything from facials, to brow shaping, to laser treatments. After that, I landed an esthetician's "dream job" and relocated to Los Angeles to work at the renowned Kate Somerville Clinic where I would soon build a loyal following. Tending to the skin of Oscar Award winning nominees and Grammy Award winning musicians had quickly become my ordinary work day. I remained at the ultra-chic Kate Somerville Clinic for the next seven years, absorbing priceless information about the skincare world and working alongside some of the best estheticians in the industry. The one request I repeatably got was "can you suggest any NATURAL products that work?" That request along with my passion for living a clean lifestyle, really sparked my interest in creating my own line someday. Fast-forward to the present and here I am creating my own line of ingredient-conscious skincare and living life with my husband and our sweet fur-baby in the beautiful Sonoma Wine Country.
Gathering ingredients in Sonoma for a soon-to-be released product.