Doesn’t the saying go: it’s the little things that count? Well, lucky for us, Ashley Macaulay, founder of Little Luxuries and a junior here at BC, took this into consideration when creating her company.
Four years ago, Ashley was involved in a serious car accident, leading to almost a ten day stay in the ICU. Her apparent optimism seen now was lacking, as her scars, bruises, and half-shaven hair made it difficult to feel positive enough about herself to focus on getting better. It was when her mom came to visit, bringing a few beauty products from home, that Ashley begin to feel more optimistic. The simple act of painting her nails and putting on some lotion were some of the little things that made Ashley start to feel like herself again.
It was this experience that made Ashley feel the need to give back. Little Luxuries is a start-up company based upon the idea of making women in the hospital feel comfortable, confident, and more like themselves through access to sample-sized cosmetics. After transferring from Northeastern this semester, she entered the BCVC Elevator Pitch Competition, just to see if her idea could be a possibility as a future company. Little Luxuries ended up being named Best Social Venture and won Overall Second Place.
Ashley (center) with Stephanie Mardjetko (left) and Catherine Cattley (right) at the BCVC Elevator Pitch Competition
So what’s in a Little Lux box? A Little Lux box contains sample-sized brand name products that you could find at any make-up store. The products are mainly unscented lotions, face creams, and nail polish. Distributing familiar products will give women in the hospital a little touch of home.
Ashley and the Little Luxuries team will strive to add beauty to a situation that may be less than glamorous. They will launch their first distribution of Little Luxuries boxes to Boston Medical Center Friday, November 16th to the mothers in the maternity unit. Ashley knew what helped her feel better while she was in the hospital, and strives “to inspire happiness and health” among patients in the hospital.
Check out Little Luxuries on their website, Facebook, and Twitter.