Today we’d like to introduce you to Carmine Torruella.
Hi Carmine, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Potions & Motions, LLC is the epitome of how the Universe lays your path in front of you and how you can turn around a series of unfortunate events and make something not only gratifying to you, but to fulfill your mission in this existence at the world’s service.
My story begins in 2010. I have always been a very active, nature lover, workout freak girl. Then all of a sudden I started suffering from excruciating pains. After two years of testing and seven doctors, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. My world turned upside down. I could not make any engagements anymore with friends or family because I never knew if I could get up from the bed. I gained a lot of weight due to medication and inability to work out for more than 10 minutes. Then in 2014, it all took a turn for the worse. I got sick with Chikungunya, a viral disease transmitted by a mosquito bite that causes excruciating pain in the muscles and joints, and can lead to permanent damage and recrudescence for years. Being a Fibromyalgia sufferer, my pains and inability to walk got me to the point that I could not use normal shoes anymore. I would go to work in Crocs. My feet were so swollen that I went from a size 8.5 to a size 10. Doctors prescribed all kinds of medications, cortisone shots, etc. Nothing worked.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, a tropical island, I was brought up with my grandmother and mother’s traditional herbal remedies and teas, so I started reading and researching about the properties of tropical plants and one in particular, Bay Rum, caught my attention. I remember that “alcoholado” (Bay Rum infused rubbing alcohol) is a staple in all Caribbean families for all kinds of pains and to treat “la monga” (the flu). Armed with this knowledge and my Bachelor’s in Natural Sciences, I concocted a rudimentary herbal balm that was very effective in relieving my pain and swelling. My coworkers started inquiring about “that cream that smells so fresh and minty”, and they started to purchase it from me. I never thought it would turn into a business, until Hurricane Maria landed me in Jacksonville, Florida. I continued refining my craft and got a Master Herbalist certification from the International Open Academy. I named my miracle pain cream Potion #8, as it took me 8 trials at my “Potion” to finally nail the formula! Today, I live pain free. My Potion helped me gain my mobility, be active and have fun again with my friends and family, and best of all, it is helping many people too.
One day, one of my longtime clients asked me if I made natural soaps, and I said: “I don’t but I am willing to try”. I began making soaps, then salves, then creams, scrubs, and now my products catalog grows every day with each new request from my clients! I use responsibly sourced plants, oils, butters, fragrances, and additives without parabens, or other harmful chemicals. I have finally found my calling as a healer and natural medicine woman, and my next step is applying my knowledge and my skills to obtain my Medical Massage Therapist License this year. My friends and family swear by my Healing Hands and I have to fulfill my calling and bring relief to those who need it. That is why my business is called Potions & Motions, it’s my potions and my hands’ motions that bring an alternative to traditional and ineffective pain management methods. My dream is to one day devote all my energy and resources to my craft and take it on the road. I plan to buy a trailer and bring my products and my healing hands to all communities, farmer’s markets, festivals, across all states!
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?
There have been many setbacks, challenges, and struggles. Trying to learn/build a business while working and studying fulltime, learning to live in a new country, all alone, with all the skeptics telling you why you should not do it, short on cash and enduring the COVID-19 pandemic is no day in the park. Countless hours of researching suppliers, designing logos and labels, formulas, shipping prices soaring… More than once I have thought of giving up. But just as I think of it I get a wave of orders and my faith lights up again! It is like the Universe telling me:” Don’t give up, don’t dismay, your moment in the Sun is close, hang in there!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in handcrafted beauty and health products made from natural and responsibly sourced ingredients. They are made with all my White Energy and purposed to enhance the healing, beauty, and homeostasis of all my clients. I craft each product with an especial individual intention, reason why people often ask what I put in them that they feel so good when they used them! I do not offer my services to get rich. I offer my products and services at very affordable prices so anyone can benefit from my gift. Quality and affordability sets me apart from others.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the variety of open natural spaces, the abundance of fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and the wonderful collage of people from many nationalities and cultures. I feel like I am traveling all the time! Ah! and no mosquitoes!! The least that I like is the poor attention that the government and other entities give to the homeless and the people in need. So many empty buildings and lots, and still so many people without a roof over their heads, a hot meal in their table, and proper health services.
Pricing:
- Potion#8 Massage Cream from $25
- Ultra Fragranced Body Frosting $12
- Ultra Emollient Butter Bars $8
- Soap Opera Soap Milk & Butter bars $5
- Coffee, Sugar, or Salt Scrubs $10
Contact Info:
- Email: carmine.torruella@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Potions8Motions
- Other: https://potions-motions-llc.myshopify.com/
Image Credits
Carmine Torruella-Thillet dba Potions & Motions, LLC
