Join Us On Patreon
$5/month or $54/annual when paid up-front
Click here to join us on Patreon!
Why Patreon?
Hi, Twinkle Apothecary founder Stefanie here! I created a Patreon community for Twinkle Apothecary in the fall of 2021 for oh-so many reasons... here are a few:
Recipe sharing and writing practice
Someday I'd like to write a book of Twinkle Apothecary's recipes to share with everyone, because I believe that healthy, high-quality skincare should be accessible, and I feel my products have proven that anyone can have great skin using simple, wholesome ingredients from the kitchen. Patreon serves as writing (and recipe writing) practice for me. Sharing my recipes there is kind of like a test run - I can get feedback on how they work for my members, and I can experiment with how to best explain everything. My book is a very long term, eventual goal, but anyone who wants a peek into my formulations can join Patreon today and get started making my recipes at home. It's been a bit of a slow build, (life has been crazy lately!) but so far I've shared the following Twinkle product recipes with my patrons:
- my original exfoliating facial cleanser and mask
- toning mist
- my personal custom toner recipe
- sensitive facial oil
- makeup remover + cleansing oil
- autumn serum, spring serum, winter serum
- all of the Twinkle Apothecary facemasks
- a DIY vitamin C serum
- various DIY facemask ideas
- shimmer serums
Because, F*ck the Algorithm
I hate instagram and I don't want to do it anymore. So I'm not going to! (Seriously! This is actually my 40th birthday gift to myself!) When I started Twinkle Apothecary in 2015, social media was a fun way for small business owners to reach potential customers for free. Today, social media content creation is a full time job, and bigger corporations have entire teams of employees working full time to “create community” and keep you engaged with what they have to offer. As a one-person, handmade business, I simply can’t compete. It's no longer fun or effective, so I feel that my time can be put to better use elsewhere.
Now, don’t get me wrong - I love sharing with you, and I’m happy to provide informative, (also hopefully) entertaining content if it helps you understand my products better or helps you live more thoughtfully. It’s just that my goal with using social media as a small business owner is to get you to stop scrolling so that you can go to my website and make a purchase, while Meta’s goal is to keep you scrolling so that you can see more ads. Obviously, our goals are not aligned, and I don’t think I owe them free content so that they can keep you scrolling forever.
Patreon feels like a healthier space for creators to share because it allows for a reciprocal exchange - I create content that’s financially subsidized by my audience, and, the paywall means that there are no ads and no algorithm to get in our way.
I use the Patreon app’s lens clips feature daily in the same way I used to use Instagram stories - to share a glimpse of what I’m working on, personal behind the scenes stuff, makeup selfies, bad jokes - all of the usual nonsense is there! It’s not about the money for me, but the $5/month paywall is extremely effective at filtering out the toxic, hateful attitudes, trolls, and bots that have become an inevitable part of social media. I'm going to pass on the faceless angry mob mentality and instead go for real connection and community going forward, thank you very much! (Yes, obviously, I know that not everyone who uses social media falls into the angry mob category, but I do think there should be a better, healthier way to connect. This is my best solution for now!)
Refills
I've had so many requests for mail-in refills over the years, and I love keeping my reusable packaging usable, but shipping bottles back and forth is expensive. Your $5 membership fee helps cover the cost of the return shipping label and it helps pay me for the time it takes to coordinate the exchange with you. (Email communication over what to refill your bottle with, making sure everything is sanitary, sending invoices, etc. - this is all extra work for me!) I also offer a 20% discount on refills, so those savings can actually pay for your membership if you take advantage!
Customs
I also get so many requests for custom products - and while I’d love to be able to spend my days flitting about from one new project and idea to the next, making random one-off products for anyone and everyone who asks is not exactly a solid business plan! I only offer customs to members because I want to ensure that the people I co-create with understand and appreciate the effort I put into developing my craft while keeping my business running singlehandedly. If you want special, off-the-menu treats - cool! I'm thrilled to provide this to patrons for the very low price of $5 a month. There are simple product customizations available to anyone who signs up, (check the "members only" section of my product listings for more info,) while a fully customized product or fragrance design experience is reserved for members who’ve reached $300 in lifetime pledges. (Other perfumers charge $1000 and up for custom designs, but again, it’s not about the money for me. I love doing this work, as long as it feels mutually respectful.)
Chats and Q&As
Like, you know. Real connection with fellow humans. Remember this? Anyone? Patreon is a space where we can direct message, comment on posts, ask questions, and share ideas, without the above mentioned faceless angry mob mentality. Back when I was *extremely online* I used to host a weekly Instagram Q&A session that I called “Founder Friday.” Today, a gentler, slower version of this Q&A session lives on in the form of my weekly "catch up" posts, where I share what's going on with me, and invite my patrons to share or just ask me anything over the course of the weekend. Hearing from my Patrons is always a highlight of my week!
I sincerely hope you'll consider joining us there.
