Meet Aliyah Houston | Sustainable Skincare Curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aliyah Houston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aliyah, how do you think about risk?
I think risks are very important to take, I actually think they are almost necessary in order to say that you’ve truly lived. There is a quote I like to reference when something threatens to push me out of my comfort zone or I feel inadequate for a task; “You will never reach your true potential living life in comfort and routine. You’ve got to take some risks!” – Kylie Francis In 2017 I was a broke undergrad student and Dunia Organix was just a concept, at the time a business idea for 5 or 10 years down the road when I was “established in my career and could afford to take the risk”. Fast forward to 2019 I made the choice to stop waiting, to embrace taking the risk, and in 2020 Dunia Organix launched! As we speak about risks, ironically enough I sky-dived the day before I launched my business. As we climbed to 13,500 feet I thought about all the things that could go wrong. What if my parachute fails, what if I land wrong, what if… I think what stops us a lot from taking risks are those “What If” questions. Some of the same questions plague me in both my corporate career and my small business; What if I’m not good enough? What if I don’t break the account? What if no one buys my products? As I tilted my head back, fell out of that plane, and opened my eyes I realized the risk was definitely worth the experience. I think it’s important to remember when taking risks, it may or may not work out. You have to be prepared to possibly fail even after doing your best and although that’s scary – just like sky diving – in the end, it’s worth the experience and the lessons learned. Life is short. So I say do what scares you and write your own story! You won’t regret it.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Dunia Organix was born in 2017 and started as a hobby, as most passions do. I was an undergrad biology student who combined my love of science, nature, and skincare to create a sustainable regimen for those looking for simple, yet effective products. All of my products are organic and cruelty-free, only testing on beings that look like you and me! Ingredients are always ethically sourced and processed in small batches to ensure quality. I wanted to make a product that not only helps people feel comfortable and confident in their skin but a product that also helps in the efforts of reducing our carbon footprint here on earth – even down to the packaging. Launching a company during a pandemic while adjusting to a new job was not the easiest of tasks. In 2021 I am still struggling to find the balance between a job in corporate sales and being a small business owner, but I think the most important thing is to keep pushing, stay disciplined, learn from the mistakes all while still finding time to allow yourself to be creative and enjoy the process.​dunia [/du.ni.a/] noun. orgin: Swahili 1. Earth 2. World

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love a good day adventure and I’m an early riser so a morning hike or a workout outdoors to get the day started would be ideal for me. Cedar Ridge Preserve has the best hiking in the DFW area hands down. I’d then mozy downtown to get some of my favorite tacos and margaritas from Taqueria La Ventana. There are various locations across DFW but downtown vibes are where it’s at. Being a big kid at heart I love to ride scooters downtown and explore the city! The farmer’s markets in Dallas are also the best IMO – so if there is one going on I’d definitely check those out and buy local!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to my family, friends, and boyfriend for always letting me test my products on your beautiful faces! It can be a mess sometimes, okay a lot of the time! The animals appreciate your service! I also would like to thank everyone who has supported me, my repeat customers, and everyone who has spread the word about Dunia Organix. What is a great product if no one knows about it? So please continue to share, share, and SHARE!!

Website: https://www.duniaorganix.com/

Instagram: duniaorganix

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliyahhouston231/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/duniaorganix/

Image Credits
yellow portrait of me taken by @palmwinepapii IG Handle