When an area woman realized she – like many other women – was putting herself last and focusing on the aspects of herself she “hated,” she saw a need to promote the importance of self-love and self-care. “The reason I started is because I hated who I was for many, many years. It was about an 11-year struggle where I just didn’t like what I saw….I absolutely hated everything about myself,” said Samantha Laycock, owner of BeYOUtiful Box. In 2016, Laycock started the subscription box service to provide an invaluable opportunity for busy women to prioritize their own well-being. That business has since expanded outside of Airdrie and Rocky View County, and now operates Canada-wide. While the content of the monthly box will vary, Laycock said, women can expect to consistently find a range of safe, Canadian-made products including items like facial products, books, lotions and bath bombs. Typically, she said, the boxes are comprised of things women tend to “take for granted.” “They’re everyday products, but they’re the ones we always put off because we feel bad for spending money on ourselves,” Laycock said. “Women don’t want to spend money on themselves, but this is an accessible, inexpensive way to spoil yourself – you can’t feel guilty about doing it.” And the payoff, Laycock said, makes the small indulgence worthwhile. Since she started focusing more on self-love and building her confidence, Laycock said she’s become a better mother, a better wife and a stronger person. “I’m no longer afraid to speak up for myself,” she said. “I used to kind of decrease who I was around people I thought didn’t like me. Now, I don’t care. If you don’t like me, that’s fine – I’m OK with who I am. And that confidence is so freeing, because you’re not afraid to live anymore. You can just be yourself.” After moving to Airdrie in 2014, Laycock said she was looking for a way to “figure out” her life. Discussions with friends and family helped her realize her strength as a motivational speaker or life coach, but she said she quickly realized in those roles, she wouldn’t be reaching the women she was hoping to connect with. “I needed to figure out how to get to them, and one night, BeYOUtiful Box just kind of popped into my head,” she said. “I went on one of the Facebook groups and said, ‘This is my idea, are there any other small businesses that are willing to help me?’” According to Laycock, the response was immediate. “I have Canadian businesses from all over who contribute to these boxes,” she said. “There’s such a huge demand for it – it’s luxury, you’re getting luxury for not a lot of money.” In addition to the monthly subscription boxes, Laycock offers a variety of other boxes catered to specific needs – like a prenatal box, a postnatal box, a girl’s box and even an infertility box to support women who are struggling to grow their families. To find out more, visit facebook.com/deliveringselflove “I think we all just need that reminder that we’re worth it,” Laycock said. “It’s OK to have bad days, and it’s OK to fail. That doesn’t make you any less worthy, and it doesn’t make you any less of a person. This is about reminding women that where they are in life is OK, what they look like is OK – everything about you is who you are, and that’s what makes you beautiful.”
