21 Questions With Erika Aldrich Murga and Temazcal Life
As part of our ongoing craftHER Market, we recently launched 21 Questions—a series of short and fun questions designed to spotlight the stories, missions and personalities of our featured vendors.
In conversation with bbatx Communication Design Intern Eunice Bao, Erika Aldrich Murga, founder of Temazcal Life, chats about walking her new pup, bathing rituals and treasuring solitude.
Photo courtesy of Temazcal Life.
ABOUT ERIKA MURGA AND TEMAZCAL LIFE
Temazcal Life is inspired by Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican rituals meant to purify the body and the mind. We believe simple self-care rituals have the power to renew our entire self.
Temazcal Life was founded in 2016 by Erika Aldrich Murga with the purpose of helping people slow down, reconnect with themselves and prioritize their wellbeing, through cherished self-care rituals and goods, while making self-care accessible to disadvantaged communities.
HERE ARE ERIKA’S 21 ANSWERS:
1. What’s your day-to-day mantra?
Progress not perfection
2. Temazcal Life in 3 emojiS?
🧘🏻♀️ 🛁 💆🏽♀️
3. Why did you start Temazcal Life?
To share with others the experience of feeling cared for and caring holistically about wellbeing–addressing mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and social wellness
4. Craziest thing on your bucket list?
Bathe in as many baths as there are cultures with bathing rituals
5. Drink of choice?
Agua de Tamarindo
6. What would you love to see more of from small businesses like yours?
More collaborative projects
7. No. 1 Muse?
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Photo courtesy of Temazcal Life.
Photo courtesy of Temazcal Life.
8. First thing you think about in the morning?
Coffee. I think I need to smell it and taste it more than my brain needs it to run.
9. Best compliment you’ve ever received?
A customer, who found the soap through a magazine gift guide, let me know that their sensitive and eczema-prone skin had not been irritated by Temazcal Life soap.
10. What have you let go of this year that’s made a positive change in your life?
Financial security in exchange for autonomy and creative freedom
11. You want the future of Texas to look like...
Diverse, inclusive and artistic AF. I want to see people from all regions feeling welcomed and exhilarated about experiencing Texas. I’d like for people to have more ways to experience art in galleries, museums, public places or theater.
12. What’s one thing you learned about yourself recently?
I like things being packed neatly more than I like things being clean.
13. Favorite soap bar/scent?
Manjar and the lemongrass aroma is something that really energizes my morning and puts me in such a good mood.
14. Currently listening to…
Photo courtesy of Temazcal Life.
Photo courtesy of Temazcal Life.
15. Currently reading…
Clean by James Hambli
16. How would you describe your creative and production process?
I research A LOT. I immerse myself in the material I'm working with, such as botanicals, oil extraction, infusions, chemistry, perfumery, native American and Mesoamerican rituals and ancestral practices. I just read a lot.
Then, I design experiments, and this involves having many conversations with my mom (she is my chemistry consultant). We have a lot of fun bouncing ideas and she gets a kick out of educating me on chemistry.
I also write a lot. Documenting my experiments and tracking data is a way to manage my product development cycles, measure my progress and improve my product often.
17. Best advice you’ve been given?
Being ruthless about respecting my R&R time. The more rested I am, the better I can be at showing up for whom and what I care about.
18. Favorite daily routine?
Walking our new pup and stretching at the end of the day
19. Proudest career milestone?
Finding the vocation to help others no matter what skill I apply to my day-to-day activities
20. Something you treasure?
Solitude. The time I spend with myself reflecting and enjoying silence replenishes me.
21. What do you want people to feel when they buy/use your products?
Deserving of the time invested on themselves without feeling guilty or selfish. Dignified and worthy of better—a balanced life, good opportunities, positive relationships, freedom to reclaim their time.
TEMAZCAL LIFE is part of craftHER Market—our creative community marketplace nurturing homegrown artists, small business owners and designers in Texas.
Want to know more about our vendors? Our digital catalogue, crafthermarket.com, is open through April 30. You can browse 120+ vendors there online 24/7.
Some of Erika’s favorites on the lineup are:
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