Why People Have an Appetite for BODYFOOD All-Natural

They don't just want to buy from this brand of artisanal personal care items; they also pay to learn from it.

2024-06-10T10:55:01.306Z

Twenty-three years ago, a woman pursued her dream to be a healer by withdrawing from her plan to be a doctor.

Her name was Ana Kamila Gutierrez-Niguidula. And, when she turned away from medical school, what she ended up facing eventually was a line of people who started coming to her to be healthier.

This was mostly because of BODYFOOD All-Natural, the business she founded in 2001. Now based in one of the subdivisions of Taytay, Rizal, this brand has been cultivating a loyal following for years. It does so through a production of artisanal personal care items that use high-quality natural ingredients to either promote good health or aid in its recovery.

Niguidula makes them all by hand. And, the responses have been so positive that people are no longer just content in buying her products. Many of them now take time off of work and cross multiple city limits just to learn how she makes them. It’s a task she embraces with BODYFOOD’s Makers’ Academy.

“It’s been really surprising,” she said of the reception she has gotten. And it became even more so when even doctors started joining those who wanted to learn from her.

But, at the work station where a significant chunk of her life now unfolds—amidst marinating tinctures, a backdrop of amber glass bottles, and the rustic vibe afforded by old, wooden furnishings—she realized that this isn’t too far from where she wanted to be.

“The desire, was always to be in that field of healing,” she said. “This is just a different form.”

Ana Kamila Gutierrez-Niguidula, the founder and head maker of BODYFOOD All-Natural. Photo by Dan Payumo.

THE SELF-MADE AND THE HAND-MADE

As a biology student from the University of the Philippines—Manila (UP-Manila,) Niguidula was once focused on getting into medicine.

Aside from taking on the demands of her course, she was also a frequent volunteer at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and an idealistic, radical youth who wanted to contribute to the growth of the medical field.

However, during her final year in college, this aspiration got interrupted by that which has derailed many passions in life: she fell in love--technically.

“We did our thesis,” she said, “and I just I loved research. I just loved the laboratory work.” So much so that when she needed a break, it came in the form of a chemistry set she purchased from a bookstore.

Driven by scientific curiosity, she went beyond the limits of that kit and tested other ingredients to see what else she can make. Eventually, all of her tinkering culminated in a concoction: a balm product that was versatile, healthy and apparently, quite effective.

Balm Around—that’s what she ended up calling it. “It's a quick remedy to different discomforts,” she said. “It can be a nose rub, it can be used on insect bites, migraines... jellyfish sting...” And while it started out as a gift for her loved ones, it soon—through word of mouth—ended up landing on the hands of strangers. Suddenly, she had something she could sell; an item that allowed her to make a living while doing something that she liked. She was even invited by Tribu, a store in Boracay, to sell her balm through them.

“It just ruined [my] whole plan,” she said, laughing. “I discovered that I love to work with my hands. And for a young person like that who's had her mind set on what she's going to do, that's really a huge problem.”

The creation of Balm Around ultimately swayed her away from a medical degree. But, it didn’t lead her away from the field.

At BODYFOOD, near the shelf where tubes of Balm Around are stacked for sale, there are rugged but aromatic bars of soap created to be an answer for eczema; nearby were charcoal black variants made to detoxify the body after a workout. On another shelf, there are dark amber bottles containing throat-soothing concoctions made with honey, turmeric, black pepper and oregano—ingredients known for their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Just within arm’s reach are bulky candles—soothing when lit but free of paraffin and other potentially toxic fillers. And, at nearly every corner of the shop, even amongst bottles of perfume made of non-toxic ingredients, there’s a hint of ginger—one of the oldest natural remedies the world has turned to. It is the olfactory declaration of BODYFOOD’s desire to create items that promote health without being a danger to it.

This is what followed Balm Around’s success. It isn’t a deviation from medicine but an attempt to showcase the other forms it can come as. This is similar to the idea of being a healer. Conventional wisdom dictates that this role is often filled by those who have a medical degree. But, as Niguidula has been trying to prove over the years, they aren’t the only ones who can do so.

Balm Around, the product which officially started BODYFOOD All-natural. Dan Payumo.

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

On the website of BODYFOOD, Niguidula is designated as its “head maker.” And, for a time, she was its only “maker.”

Nikka Aligaen, one of her staff, shared this. She is now part of BODYFOOD’s team. Along with Jonela Garcia, she helps in overseeing its day-to-day operations. But that wasn’t always the case.

“For the longest time, [Niguidula] used to run this all by herself,” she shared and that required her to fill many roles. It was her as an entrepreneur when she launched this endeavor; her as its public relations officer when she used to personally travel from Rizal to the offices of publications in Metro Manila to promote the brand. And now that it has grown to an extent that necessitates regular assistance from others, she is a manager; a teacher as well for all her employees.

But before she took on all of these roles, she was first a scientist. And, like many scientists, she was a bit of a rebel. She still is now and this can be gleaned in the way her company operates.

When some pediatricians, for instance, started phasing out manzanilla oil, they did so because they deemed it an ineffective rubbing liquid to relieve children of their abdominal discomforts. Niguidula, however, had reservations.

Her grandmother—Maria Demetria Olympia—was a pharmacist. She used to make manzanilla oil at her home in Camilmil, Calapan Mindoro and this led her to be one of Niguidula’s earliest influences in applied chemistry. Another one was herbalist Romeo Ticzon, a friend to her family. He used to teach her how to prepare a number of plant-based remedies when she was young and was showing interest in his craft. In other words, she couldn’t just be expected support a manzanilla oil phase out.

“I looked into the manzanilla and it turns out that the ones you can buy [from conventional drug stores] use citronella,” she said. “Manzanilla really means chamomile.” And that is exactly what BODYFOOD uses to create their version of the oil.

“It makes sense,” she said. “Chamomile is a carminative. It warms the smooth muscles [to relive flatulence.]” And its inclusion in the formula for their oil has apparently led to its success.

As early as 2016—even before it was sold in an amber container—it has been getting good reviews from people. Among them was mommy blogger Ma. Celin Mendoza. That year, on her website MasterMom Speaks, she had this to say about it: “[BODYFOOD’s manzanilla oil] has found its use as not just an effective product to warm upset, gassy tummies but is also discovered useful for warming the chest on cold days, lung-allergy days, before bath, before swimming, on the onset of cough and throughout till [the users] heal from it.”

In short, it works. This is partly why Niguidula remains confident in selling their version of the product regardless of what some pediatricians say.

“I can be quite stubborn,” she admitted. And BODYFOOD wouldn’t exist if she wasn’t. This is especially true given where she came from.

During her time in UP-Manila and PGH, Niguidula was a witness to how Philippine medicine used to shy away from many plant-based formulations. Much of this apprehension existed because of several factors—from the lack of clinical trials that determined their safety and effectiveness to the desire of some doctors to cling to what they’ve spent years studying. Such limitations tend to ghettoize the use of botanicals to mere pseudo-science; remedies akin to the ones believed by superstitious elders.

“And that's so funny,” she said, “because we all know that penicillin and all those antibiotics come from plants and microorganisms.” Additionally, she noted that some healing traditions of old can be backed by science.

Smudge sticks are a good example for her. People used to burn them believing that they can inspire better health by warding off evil spirits or sending prayers to the gods. Niguidula said they can achieve their purpose though not in ways that traditionalists tend to imagine.

“They release anti-bacterial materials that actually cleanse the air,” she said.

She acknowledged, however, that there are health practices that have done more harm than good—if they even had any intention to do good in the first place. But times have changed and people’s views towards botanicals have improved.

Just recently, more plant-based formulations have come to be recognized for their medicinal value after undergoing extensive testing. Four of them, for example, were put on the spotlight at the Philippine Pharma and Healthcare Expo this year according to the Philippine News Agency. These include drugs derived from ulasimang bato or pepper elder (to address hyperuricemia,) yerba buena (to relieve pain due to operations, dysmenorrhea, childbirth, and circumcision,) ampalaya (to address diabetes,) and tsaang gubat (an anti-colic.) Meanwhile, in 2007, UP-Manila launched the Institute of Herbal Medicine to lead the research and development of plant-based drugs in the country.

“It’s getting better now,” she said. But that doesn’t mean that she can be lax. After all, BODYFOOD is still an alternative to what people are used to. People are less likely to choose it over their usual purchases and, when they do, it must maximize that opportunity to make an impact and win the loyalty of customers. To do this, its products must be of consistently unassailable quality.

This can be a challenge to maintain according to Niguidula. The ingredients alone have to adhere to high standards. That requires her to work with producers who are more than capable; they also have to take pride in what they do. It’s her preferred quality. She believes that this trait would compel them to give her the best that her money can buy since they have a reputation to uphold.

“It's going to be cheaper if I got from the suppliers in the city [that already have goods packaged] per kilo,” she said. This is the case because many of such producers use various methods that can compromise quality in favor of quantity. Instead of them, she chooses to get her ingredients from small farms.

An example is beeswax which she gets from farmers in Batangas; those who can charge her as high as 1000 php for something she can get in Manila for about 200 php. “Artisans in their own right,” she called them. These are the people who can, at times, fall short of the exact amount of beeswax she orders because—as one of them pointed out—they simply “cannot rush the bees.”

“I love it,” she said. “That is correct. I'm not going push him to try to find a way because that might encourage him to put paraffin in [the final product.]”

This way of doing business has its downsides, however. For one, it limits her production and the number of consumers it can serve. It also makes the materials expensive which, in turn, increase the retail price of her products. The trade off, however, is that when they do land on the hands of buyers, they are more or less free of influences that make them unhealthy. And to people like Niguidula, this makes them worth the trouble.

“An oncologist once came to me,” she said, sharing a story about one of the doctors who took interest in BODYFOOD’s products and classes. “She told me that these days, illnesses that normally affect seniors are now more common among kids as young as eight.”

This oncologist, according to her, believes that this is due to what people consume: from hygiene products to cosmetics.

“So the perfumes alone, the things that you spray on your head,” she said, “the things that you find in soaps, things you find in your shampoo, your conditioner." Toxins are there.

Can you imagine that?” she asked. As a wife to her husband Lloyd and a mother of three, Niguidula can. And this fuels her.

According to Aligaen, Niguidula has a habit of making for her family products that are safer than their commercial counterparts. She also continues to expand BODYFOOD’s catalog to meet multiple needs. She even expanded the business. Now, she is selling hand-made, all-natural katol cones that ward off insects without being a danger to human health. And, in an attempt to broaden the reach of her craft, she also partners with kindred spirits.

For example, Maria Pia Paz F. Sy, a woman who has seen the harmful effects of conventional beauty products. The two women bonded together to launch For Keeps Clean Beauty Skincare, a company which produces healthy, responsibly-sourced cosmetics. It is relatively new, a pandemic-born business.

“In the story of my formulator's life,” she said, “For Keeps is a baby.”

And she has more “babies” on the rise because of what BODYFOOD has become.

Nature and nurture coexist in the headquarters of BODYFOOD All-Natural. Photo by Dan Payumo.

COURSE OF NATURE

Question: why buy a bar of soap from a remote store in Rizal for about 800 php when you can purchase one at pretty much anywhere essentials are sold for about 200?

The reasons may vary from person to person. But, for at least one customer of BODYFOOD—a woman that Niguidula remembered fondly—the soap at around 800 is worth the money. It feels right on the skin and it gives her peace of mind.

“She was pregnant,” Niguidula shared. “She was conscious of toxins because she has very sensitive skin. Her first child also has sensitive skin” and BODYFOOD’s formulas do not irritate them.

One day, this customer asked her for a favor: she wanted to learn how their soaps are made. She promised though that she wasn’t asking this so she can start her own business using their techniques. At first, Niguidula was taken aback.

“Am I afraid that somebody's going to put up another business that's like mine?” she asked. “I really don't have that fear.” Her words soon trailed to laughter. “I just don’t want to teach!”

Apparently, she’s had her fill of that occupation. Prior to making BODYFOOD a full-fledged business—as opposed to treating it like a passion project she earns from—Niguidula was a principal at the progressive Holistic Education and Development Center (HEDCen.) This is a school owned by her parents (artist Emma and businessman Cesar.) In this role, she trained teachers and taught children.

“I did that for years,” she said. “I need a break from it.”

But before she could put the kibosh on the idea of teaching again, the customer made another attempt to convince her. She said that she simply wanted to know what makes BODYFOOD’s soaps work for her.

“That’s nice,” Niguidula remembered thinking. “We should empower people to care about how their stuff are made.” And BODYFOOD was already doing that to an extent. It is, after all, a business that can only prosper if it gives customers a reason to buy its products over conventional, cheaper and more accessible alternatives. Empowerment through education is a key component to its continued existence.

Furthermore, the leading figures of the business are prepped for it. Niguidula had a teaching background; Aligaen and Garcia were also former teachers at HEDCen. Additionally, Niguidula used to instruct those she fondly calls “Kumonista;” this means she used to run her own Kumon Center for a time so she could afford ingredients for her concoctions.

For BODYFOOD to blossom into a learning institution, it just seemed “natural.” And Niguidula is not in the habit of going against that.

“You have to work around how nature works,” she did say. “That's how you get quality.” And this belief has come to favor many.

In 2015, BODYFOOD launched the Makers’ Academy which held crafting classes developed according to the needs of its patrons. It began with basic soap-making but when the students started wanting to learn more—like how to make soaps more distinct—a class on scent play was developed. This kept going until the academy was teaching perfumery.

The classes aren’t just purely instructional. In Niguidula’s mind, she is teaching arts mixed with sciences. So, she found it necessary to go beyond basic teaching techniques to successfully educate her students.

As a result, she would occasionally invite her students to join crafting retreats at her family’s farm in Pililia, Rizal. There were also sessions when she brought in a psychologist to help them tap into their feelings and memories and craft works inspired by something genuine.

Soon enough, word about this academy’s sessions spread and it began catering to a wide range of people.

At the current home of BODYFOOD, stretched across the former computer lab of HEDCen, senior citizens have walked in hoping for classes that would give them something to keep their minds stimulated. Housewives used their downtime to enrich themselves and have a sense of community. Professionals came in to learn new skills and get in touch with their artistic side through crafts. And, young people, alongside their parents, listened to talks about having a healthy attitude towards cosmetics.

Nearly everything Niguidula needed to run and expand her brand was taught. And this made the academy effective enough to aid in the launch of about 50 businesses. However, its real success, in her opinion, can be found in what the BODYFOOD managed to nurture within its walls: a community of individuals made more knowledgeable of nature’s potency; the confidence of new artisans now seeking various endeavors, and a safe space for people to explore healthily.

This was appreciated by Jeff Ponge, a student of BODYFOOD who Niguidula lauded for his natural talent. A native of Olongapo, he used to drive past two provinces and snake through the traffic that chokes Metro Manila just to get to the academy’s quiet corner in Rizal.

He said that he found out about it through Wiji Lacsamana, the multidisciplinary artist behind the makeup and perfume brand Radioactive Mushrooms in the Forest. Ponge liked the name and her work. It sparked his interest to be a maker. And, after some online digging about perfumery classes, he stumbled upon the Instagram account of BODYFOOD.

During this time, Ponge was at a standstill. He was a curious, artistically inclined man with an interest in many subjects but was also held back by family drama, professional stagnation and the insecurities that go with them. He was unmotivated and depressed.

BODYFOOD’s academy, however, piqued his interest well enough to get him to his feet and try at least one class in 2018. It was enough to get him to take more.

“I liked it,” he said. “All the activities made me think about things and how to make them, what goes into things. It felt therapeutic in a way.” And this therapy left him feeling revitalized; this art form—ultimately inhaled—breathed life back into him. And this was a journey he documented through his work as a perfumer.

This year, because of BODYFOOD, he got to share it with the public.

For years, BODYFOOD All-Natural has been making products that are gentle but effective. Photo by Dan Payumo.

BODIES AND BOTANICALS

On May 1, 2024, BODYFOOD celebrated its 23rd birthday. It did this through the launch of the Luya Wall Gallery, a space that the brand decided to free up at its store for artists of different disciplines (including perfumery.) This was, again, an expansion that seemed natural. BODYFOOD, after all, is based in Rizal, a well-known haven for artists.

“We've reached a point wherein we’d like to celebrate more the spirit of making,” said Aligaen who handles the gallery. “We wanted to have a platform for makers.”

Testing the concept was the initial exhibit entitled “Bodies and Botanicals.” Aligaen completed this by tapping the families and friends of the BODYFOOD team. She and Garcia are artists who are also married to artists so their families contributed. Niguidula’s kin was also asked to participate ultimately leading to her mother arranging an eye-catching wreathed hung near the other artworks.

The highlight of this exhibit, however, are the works of 6 perfumers who graduated from Makers’ Academy. Ponge was among them. His creation, “Whispers,” was a bottle that sought to capture the intermingling scents of death and rebirth which exist simultaneously in a forest. It was displayed alongside the works of his school mates: Shimon Valencia, April Frogoso, Daniela Calumba, Lia Bernardo and famed broadcast journalist Ces Drilon.

Each of them had their own takes on what makes a good perfume but through the instruction of BODYFOOD, their bottles shared similar traits: all were made with character-building introspection and all were gentle to the skin—a hallmark of the BODYFOOD brand.

“There is strength in gentleness,” Niguidula said. And the evidence was right before her that day.

In the afternoon, before the art gathered by Aligaen, BODYFOOD’s shop was filled with people who wanted to celebrate the brand’s successes. Aside from Niguidula’s family and friends were longtime customers and curious new faces.

For 23 years, she had been making products that are effective without causing adverse bodily reactions. By hand, she crafted every item sold by her business but—even after she decided to call it BODYFOOD—not once did she go on an aggressive campaign to shove it down anyone’s throat. She just made her work available for anyone who wanted to try something different. And the result of all her efforts were in full view of her eyes as they started to glisten: these people appreciative of her diligence, her knowledge and her passion.

To bless the gallery, she invited the perfumers present and asked them to use the smudge sticks Drilon made. Before this though, she held back tears recalling the earlier days of her work.

“I knew that I wanted to be [in] healing,” she said. But she wasn’t sure as to whether or not she would succeed. She could’ve been a doctor but, instead, she chose a more unconventional path. Still, she took it and stuck with it. She said that she did so for the same reason many have been using her products for years: “it felt right.”

Why People Have an Appetite for BODYFOOD All-Natural

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