Name of business: Bloom & Butter

Type of business: Skincare products

Location: www.bloomandbutter.com

Contact information: @bloom.and.butter on Instagram

Specialty: 100% natural, cold-pressed almond oil

History of business:

Almonds are a nutritious nut which have become synonymous with the Central Valley, but one Turlock resident has turned their benefits into a skincare product which has customers glowing.

Tara Tickenoff is a mother to three and when she’s not taking care of her children, she’s working at her part time job or helping her husband with one of his several businesses — one of which produces almond cooking oil. When Tickenoff learned about all of the perks of almonds from her husband, she began using a cold-pressed version of the nut’s oil as a way to ward off stretch marks during her most recent pregnancy. 

“I realized there was a market for this stuff and that it really works,” Tickenoff said. 

After seeing the benefits of cold-pressed almond oil on her skin firsthand, Tickenoff decided to start a business of her own about six months ago and Bloom & Butter was born. Bloom & Butter’s Blossom Beauty Oil can be used on the face, body and hair and is cold pressed, meaning the company takes good, edible almonds and presses them at 120 degrees in order to expel the oil. Many other almond oils on the market are expeller pressed at heat up to 500 degrees, Tickenoff explained, which removes all of the good parts of the nut.

“With the heat being so low in our process, it keeps all of the nutrients and the vitamins in the oil so that your hair and skin receives all the benefits,” she said. “Other oils usually use old, rancid almonds that you wouldn’t want to eat, and when they’re heated that much, at that point it’s not good for your skin.”

Tickenoff’s Blossom Beauty Oil is lightweight, unscented and non-greasy, meaning it won’t clog pores and leaves skin feeling refreshed. The product is perfect for those looking to moisturize dry skin, and can even be used to repair split ends and rejuvenate the scalp. Some even use the oil as a facial cleanser with the help of a warm washcloth — a natural way to clean up while fighting dark spots. 

The possibilities are endless, Tickenoff said, from repairing dry, cracked feet to keeping up with cuticle health.

“It’s really just one of those things you can use for anything,” she said. 

Additionally, Bloom & Butter offers a line of cold-pressed almond oil soaps, and Tickenoff said she hopes to soon release lotion and lip balm. Her products are currently available at Farm House in downtown Turlock as well as the Turlock Certified Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. 

“I was actually taken aback by the support of our first product since it was so new, but people were so excited to try it,” Tickenoff said. “It’s been received really well and people always come back to buy more. Especially since we live here in the heart of ag country, people know almonds and they love them.”

With the Almond Board of California currently funding research into the beauty industry and what can be done with almonds, Tickenoff is hopeful that the market for cold-pressed almond oil — and Bloom & Butter — will continue to expand. As her products’ popularity grows, she encourages other skincare enthusiasts to hop on board.

“Try a product that is actually 100% natural — no fillers, no extra gunk. You truly will feel the difference in your skin whether it’s on your face or on your body,” she said. “When it's a 100% natural product, your skin will thank you.”