Indie-stry Guru: Ashleigh Frager

Our Indie-stry Gurus highlights people who are paving the way where no one previously has, walking a path much less traveled, or building a legacy totally different than the rest. They are thought leaders and provokers from all different industries - beauty, wellness and beyond. They’re the people who ask not just “How?” but “Why?”, and most of all, they’re empowering others with knowledge, education and inspiration.

This month we're talking to Ashleigh Frager, wellness expert, homeopathic practitioner, and founder of Back to Basics, an online shop offering a highly-curated shopping experience for truly clean products. We cover the path that led her to the clean space, her precious pup and Back to Basics’ first product launch.

We view you as an Indie-stry guru of your field, which means you've paved a way no one previously had, or you're paving a way much different than the rest. What is your path or your journey, and what does it represent? My path was redirected in such a surprising way in my early twenties when I became ill and subsequently learned about environmental toxins. Experiencing the impact of these toxins in such a personal way and witnessing how they affected my homeopathic clients made me realize that clean products are more than just a nice-to-have, they are essential to our survival. Sharing this information and my findings linking various symptoms and diseases to the products we use has helped so many find their way to wellness. Though unexpected, I love that this is my path and I'm excited to continue to help others on their health journeys.

Why the name ‘Back to Basics? What does it mean to you? Back to Basics means getting back to a way of life that Mother Nature would be proud of. It means doing away with all of the toxic man-made chemicals that are polluting our bodies and our planet. It means simplifying and only using that which is clean, safe, and effective.

How did studying homeopathy shift (or reinforce) your view on wellness and clean living? Studying homeopathy opened my eyes to an entirely different way of looking at health and how our bodies function. Understanding how our bodies communicate with us through symptoms and how everything from a stuffy nose to a rash to a headache can indicate that we're subjecting ourselves to harmful toxins was something I found very empowering.

What are your Top 5 Favorite Wellness products? Berkey Water Filter, Vitruvi Diffuser, Indie Lee Stem Cell Serum, Organic Bath Co Body Butter, Back to Basics Cleaner Than Clean.

What does empowerment mean to you? Empowerment means having access to the tools and information you need to embolden and take care of yourself.

What’s your spirit animal? My 3 pound Yorkie, Maverick. He has been through so much in his 11 years of life and continues to be the toughest little guy I've ever seen.

Are there any exciting news or upcoming projects that you would like to share with our readers? Yes! We are launching our first Back to Basics product and we could not be more excited about it. It is called Cleaner Than Clean. It is the first dual-action deodorizer and cleaner of its kind to be formulated with safe, effective, nature-made ingredients. It is a powerhouse cleaner and will kill odors of any kind. We love that it outperforms its conventional counterparts while being so safe -- it is made without phthalates, sulfates, alcohol, or fragrance. You can even use the solution in a diffuser or humidifier to clean your air!