April Leffingwell Owner of Shea Chic Boutique

With scents that will transport you from your chilly cottage in Connecticut to the land of warm sand and swaying palm trees on the West Coast, Shea Chic Boutique takes the definition of SoCal luxury to a whole new level—without the harmful additives. Sticking to her original philosophy of refusing to use harsh ingredients in her creams, soaps, bath salts, candles and more, founder April Leffingwell, has created high-quality products while managing to include designer fragrances, which is no easy feat.

How It All Began

If it weren’t for a drastic turn of events, mothers and daughters—and now sons and fathers—wouldn’t have access to the natural health benefits of Shea Chic’s shea butter. Finding herself bed-ridden for six months due to a degenerative spinal condition, Leffingwell couldn’t help but feel down in the dumps.

"That was one of the most difficult times of my life," she said. "I went from doing everything, to doing nothing. Not only could I barely leave the house, I could barely get out of bed."

Attempting to take her mind off of the pain, Leffingwell’s husband began to bring scented treasures home, which not only lifted Leffingwell’s spirits, but also sparked an idea that would eventually boom.

Steering clear of the toxicities in the lotions her husband brought home, Leffingwell began experimenting with strictly natural ingredients and delightful scents, bringing them all together into an array of soaps and lotions that smelled sweet but weren’t harmful in the long run.

"My philosophy is: If I wouldn’t use it, I don’t expect you to," Leffingwell explained. "I am taking back control of what I put on my body and hopefully what you put on yours."

Thanks to the input of her closest friends, Leffingwell was able to transform her hobby into an enterprise.

What Makes Shea Chic So Chic?

Apart from the shea butter foundation in each and every one of her products, Leffingwell made sure to leave customers with a trace of her own personality, infusing her creams, body scrubs, candles and soaps with designer-inspired, yet original, scents.

However, ensuring that her products appeal to everyone’s sense of smell was only half the battle. The other half? Making sure that her merchandise wasn’t just another carcinogen-packed lotion like the rest of the ones lining many pharmacy shelves. Including shea butter as the primary ingredient in her commodities was the simplest and most effective way to guarantee that her products were moisturizers instead of polluters disguised as body care products. As a fatty nut grown in Africa, shea butter contains vitamins A and E, has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory qualities, protects against harmful UV rays, and improves eczema and psoriasis to name a few. 

Today, Shea Chic boasts more than 90 creams, soaps, bath salts and bombs, candles and lip balms for women, as well as an entire men’s line. Furthermore, the boutique has grown exponentially, providing products in gift bags at the Emmys, American Music Awards, Golden Globes and the Oscars. Additionally, the company has been featured on Good Morning America, the CW and Fox 5 San Diego, among numerous other television broadcasts.

Emanating from Californian culture and radiating SoCal style, Shea Chic’s refreshing fragrances and luxurious lotions display names like Surfer Girl, Bite Me and Zen, and the company now offers an opportunity for customers to create a personalized message to be included on their purchases. With the dream of making Shea Chic a go-to item for California natives and visitors alike, Leffingwell’s rapid success and hundreds of celebrity endorsements prove that her dream is surely on the horizon.