Blissoma is created by a small team of heart-centered people in St. Louis, MO.
Many of us have sensitive skin or chronic skin problems, and we love finding sustainable solutions and sharing them.
Our studio is an oasis of healthy excellence and mutual care. We love working for you and with each other!
Photos on this page were mostly taken by the talented Virginia Harold.
JULIE LONGYEAR
Herbal Chemist, Founder, and Owner
Julie began her work with essential oils and herbs in her search for holistic solutions to her own health issues, which include chronic migraines and pain as well as sensitive, acne prone skin.
In 2001 she began making and selling aromatherapy products, and after years of careful formulating work she launched Blissoma's skincare line in 2009. She entered the personal care business more as an activist than an entrepreneur. Blissoma's mission remains to help as many people as possible with solving their skin problems using natural, sustainable, healthy products.
Her inquisitive mind, outsider perspective, and deep integrity have guided Blissoma's growth and independence. Forming great relationships with her team, Blissoma's farm suppliers, and other sustainable entrepreneurs is one of the things she loves best about her work.
Julie is just as handy with paint stripping, sanding, and jigsaws as she is with marketing emails, social media ads, and formulation. She has renovated 2 historic buildings in St. Louis city and is always learning and growing, with spontaneous dance breaks thrown in to keep her energy up.
LAUREN PROBST
Flow Facilitator and Customer Success Coordinator
Lauren joined Blissoma in the spring of 2020, and has been one of our most versatile and valuable contributors. Her thoughtful nature, talent for organizational development, creative skills, and strong heart have all been felt by our team and customers in that time.
Her passion for clear communication, ethics, personal growth, and her ability to support others show up daily at our studio. Lauren's influence has helped us better document our training protocols and create systems that help everyone work better together.
Lauren deals with chronic skin problems as well, and understands just how frustrating they can be for people. This is part of why she loves the impact she can make at Blissoma.
In her time off Lauren has a talent for finding vintage furniture at bargain prices.
JEFF ROSENSWEIG
Manufacturing Coordinator
Jeff joined Blissoma in the spring of 2022 with no previous experience in the personal care world or manufacturing. He jumped in with both feet and has since become an important part of the smooth operations of the Blissoma herbal studio.
Spreadsheets are an exceptional talent of Jeff's. He helps us keep our batch records and inventory organized, and loves creating custom playlists for the workdays - often organized by music release date.
Jeff has training in American Sign Language and is strongly passionate about respecting and uplifting all people. He is an empathetic and kind manager and employes nonviolent communication tactics and compassion with our team.
We are constantly learning new facts about space exploration from Jeff, and if he had his way this whole bio most likely would be devoted to telling you about the latest rocket launches and deep space discoveries.
SKYLAR ALLEN
Herbal Skincare Chef
Skylar was a career chef before joining Blissoma, with 10 years serving delicious food to people. Her 2 degrees and extensive culinary knowledge serve her well in Blissoma's studio kitchen as she extracts, blends, and emulsifies daily.
She has a deep passion for understanding the fundamentals of the chemistry behind why things work, and a passion for excellence. The skin of thousands is touched by her creations every day. It's a big responsibility and she carries it beautifully.
Her love of nature takes her on hikes and rafting excursions, and her enjoyment of WWE wrestling adds a lot of fun to her daily life. She has lots of energy and enjoys food and art festivals, theater, and sports.
Skylar is a true community spirit and cares deeply for her co-workers and friends. We're honored to have her working with us.
TRU LONGYEAR
Shipping Specialist
Tru grew up alongside Blissoma, using many of Julie's creations as they were developed and doing homework in the Blissoma studio in the evenings.
Animals hold a special place in Tru's heart, and she has helped rescue several stray dogs and cats from her city neighborhood. She dreams of someday having a cat of her very own, but currently enjoys time with Blossom the rabbit and Frodo the Sheltie.
She has a natural knack for entrepreneurship, and she has run her own Depop shop selling vintage clothing since she was 13 with hundreds of satisfied customers over the years. Tru is pursuing a degree in Business Management with a concentration in Marketing.
Tru has had the good fortune to see Beyonce in concert once already when she was 12 and is looking forward to another concert experience in 2023.
COLLEEN BUNTEN
Social Media and Marketing Designer
Colleen joined Blissoma in late 2019 and has helped us in a variety of roles since then. She brims with multi-passionate creativity and currently helps us with social media marketing and graphics for our blog and Pinterest boards.
For two years through the pandemic we were delighted to have Colleen's support as our Shipping Specialist. In 2022 she was also our Customer Service Lead until her maternity leave to have a beautiful baby boy.
Colleen's skin is acne prone and Blissoma has been a big part of her skin being more clear and comfortable.
When not at Blissoma Colleen is part of the band Duhart with her father, singing all over Saint Louis.
Jennifer Steen
Holistic Beauty Therapist and Esthetician
Jen is a graduate of the Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics and the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Her passion for addressing skin concerns with green beauty and holistic wellness practices is what led her to Blissoma.
Jen's own path of healing from work addiction, stress, and perfectionism informs her work helping people reach a better place with their skin. She is an ingredient enthusiast and has a lot of familiarity with allergies. She played a major role in the development of our allergy chart tool for our esthetician community.
Jen's goal is to help people truly heal themselves instead of hiding skin problems. She takes compassionate care of our customers by email, and helps advise other estheticians based on her treatment room experiences with our products.
Jen formerly ran Sacred Elements Skin Studio in New York City and has now relocated to be closer to family.
BLOSSOM
Cruelty-Free Cosmetic Bunny
Blissoma adopted Blossom to help advocate for Cruelty-Free cosmetics and personal care products. All Blissoma's ingredients and finished products are not tested on animals.
Blossom is a Mini-Rex rabbit. Her breed is known for having a very short, incredibly soft, velvety coat. Petting her is like touching a cloud.
She was initially rescued by the House Rabbit Society of Missouri and waited 6 months at their facility for a new home. Rabbits are the third most abandoned pet in the USA. They are wonderful, quiet, loving pets.
Blossom is quite smart and somewhat mischievous. She loves to escape her pen and go on adventures. She also has a magical ability to calm people, and enjoys long snuggles on the couch or in the bed.
