About the Founders

Queenie & Sean

After learning about all the harmful chemicals in both typical and natural bath and body products, Sean + Queenie have set out to change the world with five ingredients or less, eliminating all preservatives, synthetic fragrance, fillers or artificial ingredients. As a naturopath and environmental engineer, they have received life-changing testimonials for their formulas utilizing the therapeutic properties of essential oils combined with sustainable oils and butters. They named their company after the Sanskrit word, ahimsa, which means non-violence, to embody their mission to cause no injury, do no harm in thoughts, words or actions to self, others, and the environment.

 

Sean and Queenie met during Best Friends Animal Society's Hurricane Katrina relief and founded ahimsa Essentials, offering all natural, organic, earth-friendly, food-grade, cruelty-free, plant-based, and locally handcrafted moisturizers, deodorants, scrubs, oils, and soaps. After learning about all the harmful chemicals in both typical and natural bath and body products, they have set out to change the world with five ingredients or less, eliminating all preservatives, synthetic fragrance, fillers or artificial ingredients. As a naturopath and environmental engineer, they have received life-changing testimonials for their formulas utilizing the therapeutic properties of essential oils combined with sustainable oils and butters. They named their company after the Sanskrit word, ahimsa, which means non-violence, to embody their mission to cause no injury, do no harm in thoughts, words or actions to self, others, and the environment.

About the Future

Jacey & Eric

After embarking on an “accidental” and incremental vegan journey when Jacey and Eric got married on March 1, 2003, little did they know that their paths would cross with fellow vegans, Sean and Queenie 10 years later…. (did you notice the identical wedding anniversary dates of the two couples?—March 1st)

 

In 2005, Jacey and Eric co-founded HART: Homeless Animals Rescue Team… and incorporated the non-profit charity into an official 501(c)(3) in 2011 with the help of a generous lawyer and friend who filed all of HART’s documents pro bono. HART has grown slowly in its volunteer base over the years as it has continued on its mission of TNR (trap, neuter and return) of feral cats AND rescuing cats, kittens and even dogs while trapping feral cats in the community.

​

On July 28th, 2013, Jacey and Eric met Sean and Queenie at the STRAY CAT restaurant during a HART fundraiser and the friendships began! (The STRAY CAT has since closed its doors, but it was a befitting name of a venue where HART had its very 1st fundraiser)

 

Sean and Queenie quickly became exemplary benefactors of HART, making monthly donations and attending every single fundraiser that HART has had over the last several years. Their friendships blossomed as Sean and Queenie invited Jacey and Eric to begin selling their ahimsa Essential products at the local Downtown Farmer’s Markets on weekends starting in 2016… and thus the beginning of the miraculous meld between ahimsa and HART.

 

ahimsa Essentials then began making monthly donations to HART with every ahimsa purchase that was made… and the donation increments kept getting larger and larger over the years, culminating with yet another MIRACULOUS MELD of ahimsa and HART on March 1, 2021… when Sean and Queenie GAVE the entire ahimsa Essential business to Jacey and Eric!

 

Mahatma Gandhi was once quoted as saying, “In its positive form, “ahimsa” means the largest LOVE, the greatest CHARITY.” And we believe that the benevolent gift that Sean and Queenie bestowed upon HART has left everyone in its wake not only astonished but amazed!

 

Jacey and Eric (both full-time vegans and animal rescuers/advocates) have vowed to carry on the principles of ahimsa that Sean and Queenie founded when they started the company. The recipes, the equipment, and the LOVE has been passed down from one couple to another and the ahimsa Essentials product line will stay the same with very limited changes. Sean and Queenie also gave us this website and so you will notice those slight changes here.

 

Here's to new beginnings with ahimsa Essentials as HART- Homeless Animals Rescue Team, will continue to benefit from each and every purchase made by YOU! Doesn’t it feel good knowing that the items you purchase help to fund animal rescue at the local level?!
 

https://hart-az.org