About Onyx Odyssey
My name is Hazel Anne Marlyn Christopher, and I am the proud founder and C.E.O of ONYX ODESSEY BY HAZEL LLC. I was born in the little island of Grenada in the West Indies, also well known as the “Spice Isle”, as it is home to an abundance of aromatic spices such as nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon, along with a wide array of fresh fruit and vegetables. I am the eldest of four siblings and in 1991 I migrated to the United States with my family. As a child growing up, I would always hear my mother chant that the United States was the ‘land of opportunity’, and I grew to desire that opportunity for myself also. In 2006 I started my own family and I currently live with my boyfriend and our son who is now fourteen years of age. Family is very important to me and I have the full support of my son, his father and my family to pursue my lifelong dream of owning my business.
My lifelong dream has always been to my open up my own skincare business. Growing up in the Caribbean, I suffered from acne and got severely ridiculed in school about my face. The remedial products that my mother had provided for my acne caused much irritation for my face, and as a result of this, I always wanted to create a skincare product that was all-natural and gentle on my skin. One of my many blessings is that my childhood upbringing enabled me to develop a greater appreciation for the local fruit, vegetables, flora and fauna of my indigenous country. Morals such as honesty, diligence, humility and integrity have always been instilled into my upbringing, and it has molded my outlook, character and personality.
Having an education was very important in my family life and my mother instilled it into our minds. My mother would always say “You are nothing without an education”. I did not take heed of her words, and decided to pursue a babysitting job, where I eventually worked as a Home Health Aide and Hospice Aide for more than thirteen years. Looking after elderly patients, caring for terminally ill patients, and supervising children with mental disabilities were quite hard and challenging jobs, for which I had fondness and aptitude, but in the back of my mind I still yearned for something different yet fulfilling for myself. I went back to school to got a degree in the A.A., Foundation of Business because I always aspired towards owing my own business.
As a Caribbean born woman and black business owner, it gives me a great sense of pride to have created a venture that has been my dream and I am truly passionate about it. I created ONYX ODYSSEY because growing up in Grenada, my grandmother would traditionally use as many natural ingredients available right around us, such as the food and drink we consumed to the lotion that we used on our bodies. ONXY ODYSSEY is Vegan/Organic but also Paraben- Free, Sulfate-Free, Silicone-Free, Talc-Free, and Cruelty-Free. Thank you from my heart for your support and interest !
