Culture, Care, and Starting Small

By Louissa Barnes, Founder

Versatelle Co. didn’t start as a big idea. It started as a box. A journal. A quiet moment that asked: what if care actually made sense to the people who carry the most?

That small beginning kept unfolding. Every time I worked on one part, something else revealed itself. The products. The gatherings. The stories. The tools. The vision took shape slowly, and it kept asking to grow beyond what I first imagined.

At the center of Versatelle is a simple belief:
wellness should reflect where we come from.

Many of us were raised with our own forms of care. The kind that doesn’t come in minimalist packaging or trend-driven language. Maybe it was getting your scalp oiled and braided on wash day, even when you swore your neck was about to snap. Maybe it was your auntie chasing you down to rub shea butter, or Vaseline if she was feeling bold, onto your face until you shone like a new coin.

Maybe it was bissy tea simmering on the stove because your stomach was “acting up,” or that once-a-month spoonful of castor oil to make sure everything inside you stayed “regular.” Maybe it was a pot of herbs for steaming when your chest felt tight, or a cold rag pressed to your forehead while someone prayed softly nearby.

These rituals weren’t just about healing. They were about connection. Survival. Comfort. They were care, even if nobody called it that.

Versatelle holds space for this kind of care. Not by recreating traditions exactly, but by building something that feels familiar. A place where culture and care aren’t treated as separate things. A place where people can recognize themselves in the tools they use to support their well-being.

We’re starting with curation. Small-batch self-care items from Black- and Brown-owned makers, alongside brands and creators whose work is rooted in lived experience and care. Tools that already live in our communities. Journals that make reflection feel approachable. Objects that bring ease into daily life without feeling like a trend.

As we grow, more of the work will come from within the Versatelle community itself. Collaborations. Creative expressions. Stories that turn into products. But this first chapter is about listening. It’s about amplifying what already exists and supporting what’s already working.

The shop is just one part of what we’re building. We’re also creating gatherings that feel grounded and human. Conversations that make room for softness. Creative partnerships shaped by shared values. Research that reflects how people actually live. In time, digital tools will come too, not just for convenience, but to support care that adapts to real lives instead of pulling people away from them.

If this speaks to you, you’re already part of the story. You can join the newsletter for early access to the shop, updates on events, and a closer look at how everything continues to unfold.

This is the beginning. It’s still taking shape.
And we’re shaping it together.