Mental health baskets bring a sense — and scent — of hope to Brockton residents
BROCKTON — One woman's quest to improve her mental health sparked a spa basket business geared to helping others.
Brianna Wangnoon, 29, of Brockton, was suffering from depression and found self-care days at home were a temporary sigh of relief.
The idea of having a spa in a box is what brought The Little Healing Place LLC to life.
"I wanted to do something that can contribute to society and give people a moment of peace, even if it's just a moment. Sometimes that's all you need," Wangnoon said.
The entrepreneur faced some of her hardest battles but kept pushing through them because she knew better days would come.
During this time, she experimented with natural oils and herbs to create a skincare line.
From the comfort of Wangnoon's kitchen, she created body butter, facial oil, milk bath soak, candles and bath salts.
The process was interesting for the entrepreneur as she didn't have prior experience with skincare product development.
"I did a lot of research online to develop the formulas, it took about three months, but customers are in love with the rich scents I created," Wangnoon said.
Head turning Brockton-area home sales: $9M property in Bridgewater, $689,900 in Brockton: June 17-22 real estate report
The spa baskets come in two scented themes, "Cry In Cashmere" and "Tropical State Of Mind."
Inside the basket, depending if you order a small or large, you'll find a robe, slippers, the entire skincare line of body butter, bath salts, facial oils, candles and a notebook with a pen.
The Cry In Cashmere basket has warm tones of cocoa butter and a woodsy cashmere fragrance.
The Tropical State Of Mind basket gives pleasant island vibes of citrus, pineapple, mango and coconut.
Encounters with police: State trooper's advice to Brockton drivers during traffic stops: 'Respect goes a long way'
The scents are aromatherapy and they work by tingling your senses with soft, warm fragrances sure to soothe your mind, Wangnoon said.
Wangnoon, who graduated from Bridgewater State University in 2020 earning a degree in psychology and special education, knows how vital the conversation around mental health is.
"In our city, it's normal to dismiss mental health and say that you're okay even when you're not. If I'm being honest, it's the environment we're in. So we have to normalize asking for help and knowing it's okay not to be okay," Wangnoon said.
The spa days gave the mom of one a way to take care of her mind and body differently than usual.
"It takes my mind away from the stressors of the world for just a moment," Wangnoon said.
During the day, Wangnoon is a real estate agent and helps with the family business. Stress is something that's constantly occurring in her life but creating the gift boxes gives her a sense of purpose.
"Making these baskets to show people they're loved and cared for is personal to me. I love reminding individuals how special they are with the baskets, and I hope it can bring some form of healing to them," Wangnoon said.
Wangnoon plans on launching her website thelittlehealingplace.com in the upcoming weeks. Potential customers can place an order by following and direct messaging The Little Healing Place on Instagram or Facebook.
Enterprise staff reporter Alisha Saint-Ciel can be reached by email at stciela@gannett.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @alishaspeakss and Instagram at Alishaatv. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise today.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton: The Little Healing Place is a spa basket business
