With her love of all things beautiful, Melissa began working in the cosmetics industry at the age of 15. At 18 she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, but without letting this obstacle stop her, she moved to LA to follow her dreams of doing makeup professionally. Melissa quickly adapted to her new surroundings and become immersed in the clean & organic lifestyle notorious to LA.
As time went on, Melissa continued to learn more about the toxins we encounter everyday as well as clean alternatives and how to lessen her toxic load. Not only did she begin to feel better, but friends and family even began to notice the change and ask her what she had been doing differently. They’d say things such as "Your skin looks amazing!"
In 2006 Melissa returned to the Valley. After a transformative trip to Sedona, Melissa watched the true powers of manifestation unfold. While in Sedona, her vision of bringing this clean lifestyle to others became clear. The business, the mission, the ideas...she now had a goal in place. Upon returning from the trip, that next week she found a perfect spot for the store, signed the lease, and Citrine was born.
After experiencing the change that a cleaner lifestyle had made for her personally, Melissa set out to help others experience the same transformative magic. Not only did she want to teach others about a cleaner lifestyle though, she wanted it to be glamorous! By helping others learn about how & why to switch to clean beauty products, she finds that it’s a catalyst for them to also turn to a more wellness-based lifestyle and become more in-tune and intentional with all aspects of life. Citrine is not just a beauty store, but truly a community.