‘Intentional care is not a luxury’

Wellness is often framed as a trend, something seasonal, aesthetic, or aspirational. But for Antoinette Davis, wellness is neither fleeting nor performative. It is foundational. As founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ettenio Jamaica, Davis has built a multi-category skincare, haircare, and body care brand rooted in long-term health, barrier integrity, and sustainable self-care for the entire family.

Recognised nationally through the National Bakery’s Bold Ones of Manufacturing, and the JMEA New Manufacturer of the Year Award, Davis is positioning Ettenio as a proudly Jamaican brand focused on resilience rather than trends.

Her philosophy is simple but powerful, real transformation begins when the body feels safe.

Davis’s journey into wellness did not begin in a laboratory or boardroom. It began with exhaustion. “For a long time, I was building and achieving, but internally I was exhausted. I struggled with my weight and constantly felt pressured to push harder. Eventually I realised the issue wasn’t discipline, it was chronic stress,” she said.

That realisation became a turning point. “Once I began learning about cortisol, sleep cycles, and hormonal regulation, everything shifted. My focus moved from shrinking my body to stabilising it,” Davis said.

Her words reflect a reality increasingly supported by global health research. Chronic stress is now linked to sleep disruption, inflammation, hormonal imbalance, anxiety, and metabolic challenges, issues affecting growing numbers of Caribbean women balancing work, caregiving, and leadership roles.

For Davis, burnout forced honesty. “I remember thinking, ‘My body is not my enemy.’ That moment changed how I approached everything, from food to movement to skincare,” she said.

Instead of punishing workouts and unsustainable routines, she began strength training, prioritising hydration, and setting boundaries. “I began lifting weights for strength instead of punishment. I protected sleep. I stopped glorifying overwork. Slowly, my body responded,” she said.

These lessons would later shape how every Ettenio product is formulated.

STRESS AND RECOVERY

Davis describes wellness in a way that resonates with many busy professionals. “True wellness is regulated energy. It is feeling steady instead of reactive. It’s clarity. It’s building habits that support you five years from now, not just next month,” she said.

This idea challenges the cultural glorification of burnout. “We are praised for being exhausted, especially as women and leaders. The more we carry, the more we are applauded. So, we ignore the signals, the breakouts, the fatigue, the headaches. We treat them like inconveniences instead of messages,” Davis said.

Her conclusion is direct and deeply relatable. “Most people are not lacking willpower. They are lacking margin,” she said.

Ettenio was born from Davis’s lived experience of stress and recovery. “When I was burnt out, my skin showed it. When I was inflamed, my body showed it. So when I formulate, I ask: how do we support, not strip? How do we renew but still protect?”

This philosophy centres on resilience and barrier integrity, a growing focus in dermatology and skincare science. “Dew Drops Hydrating Essence isn’t just hydration, it is recovery. Luminous Glow exfoliates in a controlled way. Youthful Glow Overnight Repair Serum rebuilds while ceramides protect the barrier,” she said.

“Push, then recover. Renew, then reinforce,” Davis said.

Wellness trends often promise rapid transformation, but Davis rejects extremes. “I have done extremes. None of it lasted. Balance is quieter. It doesn’t feel dramatic. But it works,” she said.

This perspective aligns with public health guidance that emphasises consistency over intensity. “Consistency compounds more than intense. Your body cannot live in extremes forever,” Davis said.

For many people, wellness feels overwhelming. Davis believes the solution is simplicity.

“Start where you are, not where Instagram says you should be. For me, it began with water. Then strength training twice a week. Then better sleep,” Davis said.

She emphasizes the power of repetition. “Rituals are small habits repeated long enough to become identity.”

Her advice to busy professionals is equally practical. “You don’t need two hours. You need consistency. Wellness is not indulgence, it is maintenance,” Davis said.

Davis sees wellness as something that extends beyond the individual. “When you are regulated, you create regulated spaces. Taking care of yourself is not selfish, it is stabilising,” she said.

Research increasingly supports this idea, healthier individuals create healthier families, workplaces, and communities through reduced stress, improved communication, and stronger emotional resilience.

For those unsure where to begin, Davis keeps her advice refreshingly straightforward: “Sleep, then hydration, then movement, simplicity works,” she said.

Her final message captures the heart of both her brand and her philosophy. “You are allowed to not be everything for everyone. Wellness is not about shrinking yourself. It is about strengthening yourself slowly and sustainably.”

Through Ettenio Jamaica, Davis is proving that intentional care, for skin, body, and mind, is not a luxury; it is the foundation of long-term health.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com