Breast Cancer Survivor Launches Non-Toxic Cleaning Brand

When Shaniqua Marion received her breast cancer diagnosis in 2019, she knew everything had to change. She started examining not just what she ate, but what she cleaned with.

"I clean a lot, and I was like, I have to get rid of the bleach, I have to get rid of the Pinesol, and figure this out," Marion said. Four years into remission, she turned that determination into Bare Formula, a line of non-toxic household cleaners made in small batches.

Marion mixes every bottle herself using essential oils from a woman-owned Richmond company. Instead of vinegar, which she says is common in "green" cleaners, she uses food-grade hydrogen peroxide to sanitize without harsh chemicals or greasy residue.

The biggest motivator? Trust. "What pushed me to make my own products is because I can trust myself," Marion said. "I know what's in my product, and I know people trust me too."

Her best friend Conuela Thorton was her first customer and biggest supporter. After trying Marion's products during their development, Thorton fell in love and now uses them daily. Her husband even uses them at his water restoration company.

"I've become a walking commercial," Thorton joked. She's given away countless bottles to friends and family and regularly promotes the brand on social media.

Why This Inspires

Marion's story resonates beyond clean countertops. Local retailers can't keep her products in stock. Flickerstix Candle Co. in downtown Suffolk restocked after just one month, with customers raving about the laundry detergent that makes their whole house smell fresh.

Store owner Tina Ball said Marion's success comes down to more than just good products. "Who you are as a person is 99% of a business owner's success, and she's fantastic," Ball said. "She's a go-getter, she's personable, and she's just a good human being, which makes all the difference in the world."

Bare Formula products are now available online and at several Hampton Roads locations, including Rifle Farms Market in Norfolk and various farmers' markets. Marion hopes to eventually operate from a warehouse, but she's not planning to expand her product line.

For Marion, the business represents something bigger than bottles. "I really want people to know, like, you can overcome breast cancer," she said. "You gotta remain positive. This is your journey. You're going to win."

She's also calling for broader change in what communities use daily. "We need to change the products we're using in our homes, in our schools, in our daycares, yoga studios, at the gyms," Marion said. "We need to read the ingredients. We need to trust our local vendors as well."

Marion's favorite scent is Lowcountry Breeze, a special blend she created inspired by her Charleston, South Carolina hometown.