8 Questions with Jaycee Hill, founder of Ranger Balm

Apr 22

Jaycee Hill didn’t set out to start a skincare brand, and certainly not at the height of Covid, with a newborn, but as many great brand stories go, it began out of necessity. When her infant son’s eczema flared, she scoured shelves for something to help him that was effective, safe, and vegan. Frustrated that nothing seemed to meet her family’s needs, she did what a determined mom does: rolled up her sleeves, dove into research, and started experimenting in her own kitchen. The balm she created soothed her son’s skin so well it became the only thing she trusted, and when she shared it with friends and family, they kept coming back for refills. That sparked the idea for Ranger Balm, a line of organic, plant-based, multi-purpose skincare products. The Blue Chamomile Multipurpose Balm is so remarkably effective that my kids ask for it for every cut, scrape, and bug bite, real or imagined, and they’re obsessed with the blue color.

In this conversation, Jaycee’s opens up about what it’s really like to build a business while raising young kids, how her past lives in law and luxury marketing show up in her work, and the values that guide every jar she makes.

You’ve had such an interesting career journey, from law to marketing at Chanel to running your own skincare business. Can you share a little bit about those pivots and what they led to?

From a young age, I had an entreprenuerial spirit. At six, I transformed our basement into “Groovy Nails Enterprises”—a full-service nail salon complete with a cash register, gift cards, and even acrylics! I’d rush to greet guests at the door, eager to offer them a quick polish change or some nail art.

As I grew older, my passion for beauty remained constant. I dreamed of owning a spa, and when it came time to choose a college major, I pursued business and marketing. Eventually, that path shifted again—thanks to a law firm internship, my now-husband studying for the LSAT, and a sense that law school was my next move. I entered with the idea of working in beauty law, but instead found myself drawn to trusts and estates and animal rights.

After law school, while working in trusts and estates, I launched a beauty blog as a creative outlet. It reignited something in me. I began networking within the beauty industry, hoping to pivot. But with a law degree and no corporate background, I was considered overqualified for entry-level roles and under-qualified for senior ones. Breaking in felt impossible.

What ultimately opened the door was my genuine passion, willingness to start over, and a team that believed in me. I landed a role in beauty marketing at Chanel and my time there was invaluable. After my first son was born, I left to care for him full time. Then came his eczema…and Covid, and that’s where the Ranger Balm story begins.

I know I would have been a frequent customer at Groovy Nails Enterprises! And I love a non-linear career story, especially when the twists and turns end up serving a deeper purpose. Did any experiences from your past work their way into how you developed or currently run Ranger Balm?

Absolutely—nothing is by accident. Many relationships, conversations, and experiences have played a role in building my business.

Former classmates and coworkers became my first customers, helping fuel early, organic growth. Because they knew and believed in me, they were willing to try what I created—spreading the word, gifting products, and reordering. Their support helped me launch with almost no marketing budget, and I’m not sure where I’d be without them.

Law school fundamentally reshaped how I think and solve problems. This pattern of thinking sometimes slows me down but it’s also a powerful asset in running a business. My background in blogging and marketing proved just as helpful. At Chanel, I gained a deep understanding of product launches, sales forecasting, budgeting, and how to bring a brand to life through retail and events. It all came together to shape how I built and now run Ranger Balm.

Ranger Balm was born out of a very personal need: to soothe your son's ultra-sensitive, eczema-prone skin without compromising your commitment to non-toxic, vegan ingredients. It must have been incredibly frustrating, especially as a new mom, to not be able to find anything that felt safe and effective for your baby. What was that moment like when you realized you'd actually formulated something that worked?

It was a holy shit moment, honestly. I couldn’t believe this product didn’t already exist. The ingredients were backed by research, yet no one had combined them in the simple, effective, and values-driven way I envisioned. Everything I found either contained conventional or animal-derived ingredients—or known irritants. I wanted something minimal, safe, and aligned with my values.

So I started formulating. It took countless rounds of testing and tweaking, but when I got it right, it felt like magic. My son’s skin responded beautifully, and soon we were sharing it with friends and family for all kinds of skin issues. Their feedback confirmed what I felt—we had something special.

Starting a business during Covid with a newborn wasn’t the plan. But I couldn’t shake the idea. Every quiet moment—while driving, showering, or during nap time—my mind flooded with ideas for Ranger Balm. I felt very inspired. So I got to work during those nap-time windows, and by December 2020, we launched.

You're clearly very thoughtful about ingredients, sourcing, and sustainability. What are some of the guiding values or principles that show up in Ranger Balm?

Ranger Balm is an extension of me—my voice, my values, and my perspective as a mother. If I wouldn’t use it on myself or my children, I couldn’t in good conscience offer it to others.

As a family, we’re intentional about what we bring into our home—from skincare and groceries to cleaning products and clothing. That mindfulness is at the heart of Ranger Balm. Our guiding principle is simple: be kind to people, animals, and the planet. That North Star informs every decision we make.

Some might say I over-prepared for launch—spending more time and money than necessary, especially on certain invisible elements—but it mattered to me. I needed to stand behind every ingredient, the packaging, and the little details with full confidence and integrity.

What are your kids' favorite products from the lineup?

When I started experimenting with a plastic-free push-up tube, my oldest son immediately gravitated to it. He called it the Ranger Balm wand and loved applying it all by himself. I’d toss it in his backpack or leave one in the car—it was a perfect kid-friendly solution for him as he became more independent.

Now, without a doubt, the Sweet Citrus & Vanilla Lip Balm is both of my kids’ favorite product!

As a fellow mom building a business around family life and values, I'm especially interested in how other business owners have navigated those early years, growing something from the ground up while raising young kids. What has that looked like for you with Ranger Balm, and how has it evolved as both your business and your family have grown?

One of the greatest gifts of being a solopreneur is the flexibility to shift between family and business as needed, as long as your priorities stay clear. I lean on my family during big pushes, like the holidays, and on my loyal customers when family needs to come first.

When my second son was born—just over two years after launching Ranger Balm—I couldn’t fulfill orders from the hospital and needed time to recover after my C-section. There’s no maternity leave when you’re a one-woman operation making and shipping everything yourself. I didn’t want to burn out, but I also didn’t want to go silent. So, I got creative and launched an “I just had a baby” sale—offering a discount with full transparency that orders wouldn’t ship until a certain date.

The response was incredible. It became one of my most successful sales and the best part was an outpouring of kind messages and support, especially from other mothers. I think it resonated because I’ve always been transparent. People know Ranger Balm isn’t mass-produced; it’s just me doing my thing. And because they see the human behind the brand, they are able to extend that humanity right back.

What's a lesson (personal or professional) that you've had to learn since launching Ranger Balm?

There have been countless lessons—most of them learned through discomfort. I’m not naturally comfortable on camera, but a 30-second video of me talking about how Ranger Balm works for my family or other products we enjoy consistently drives more engagement than any polished ad or photo. The big lesson? Scrappy, authentic content often beats curated content—because people don’t want to be sold to, they want to connect with a real human.

Another one of my big realizations has been this: if you try to sell to everyone, you sell to no one. Ranger Balm isn’t just skincare—it’s a lifestyle. It reflects conscious consumerism, mindful parenting, and a commitment to non-toxic living. My ideal customer is someone like me—already on this journey. She cares about ingredients, sustainability, animal welfare, and what she brings into her home. On the flip side, someone loyal to conventional products like Aquaphor may not see the value I’m offering—and that’s okay. I’m not trying to convert everyone. I’m here for the conscious consumer looking for products that care for them and the planet.

There's a real sense of thoughtfulness and intention behind Ranger Balm that resonates with parents who want to shop more consciously. For parents who are trying to be more intentional about what goes on their kids' skin, where do you suggest they start?

Thank you—I really appreciate that. When it comes to skin, it’s important to take a holistic approach. It’s our largest organ and in constant contact with the world around us. I didn’t fully grasp that until both of my boys developed eczema. It’s not just about what we apply to our skin directly—like body wash, moisturizer, or sunscreen—but also what our skin comes into contact with like clothing, bedding, laundry detergents, couches, carpets, even the weather and environmental allergens.

It can feel overwhelming, but the low-hanging fruit is choosing gentle skincare, non-toxic laundry products, and mindful clothing. I’m always happy to share what I personally use and love, and I frequently chat with customers about this—so feel free to reach out anytime for recommendations.

Maleeha Sambur