Handmade beauty products that give drugstore brands a run for their money
Past Rachel Pasche | December 24, 2022
As the new year approaches, so does the time for self-care, and for 2023 we’re leaning towards all-natural beauty and health products. These four Michigan makers have just what makes your skin smooth, your nails shiny, and your hair shiny…and they found many of their ingredients right here in your backyard.
HIPPIE TWIG BOTANY
hippietwigbotanics.Etsy.com
Based in Traverse City, Hippie Twig Botanics offers a variety of natural, small-batch products, sourcing ingredients from local farms, Michigan-based vendors, or outdoors. Owner Heidi Sharp is passionate about making products that are good for customers and the planet, and her offerings change with the seasons to ensure customers can find what their skin needs at that time.
Express: How did you get started?
Sharp: When I discovered my passion for herbal medicine and learning the intelligence of plants, I was working as a full-time nurse looking for a creative outlet. I was particularly enchanted by how [plants] support our largest organ, the skin. That spark eventually led to learning how to make various personal care products and opening up my own small business.
Express: What types of products do you carry?
Sharp: Our offerings include herbal soaps, various skin and hair care products, aromatherapy, candles and sometimes a supportive tea and/or tonic.
Express: How do you buy/manufacture your products?
Sharp: My products are lovingly made in small batches in my home. I strive to buy as many ingredients as possible from other small businesses in my home country. Most of the plants I work with are purchased from small Michigan farms or ethically wild harvested. Other ingredients are certified organic and support fair trade whenever possible.
Express: What product do you make that everyone should try this winter?
Sharp: It’s so hard to recommend just one! I have to say that a Hippie Twig lotion bar is very handy this time of year. They’re portable, non-wasting, and provide the perfect amount of moisturizer to keep skin hydrated and nourished.
Express: Where can customers find your products?
Sharp: The Refillery, Blessed Be Apothecary, Red Door Coffee House, Oryana West and Blue North Arts. Seasonally, I’m at the Interlochen Farmers Market, and I have an Etsy shop.
NORTH NAIL POLISH
northernnailpolish.com
KC Springfield had the brilliant idea to create natural nail polishes a decade ago and has been wowing people with their creations ever since. Without dyes or harsh chemicals, her polishes, conditioners, oils and removers keep hands healthy and looking their best. (And we love that the colors are Michigan-themed, like the peachy pink “America’s High Five” or the rose gold “Dune Climb.”)
Express: How did you get started?
Springfield: I started making nail polish 10 years ago after reading an article about exposure to chemicals such as carcinogens and endocrine disruptors in conventional nail polish brands. I set out to create colors and a formula that is safe for everyone! It is vegan, non-toxic, cruelty-free, long-lasting and chip-resistant.
Express: What types of products do you carry?
Springfield: My colors range from Petoskey Stone taupe to Cherry Festival red, and everything in between. I have a nail polish color and texture for everyone, of all ages and preferences. I also offer cuticle oils and conditioners, nail files, and natural soy-based nail polish remover.
Express: How do you buy/manufacture your products?
Springfield: My raw material suppliers are all based in the US, and most are women-owned small businesses like mine. It is important to me to support and build relationships with other small businesses. I use mica that is ethically sourced, which is also why my polishes are cruelty free, vegan and won’t stain nails after removal, as my polishes do not contain dyes.
Express: What product do you make that everyone should try this winter?
Springfield: I recommend our Nourishing Base Coat, 30 Second Top Coat, Cuticle Balm and a glass nail file. Our Nourishing Base Coat can be applied under a color or worn alone for the moisturizing properties to help nails during winter, or even after gel/acrylic removal.
Express: Where can customers find your products?
Springfield: We have a small storefront behind the Pit Spitters stadium called Northern Self Care & Gifts, open Saturdays from 11am-5pm [428 W Commerce Dr, Traverse City MI]. Or at northernnailpolish.com.
GREAT LAKES BATH & BODY
greatlakesbathandbody.com
Lynn Rodenroth is a master soap maker who prides herself on creating products that are as useful as they are fun. From natural baths that add an extra bit of “ahh” to your routine to softening soaps and salts, Great Lakes Bath & Body has tons of body care options.
Express: How did you get started?
Rodenroth: I dug hard into researching and formulating bath and body products starting in 2005 because I had serious skin issues. I became a product developer and soap maker and in 2008 I launched Great Lakes Bath & Body. In 2012 we launched our online store, then our flagship store on Front Street in downtown Traverse City.
Express: What types of products do you carry?
Rodenroth: We’ve got all the fun and useful basics: handmade soaps, premium lotions, soaking salts, bath water, soy candles and more.
Express: How do you buy/manufacture your products?
Rodenroth: All of our products are formulated by and belong to Great Lakes Bath & Body. We manufacture on site under GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices). We attach great importance to the selection of ingredients, including the purchase of these ingredients. This high standard also applies to all our packaging components.
Express: What product do you make that everyone should try this winter?
Rodenroth: Our popular tubs … fizz like crazy as they release your favorite scent and soften your skin. They contain no dye and you don’t have to scrub the tub after a relaxing bath.
Express: Where can customers find your products?
Rodenroth: We are located at 110 E Front Street, in Downtown Traverse City and online at greatlakesbathandbody.com.
FLORA AND FUNGUS PHARMACY
florafungiapothecary.com
Amanda Derocher runs Flora and Fungi, a modern apothecary that uses organic and wild-harvested ingredients in all its products and uses traditional methods of steam distillation and infusion. She crafts a range of products in her workshop in Au Gres, all of which evoke a nostalgia and appreciation for the natural beauty of Michigan.
Express: How did you get started?
Derogers: I’ve been making basic skin care products for years for family and friends, but I went back to school for cosmetic science and formulation training to sharpen my skills and ensure I was creating safe, effective products before launching my brand.
Express: What types of products do you carry?
Derogers: I craft a range of skin care products, from facial lotions and serums to salves and shampoo bars made with plants sourced from the Great Lakes region.
Express: How do you buy/manufacture your products?
Derogers: My process begins with research into the chemical makeup of each plant to determine the best ways to transfer the medicinal properties of the plant into the future product. Plants are harvested at the peak of their season from healthy ecosystems. Some plants are dried for use in oil infusions; other plants are steam distilled to obtain their hydrosols and essential oils. Others are treated with solvents to get powerful extracts to incorporate into my products.
Express: What product do you make that everyone should try this winter?
Derogers: Lauma: Goddess of Trees Coniferous Forest Facial Elixir is my favorite facial product I make, formulated to protect the skin’s barrier from harsh Michigan winters. This lotion is rich in occlusive ingredients, including balsam granoleoresin, frankincense resin and cocoa butter along with eastern hemlock and black spruce hydrosols.
Express: Where can customers find your products?
Derogers: My products are available at Blue North Arts in Suttons Bay; Nature walk Sleeping bear dunes in the Empire; and at Crooked Tree Art Center Petoskey’s Gallery Shop (coming soon to Crooked Tree Traverse City), as well as on my website.
#Naturale #Beauty
