“I am inspired by nature and human-connectedness. There is no denying that there is a thread of connectivity that runs between us as sentient beings and the earth,” says Kelly Beth owner of Twig and Leaf Botanicals which is an all vegan organic company based out of Boulder,Colo ..
Kelly Beth is a soft spoken herbalist whose experience with herbs goes well beyond her years. She is a true perfectionist on every aspect of her company from taking her own photo’s of her products to the herbal tea blends she creates. There are few people that can say when they wake up in the morning they love what they do, Kelly Beth is one of them.
I originally contacted Kelly Beth for herbal guidance and my desire to discontinue using prescription medication to control my acne which is an issue I have been dealing with for years. She ended up guiding me on which herbs to take and what products use to that would be best suited for my skin type. As a result I am almost completely acne free and very grateful she was there to listen and help me with my acne woos.
Twig and Leaf Botanical is offering 25% off to readers when they enter the code “thegreenstylist” at checkout.
Recently, Kelly Beth was kind enough to answer a few questions for ‘The Green Stylist’ readers.
Can you tell me a little bit about your background in Herbalism ?
I have a masters in clinical herbalism, as well as a well-rounded education in aromatherapy, botany, and Ayurvedic and Eastern medicine as well.
What inspired you to create your company?
I was horrified (and still am) at what terrible chemicals people put breathe, put onto and put into their bodies. I wanted to help other people live as close to the earth lives as possible, while being able to afford to do so.
I was also a darkroom photography teacher, so I have a great appreciation for photography, and went to school for creative writing as well. Starting twig & leaf let me do all of the things that I truly love to do!
Do you grow most of the herbs you sell?
I work with local growers, as well as use their greenhouses from year-round cultivation and harvest. Of course I grow simple herbs at home, like our mints and flowers, and then I work directly with small organic farms around the globe. The closeness that I have with my plants and suppliers ensures that all of the herbs that twig & leaf uses are the highest quality and are grown completely without artificial anything. All the herbs are super fresh, too, since I only harvest in small batches, as needed. Working with the growers directly also helps keep prices down so that our products and plants are available to everyone—no matter what their income.
How important is it to you to sell an organic vegan product?
Crucial. Absolutely crucial. I’m vegan, and will not use anything that isn’t. this also entails understanding where the plants come from, how their grown, how they’re harvested, and how they’re processed, and everything else in between.
For example, palm. Commercial palm harvesting is contributing to the slaughter of innocent animals—hundreds every day. I know exactly where our palm products come from, and they are sustainably harvested in that there is no killing, let alone harmful or artificial chemicals involved.
What does wildcrafted mean?
Wildcrafted means that instead of grown on a controlled plot of land, it’s harvested from the wild. Sustainability is key to this working, as over harvesting plants can lead to endangerment, as well as inappropriately harvesting, such as cutting off the wrong parts of the plant, damaging the root system, etc.
What inspires you to create a tea or lotion?
Teas are how I started. I have a very maternal, nurturing personality, and I just want to make everyone healthy and happy! So I started making teas for sick friends, which then evolved into actually writing down recipes and eventually selling the teas locally, then globally!
For lotion and other bath & beauty, I just love making my skin soft and smooth! I experiment on myself for weeks before I list a new product. I have incredibly sensitive skin, which is also freckly, so I’m the perfect guinea pig. : )
What are your best sellers on your site?
Best sellers in bath & beauty are our mandarin & yang ylang lotion, litsea & lemon lotion, and facial toner.
As far as teas, in Boulder Colorado, our top sellers are our Restore herbal tea, Wild Berry Fruit Tea (as well as on etsy), and our wellness blend. I’m amazed at how many pounds of tea our locals go through in a month!
The bottle your body oil comes in is very unique how did that come about?
The large amphora that our body oil comes in was made possible after a ton of requests for something “elegant and classy” which fits the description of it perfectly.
The small test tubes which our sugar scrubs, bath oils, and salt soaks come in were actually salvaged from an old chemistry department. I have a limited supply of them, but it’s wonderful to give a new home and purpose to something so simple.
Which products do you use every day?
I rotate my lotions daily, depending on the weather and my mood. When it’s hot outside, I use either the litsea & lemon, and in the winter, I love the bed down body lotion, and the Utopia. The Utopia lotion was the very first lotion I created several years ago, and all of our scented lotions are based around those ingredients. It’s absolutely perfect! I also love the bay rum & mint “awaken” lotion for a little pick-me-up pedi!
As far as everything else, I use the toner every night, and the bed down bath oil as a makeup remover. It has regenerative carrot seed oil amongst others in it, which has been invaluable for my squinting in the hot mountain sun—not a single wrinkle to be seen!
I rotate my teas and blend whatever kind I’m in the mood for throughout the day. Right now I have a mason jar of iced summer night tea in the fridge, which is so refreshing on a 95 degree day like today. Whew!
Of all the various items you sell what is the one thing you can’t live without?
Holy moly! One? Just one? Okay. Lotion. No. Linden! No. Toner! No. Herbal Coffee!
What advice would you give someone that is just starting to go the herbal route?
Listen to your body! Start with gentle cleansing herbs to flush out the toxins from your system, and get to know each one individually to understand how it works with your body specifically.
Do you feel our society is too dependent on prescription drugs?
Of course, but I think more and more people are willing to give plant-based medicine a chance.
What would you say is the one thing most people do wrong during their daily facial routine? (are they using the wrong soap, washing their face too much etc.)
I’d have to say makeup. I personally don’t wear much, because it’s just not good to put a whole bunch of stuff onto your face. I live with the belief that you should never put something on your body that you wouldn’t put in your body. Reading the ingredients in makeup is horrifying!
As far as what everyone can do wrong, is using synthetic cleansers. They usually have one active ingredient (salicylic acid, which you can get from plants) and a ton of ingredients that are really bad for you, or make your skin become dependent on them, which can lead to a vicious cycle. It’s like lip balm. If you have to put it on all the time, it’s not working. Simple as that.
What inspires you?
Nature and human-connectedness. There is no denying that there is a thread of connectivity that runs between us as sentient beings and the earth.
Do you feel the term “natural” is being misrepresented in the beauty product industry?
Of course. Greenwashing is a big, ugly thing today. From our medicine to our food, it’s getting scarier every day. I mean, now Aspartame is now renamed a “natural sweetener” for one. Gross. And honestly, being carbon-based is technically organic, so there’s a lot of bending and stretching to claim that.
Why buy organic?
Because you know what’s not in it. It’s not genetically engineered, you know there aren’t awful chemicals, and you know that you’re supporting the GOOD and not the ugly in the food industry. The more consumer demand for a product, in this case organic, the more likely it is to have that recognized and offered.
If I could visit your studio where you create you’re products, what would I see when I walk through the door, is there anything that would surprise me or catch me off guard?
I’m big into minimalism and Scandinavian design, so I like my whites and cleanliness. All of our products are made to order, so there is not a single thing sitting around, except soaps, which are always wrapped and stored in a room of hanging herbs and dried herbs in perfectly labeled white bins.
What’s in store for the future?
I’m working on creating my own website, which is hard and is a bit discouraging, but will be up sooner than later. Hopefully. There, I’ll have a shop, blog, photos, tutorials (even some videos!) and an index of herbs and their uses. I’m pretty excited about it so keeping my head up through the techy mess helps.
If you would like more information about Twig & Leaf Botanical please feel free to click on one of the links above. If you would like to check out their blog please click here.
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