How This Mom-Owned Small Business Began

 

I—Samantha—started my journey in skincare when I joined forces with a partner to build Texas Tallow. 

After a few years working together on Texas Tallow, I started my own line, focusing on herbal extracts - and Wilde Flora Herbals was born.

I was already obsessed with making all my own non-toxic personal care products, since I was sensitive to fragrance and chemicals, was on the GAPS protocol, and was deeply engrossed in my herbalism studies. So, I started crafting products I wanted to use and offered them to others who might appreciate non-toxic options.

I dropped the over-potent essential oils and hand-crafted my own infused herbal oils from our family gardens. I learned that keeping things simple tended to work best, trusting that YHWH designed nature to provide just what we need in easy to use forms.

I’ve continued broadening my scope with simple formulas that feed the skin. Opting out of cheap shortcuts, laboratory-made “conveniences” and over-processed ingredients, I loved the vibrancy of fresh made extracts and the joy of working with plants in their rawest and purest forms, knowing they have so much to offer us.

Essential Oil Free Skincare

Wilde Flora Herbals is a line of house made plant extracts strategically blended to support your skin and overall health. It utilizes my favorite way to use plants - hydrosols and infused oils - to bring more of these beneficial herbs into more people's homes in easy to use, gentle forms. 

As I've sat and watched the essential oil craze, I've seen the enthusiasm for easy to use, collectible plant essences. What I didn't see much of, however, was businesses taking responsibility for educating and safeguarding people on the proper uses of these potent volatile oils. Now, in a market saturated with them, I see more people than ever developing sensitivities and adverse reactions due to the body's toxin overload. A mix of essential-oil laden products and lab-made chemicals are building up and burdening immune systems, leading to suppressed or overactive immune responses that are wreaking havoc on health and skincare. 

As a result, I've become determined not only to craft products that are 100% free of added essential oils, but to do my part in educating and offering alternatives for individuals seeking to avoid essential oils altogether while still being able to use and enjoy their favorite herbal allies. Hydrosols and infused oils both naturally capture trace amounts of essential oil from the herb itself, but these gentle extracts blend them with other of the plant's constituents that make them accessible, balanced and easy for your body to use. 

I think you'll fall in love with herbs all over again through these herbal offerings, and look forward to seeing you achieve your best skin and overall health yet. 

Using House Made Extracts

I infuse my products with some of myt favorite skin-loving herbs grown organically in family gardens or wildcrafted from Texas ranch land. The herbs are picked fresh and dried and then added directly into the carrier oils while still vibrant where they macerate for over a month to impart their beneficial properties into the oils. The herbs are then strained out and the oils are used to create nourishing skincare staples. This process captures a broader spectrum of the herb's benefits than the herb's essential oil alone (read more about that here) and makes for a much gentler and safer application.  

No Preservatives

You may find that some of my products don't have an extensive shelf life. I choose not to add any preservatives or stabilizers to my products, meaning if they are contaminated in any way (primarily if water is introduced) they have the potential to encourage bacterial growth. Always check for signs of contamination before using your product and store each product according to its recommendations.

Most hydrosols on the market contain alcohol to preserve them. I believe this greatly tarnishes the purity, vitality and essence of the hydrosol. I also believe that a hydrosol has more to offer when it's fresh and unadultered. I'm proud to offer pure house made hydrosols from fresh plant material we grow ourselves. To keep your hydrosol vibrant for longer, it's best to store it somewhere cold and dark, like the refrigerator, and to keep it from being exposed to contaminants and open air. If product appears cloudy or has a floating mass forming in it, these are signs of contamination and you should discontinue topical use. Feel free to give it another life as handmade household cleaners or pour it out in your garden before replacing it with a fresh batch. I try to sell products in sizes that are easily usable before the expiration date, rather than selling in bulk. I also am only able to offer seasonal batches, since fresh herb is required to make them. I hope you will grow to love these special herbal distillates as much as I do and you'll keep coming back for them season after season as you grow your experience with them and learn more uses for each plant available.

Are All the Ingredients Organic?

I think it’s important to note that I carefully source and grow only organically grown ingredients, meaning they are grown without toxic pesticides and fertilizers, however that doesn’t mean that they are all certified organic by a third party. Getting an organic certification is an expensive process that we have not been able to do for what we personally grow and some of the smaller businesses and farmers that we support likewise have not been able to undertake the official certification process. However, since we do maintain close relationships with our suppliers, we can completely confidently say that we trust all of our ingredients are as close to organic and pesticide-free as possible, though we may refrain from labeling it as such on some of our labels and descriptions. 

About Me

I am a homeschooling mom of three, kindergarten and younger. I grew up on a ranch and have traveled to 25 countries. 

I have a degree in advertising and run my own freelance marketing and design company, Sans Co Advertising. You can view my portfolio here if you are interested in having me help with your design, branding or website project. 

I have a history in missions and have lived in southeast Asia and Europe. I'm passionate about creating resources for other homeschooling families to help teach kids about Yahweh's Word, the full truth of the Torah, prophets and our Messiah. I hope to have some resources available soon for download!