At the heart of Live Botanical is the intense desire to connect with Mother Nature, sharing her beauty and wisdom with others. Founder and formulator, Carolyn McRory, believes the path to a more sustainable society is to encourage ideas.
The study of herbalism was a natural progression during Carolyn’s formative years. Her initial education started with an American Herbalist Guild (AHG) program where she studied with Dr. Mara Levin. Levin, an early practitioner in the 1970’s worked alongside many influential modern American herbalists who would eventually form the AHG.
Live Botanical formulas are rooted in creating balance and harmony, to enhance what makes you uniquely beautiful. Their goal is to incorporate the beauty and wonder of nature into your daily self care rituals. Through herbal based skin care, Carolyn is able to tell a story to help forge a relationship with the natural world. With vivid botanical imagery and products designed for self-care, Carolyn hopes you are reminded everyday of the beauty in the world and more importantly the beauty that lives within you.
We had the chance to pick founder Carolyn’s brain in a lightening round about our 5 favorite topics, we hope you enjoy!
Why Clean Beauty?
I resonate more with the idea of green beauty. Where skincare can act as a catalyst to connecting with the outside world. Finding joy in the artistry of herbalism.
My own journey has taken me on so many paths and what I hope to share with Live Botanical is non-judgmental/intuitive beauty. Acknowledging there is often more than one path. We should feel comfortable exploring without feeling overwhelmed with so much data and information that tends to come at us now. Encouraging nuanced conversations and critical thinking where answers sometimes require ongoing dialogue; being more comfortable in the gray.
Your self care ritual – an indulgent weekly event or finding moments whenever you can get them?
When my garden is in bloom, I love to gather my morning breakfast and afternoon tea.
Things like little onions, rainbow chard, juicy tomatoes, thyme, and basil plus a few edible flowers to garnish. Sautéing them with my favorite local olive oil and fresh farm eggs, all wrapped in hand-made corn tortillas.
Then enjoying eating my meal in the garden with an oversized cup of black tea and macadamia nut milk. Watching the bees work and sitting in complete gratitude for the few precious moments of just being present.
I’ll start a solar infusion early in the day using a few herbs like tulsi, rose, lemon verbena, lemon balm, lavender, skullcap, agrimony, oat-straw, meadowsweet, etc.. and then in the evening enjoy a large glass to help wind down from a busy and sometimes stressful day.
What’s your can’t-live-without, deserted island product?
I don’t know if I can choose 1 as I really need a hydration layer along with a thick emollient seal. With that being said the ambient moisture liquid and sanctuary barrier balm.
I feel most beautiful when…
I’m unapologetically myself.
What’s the #1 piece of advice you would you tell your past self just getting started?
Value your work. Extend the same care and understanding that you have for others to yourself.
What’s Next?
We always have limited, seasonal herbal goods and am excited for summer treats based on harvest sharing efforts with local small farms as well as from our own micro garden. More herbal teas including one of our most loved: a strawberry tisane which will be paired with a strawberry body oil and a blackberry & lemon verbena Hydramist. For permanent offerings, I’m working on an upgrade to our Herb Garden Universal Oil (which is my personal favorite facial oil).
