By Deb Risden
Lavender and Thyme Holistic Skin Therapy and Apothecary opened its doors March 1 at 6755 Shoup Road in Black Forest. Owner Marissa Searle has been a practitioner for 10 years working out of her home. Her new location means new services for customers.
Searle is an herbalist, soon to add aesthetician to her credentials. She offers herbal consultations and ion cleanses for detoxing, foot therapy and balneo (bath) foot care. Searle said foot therapy is a way to put vitamins and minerals back in the body. “I work with customers on vitamins and tinctures,” she said. “If a remedy will work, I will custom mix it for them.”
The store has a full apothecary with organic herbs, skin and body care products and gifts. Products (like natural cleaning supplies with essential oils) that Seale does not make herself are sourced from local practitioners. The store also carries a line of CBD skin care, along with watercolor art and macrame from local artists. Hemp products, such as body mitts, jade rollers and other holistic tools for skin care are available.
Once she completes her aesthetician education later this summer, Searle plans to offer holistic botanical facials/skin care treatments, facial and foot reflexology and detox body wraps.
The store has monthly Make and Take classes on the third Wednesday of every month from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Customers can learn hands-on how to make things like sugar scrubs and herbal oils that they can take home. The May 17 class is an opportunity to make herbal balms. Class sizes are limited and require reservations.
Glenda is a 1940s camper that Searle is in the process of renovating. The camper will have a red light/halo therapy space. “The red light aids in cell regeneration and also helps with things like hair growth, better sleep and scar tissue healing. Halo therapy is dry salt therapy, which benefits the respiratory system,” she said. She plans to rent out Glenda for events like bridal parties and retreats, and for nursing homes visits.
Searle and her husband, Charlie, have a 19-year-old son and two daughters, ages 15 and 7. The family lived in Monument prior to moving to Black Forest 11 years ago. The couple publishes Monument Living Magazine and Palmer Lake Living Magazine. Searle is also a hobby farmer and raises goats and chickens. “I love everything nature and being self-sufficient and healing ourselves,” Searle said.
Her new location is a plus, she said. “Black Forest is a pretty magical place to live in. I feel privileged to be in one of the historic cabins.”
Lavender and Thyme store hours will vary for the next few months but are posted on her Facebook page. The website, https:/www.lavenderandthymeaesthetics.com also has a calendar of events and store hours.
