There’s this really cute little boutique in Old Town Pasadena that I’ve driven past.  I distinctly remember seeing it while on some important errand with a friend.  As my friend drove past, I pressed my face to the window and said, “Ohhhhh – what’s that? We have to come back here!”

Turns out that cute little company, called Lather, has been around since 1999, and is on PETA’s compassionate company list – they have a strict policy against animal testing.  Right up my alley!  I finally got a chance to check out their products, and I was quite pleased.

Lather founder and skin care expert Emilie Davidson Hoyt was a serious migraine sufferer since childhood, and she was/is ultra-sensitive to the synthetic ingredients and fragrances found in most cosmetics. When she was a child her father brought her back a lavender soap from a business trip and she found that it relieved much of her pain, so she began placing it under her pillow at night to help her relax.

This is what started her passion for natural healing products and the desire to use her experience to help others.  There’s a great list of essential oils and their properties on the Lather website, as well as skin care advice from Emilie.

I like the way they separate different types of products by package color.  I tried their Blemish Control Cleansing Gel, which is an oil-free gel cleanser with wasabi (a natural antibacterial agent), aloe, witch hazel and nettle extract.  It’s paraben and sulfate-free, and it’s pH balanced so it doesn’t dry out your skin.  I love that it rinses clean – no residue – but still manages to keep my skin soft.  Very highly recommended!

I also tried the Ultra Light Face Lotion, which as the name implies, is well…ultra light!  The cool thing is that it actually has a nice, moisturizing thickness to it – it’s not a serum or a gel – but it dries quickly with no greasy or heavy feel.  Great for my combination skin.  It’s got rose and ylang ylang essential oils to soothe the skin, and the scent is quite nice.

I tried the AHA Facial Therapy with Copper and Borage Extract – which I used as a night cream.  It’s very light, and has lactic acid, copper and borage seed oil to renew dull, tired skin and increase cell turnover.

The Bamboo Creme Hair Wash has bamboo extract of course – and panthenol, jojoba oil and oat amino acids to prevent split ends and encourage moisture.  It’s got essential oils which give it a nice, fresh scent.

The Avocado Mint Hair Repair is wonderfully thick and leaves a fresh, minty cooling sensation.  It’s got nourishing shea butter, macadamia seed oil and jojoba oil to condition the hair.  I like to use it on weekends along with a nice facial mask for a great “I’m pampering myself” feeling.

I definitely recommend checking out the Lather store if you’re in Pasadena, Scottsdale or Atlanta.  You can also buy their products online.  And the best part?  The prices are more than reasonable!

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