Health & Beauty Post: Veriditas Botanicals
brought to you by
Isaac Boatright
I am excited about a new organic essential oil company I recently learned about: Veriditas Botanicals, founded by Melissa Farris, offers a wide assortment of high quality-organic essential oils, and therapeutic blends, imported directly from organically certified farmers and distillers — independents and co-ops. Melissa is part owner of one of the cooperatives in France, and about 65% of the pharmaceutical grade essential oils that Veriditas offers come from this cooperative.
When Melissa came to the Kiva to introduce herself, her company, and the products, she shared that she’d previously founded and owned the Simplers Botanical Company, LLC essential oil and bulk tincture line. Having started the company at a young age, she started out grass roots, but ended up selling the first organic EO line in the Whole Foods Markets and chain stores nationally. After selling Simplers, Melissa’s goal was to come back to her roots; to only buy from independents and co-ops and sell to independents and coops, “where quality, organic, and fair-trade are not only priorities, but the mission of our work” Farris says.
Melissa has been studying herbalism and medical aromatherapy for nearly 18 years. She has studied in both France and in England since the age of 17. Melissa has studied at University level, as well as with MD’s, Herbalists, and French traditional country folk (folk herbalism). She holds the distinction of having the first manual on the marketplace (1996) discussing internal use of essential oils, and citing the extremely different chemical makeup between conventional vs. organic essential oils. She exposes oils that are sold as “therapeutic” but are actually synthetic or oils made for the food and fragrance industry.
I personally consider France to be the world leader in the sane and grounded, yet progressive and intelligent, use of essential oils; the best book that I own regarding therapeutic use of essential oils is written by a French doctor, and practicing MDs in France actually prescribe essential oils. The French government regulates the sale of essential oils, dispensing only pharmaceutical grade oils, and only through pharmacies.
I was significantly impressed with Melissa’s knowledge of essential oils, and consider her to be a leader in the field, particularly for the U.S.A., where knowledge and use of essential oils has been slow to develop.
It’s been my experience that essential oils have an extraordinary wealth of little realized and little known therapeutic uses, ranging far beyond the antimicrobial value of ancient formulae such as “Four Thieves” and the analgesic uses of clove oil, to the uplifting and heart-opening effects of oil of rose and the liver and lung cleansing properties of oil of lemon. I’m happy to see that Melissa has created a pragmatic line of essential oil blends geared towards common needs and concerns, and I’m confident that our customers will appreciate them.
Did you know that it takes 10,000 ounces of roses to produce one ounce of rose essential oil? How precious! Obviously, at this level of plant usage, our choice of whether to buy organic or conventional has an appreciable impact on our world. It also has a readily appreciable impact upon ourselves, as conventional and organic essential oils differ markedly in their chemical composition!
We will be carrying twelve organic essential oils, and twelve organic essential oil formulas. As always, we’ll be happy to accommodate special orders for oils and blends which aren’t in stock. For example, pure oil of rose, as well as pure oil of jasmine, can be special ordered. Feel free to inquire directly.
FORMULAS:
Acne
Athlete’s Foot
Cold Sore
Men’s Deodorant
Women’s Deodorant
Gingivitis
Menstrual
Mental Clarity
Rose Regenerative
Sinus
Sleep
Yeast
BASICS/SINGLES:
Chamomile, Moroccan Blue
Clary Sage
Clove
Cocoa (in jojoba oil)
Eucalyptus (globulus)
Grapefruit
Jasmine (in jojoba oil)
Lavender, Highland (a very nice lavender!)
Lemongrass
Peppermint
Rose (in jojoba oil)
Sandalwood, Australian
With Care,
Isaac Boatright
Kiva Grocery News 