Today we’d like to introduce you to Raina Rose McClellan.
Hi Raina Rose, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I spent my 20s living in my car and touring the country playing music. I was a traveling folksinger. My husband Andrew and I toured with our baby Emmett until he was about 2. Then, it got too hard, and I knew I had to devise another way to make a living. Before I tried my hand at music, I had also wanted to be an herbalist, so that’s what I did! I got some books and learned how to make salves, soaps, body butter, and herb-infused oils.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No road is always smooth. It was hard to let go of being a musician as an identity; it was daunting to learn something entirely new while mothering two small kids; it has been a circuitous path to figuring out how to run a small business. We’ve made a lot of small mistakes and a few huge ones.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in healing topical products. We use as many organic ingredients as we can source. We slowly infuse oils with healing plants but leave them in jars for at least six weeks. Those usually become face and body oils like our Magic Face Oil. We also quickly infuse healing herbs into oils by using crock pots. That usually becomes salve, which is an infused oil set with beeswax. Those are our core products. We also make natural deodorant, cold process soap, face masks, bath products, and other items. I am proud of our bestselling Salve, Goodbye Fungi, which soothes itchiness where skin touches the skin, like between the toes and under the armpits. It has a measurable positive on the quality of life for those needing it. Being itchy can result in poor sleep and irritability, which helps. That feels great. I love helping people feel better.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was born in LA in the early 80s. My mom hated it there, so we moved to Portland, OR. I am happy we did. I grew up playing guitar, running around in the forest, sitting on the beach. It was a pretty idyllic childhood. I spent much time in the backyard making potions with mud and berries. My parents are hippies and gave us a lot of space to be ourselves. I did not go to college; I worked at my summer camp on the coast. That’s where I learned about the magic of plants. Did you know that bracken fern mashed up and placed on an insect sting will stop the pain? That’s magic.
Pricing:
- Goodbye Fungi $29
- Magic Face Oil $44
Contact Info:
- Website: www.folkpotions.com
- Instagram: @folkpotions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/folkpotions
- TikTok: @folk_potions
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