Creating skin care products from therapeutic plants to help protect and restore the body.
We do things very differently at Alywillow. We are more than just 'natural' or 'plant based'. We only use plants, minerals, beeswax, honey, resins, roots, and flowers. We do not use ANY synthetic chemicals or artificial ingredients. Even our scents, preservatives, and colors come from plants and minerals.
I think it all started in the mid 1970's when I insisted my father stop using the poison powders on our garden plants. I think he still did it when I wasn't looking, but, there's not much I could do at that age. In the mid-1990's I became aware of the incredibly dagerous ingredients used in the skin and body care industries and I wondered what our ancestors used? Surely if they lived without synthetic chemicals, we could too! That is when the serach began.
Over time, I formed an intimate relationship with the plants. I learned to listen to the body and listen to the plants. In 2007, I opened a yoga center on Topsail Island and shortly after that, an accident with a ladder led to a bone in my back breaking into three pieces. This is when I found the plants that completely relieved my back pain and I dedicated my life to the use of medicinal plants by traveling across the country sharing a message of hope, inner peace, and healing plants.
Eventually, I moved to the mountains of Virginia to live closer to nature, the river, and the woods. My mailman who found out I was an medicine woman (with Native American ancestory) and told the chief of the local Cherokee tribe and very quickly, I was adopted into their tribe.
At this time, my son and I were living about 90% from the land and using the plants to help the neighbors and tribal members with their ailments. As word spread through the community about the new woman with medicine plants, more and more people started coming to my home for help. And, as I became more connected to the land, I learned many secrets about nature, things you would probably never imagined.
Through all these years, I had been working on perfecting my soap making, lip balms, and moisturizers recipes, but, most importantly, I had seen 1 eczema, acne, shingles, MRSA, and much more clear from using my products. Then, I spent a few years traveling to weekend shows to talk with people about my products and how to restore health to their bodies, the natural way.
At first, people were sceptical. They would ask about effectiveness and I would share how the plants talk to me. In the native world this is much more acceptable, but, not so much by others. It still surprises me how many people don't understand nature is alive. Every plant and animal has unique personalities endowed by the Divine. You only need to learn to listen in order to hear their message.
They told me to tell you, "I am a Messenger of Earth and of the Ancestors". This message was followed by a dream of some men blocking the path in front of me. In the dream, I was on a small path in a very dense forest. The men at the gate refused to let me pass, so, I told them, as I had been told to do, "I am a messenger of Earth and of the Ancestors." I wasn't sure what kind of effect to expect, but the men started yelling about a buffalo. I turned around to see a huge buffalo standing just inches behind me (completely filling the space of the path). If you've ever stood close to a buffalo that manifested from thin air, you would understand the power of such an experience. I was amazed and humbled (and trembling), additionally, the path was opened to me. That's when I was given a promise that my authenticity would open all the closed doors. (Let's go back to reality as you know it...)
It was 2014 when I was led to give up my peaceful life in the mountains and journey back to my hometown of Raleigh, NC to began sharing Alywillow with the world. I was living on the land, with no real income, so a tribal member donated $600 which I invested into my products. Then packed up my car with Alywillow (and everything else of value) and headed down the mountains to the Raleigh Flea Market.
That was an incredible experience. The Raleigh Flea Market is the top flea market in NC and one of the top 10 in our country. Even now, you can still find Alywillow at that flea market. Our little store there has flourished and grown over the years and our customers love their Alywillow products.
Our headquarters are only about 1/4 mile down the road and from there, we offer several wholesale programs so businesses and individuals can share Alywillow with their customers, friends, and family.
It was never my intention to build a business from this gift. It was more of a calling to share the beauty and healing power of the plants with the world.
Are you looking for chemical-free body care products? CONGRATS! You have found ALYWILLOW! This is a place where integrity, kindness, and respect are valued above all else. Let me personally welcome you to the Alywillow family. May you enjoy long, joy-filled, & healthy lives.
Aliya Trinity,
White Raven
