PriyaMeansLove
Baltimore, Maryland ·
PriyaMeansLove
Handcrafted Organics for Skin, Body, and HairBaltimore, Maryland 4798 Sales On Etsy since 2009
Announcement
purist all natural * organic ingredients * high performance * handcrafted from scratch by Priya
> > small luxuries to help you care for the body you live in < <
Announcement
purist all natural * organic ingredients * high performance * handcrafted from scratch by Priya
> > small luxuries to help you care for the body you live in < <
Reviews
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Heather on Jul 14, 2018
5 out of 5 starsMy favorite of Priya's perfumes. A unique semi sweet floral blend with a hint of woods. I find it very cozy like wearing a soft cashmere sweater. It is the most feminine of her perfumes and I know I will buy another once this one is gone.
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Heather on Jul 14, 2018
5 out of 5 starsA perfect memoir year round for those who carry the season of Fall in their hearts. This is truly a scent of a hayride. I've smelled so many perfumes over the years claiming to smell like Autumn. Nothing has ever fit that so perfectly till now. What's even more impressive is the craftsmanship she uses of so many botanical essences to create this amazing scent. I told my daughter to smell and tell me what she thinks. Right away she said corn maze, pumpkin patch, leaves falling. That certain smell Fall brings into the air.
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Heather on Jul 14, 2018
5 out of 5 starsTruly a leather scent indeed. I imagine the ladies of old always wearing stylish gloves. But this lady has a bit of flair and strength. She can cook a delicious meal and dress like a real southern belle. But she can also use a firearm, wrangle up cattle, and get her hands in the ground to grow her own of plenty. Saffron is so lovely on my skin. It reminds me she is also educated, cultured, and open to new people and things in this world.
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Heather on Jul 14, 2018
5 out of 5 starsI've been on the hunt for a effective natural deodorant. Never having tried spray deo I looked forward to this experience. The packaging is nice. But the scent is superb. If you long for the forest as I do, you must try this. It reminds me of childhood when I would play in the woods in my grandparents yard in NC. I would come in smelling like a child of the trees. It has a nice texture and lasts for a decent amount of time. Seems to enhance your own natural smell.
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Heather on Jul 14, 2018
5 out of 5 starsThe packaging is great and such a generous amount. It should last quite awhile. It leaves a decent amount of color and moisturizes nicely. The hint of scent is soothing to the senses. I've become a natural balm addict and this is certainly a real treat!
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Heather on Jul 14, 2018
5 out of 5 starsI truly feel I got a package wrapped with care and love. Priya was so helpful and got everything to me in time. I have learned when I'm in need of self care her items are my go-to. The mint drops taste great and smell even better without harmful artificial sweeteners. Lavanilla body butter is perfect for dry hands and the scent is so relaxing. My favorite of this set is the Mind/Body relief balm. The cute blue jar is appealing. But the texture and scent is pure aromatherapy. It's amazing! Thank you So much!
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Heather on Jul 14, 2018
5 out of 5 starsA gorgeous lavender perfume that makes me think of the coast in Greece. Delicate sea breezes blowing your hair while walking in your garden. Fresh and crisp morning air. This is a beautiful serene blend. Priya is quite the artist ❤
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Heather on Jul 14, 2018
5 out of 5 starsThis cologne has all kinds of vibes going on. I smell sweet tobacco and leather. It takes me back to being with my Pop as a child. He had a cozy old leather chair, a fireplace going, and tobacco fields outside in NC. Other times it transports me to the Pacific coast redwoods. Being near the rocky coast walking through the redwood forest. Camping in the woods with my lovies. Snuggling around a warm bonfire.
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Heather on Jul 14, 2018
5 out of 5 starsA package from Priya is like a comforting hug, catching up with an old friend, waking up to snow on Christmas morning. Her shop is most appropriately named. Each item packaged with such stylish eco friendly detail and care. Handwritten thank you and fun extras. Communication and customer service is top notch. I am a lover of lavender and vetiver. This spray is just amazing. The bottle is sturdy and well made. The label is stylish. The scent is just perfect. I use it as a body spray and pillow spray. It will calm your mind and bring peace. Thank you so much!
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Brenda Benson on Jul 13, 2018
5 out of 5 starsSuch a gorgeous texture - I love it on my skin! Smells and looks so good. Thank you.
Updates
Skin Food in the truest sense
new For those who are impatient for spring, conjure it with scent.
About
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Cutting balsam fir tips from my family's tree, to make Balsam Fir Deodorant.
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Where it's made.
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Part of my tincture shelf. Captured by Plaid Photography, Baltimore, MD.
Radiant beauty without compromise.
INGREDIENTS & PHILOSOPHY.
Priya Means Love is a one-woman business, started by me, Priya, after chronic illness forced me to leave my post-graduate studies in math. I found delight and inspiration in playing with these beautiful ingredients, in discovering herbalism, and in becoming a part of the indie crafting scene in Toronto, where Priya Means Love started -- and in the process, I created products that eased my chemical sensitivities and made my skin and hair happier than ever, all using only radically all-natural, responsibly grown ingredients that I was proud to buy.
My intention is to continually educate myself on ingredients with an open mind, but I craft like an ideological ingredient purist: every single one of my ingredients is hardcore natural and minimally processed, and nearly all are certified organic or ethically wildharvested. They are ingredients you would be proud to eat, plus clays and specialty oils. This means that no Priya Means Love products will ever contain petroleum products, parabens, sulfates or synthetic fragrances. I also avoid ingredients of natural origin that have been so heavily processed, they may as well be synthetic in my book, e.g. emulsifying wax, grapefruit seed extract, sodium lauryl sulfate, and cocamidopropyl betaine.
I have chemical sensitivities, especially to synthetic fragrances and pthalates, so you can be sure my products never contain them; the wonderful scents come only from the fragrant whole ingredients used to make them: virgin beeswax, coconut oil, essential oils, and from flowers, herbs, and spices that I infuse in various ways.
THANK YOU
for stopping by, for your purchase, and for your feedback and vibes! It's a delight to be able to spend my days concocting good stuff, and it thrills me to no end when my creations bring other people pleasure too.
P.S.
Priya does actually mean love (in Sanskrit). :)
Shop members
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Priya Narasimhan
Owner, Formulator, Maker
Lover of nature, led by the nose through the world, loves the delicious and the sensual. Purist formulator, ex mathematician, fibromyalgia sufferer. Happiest solving a formulating problem or during a sensory aha! moment in the workshop.
Shop policies
Accepted payment methods
- Accepts Etsy Gift Cards and Etsy Credits
- Money Order
Returns and exchanges
Shipping
Your order will be packed in eco-friendly materials: recycled boxes and mailers, recycled GreenWrap, and/or reused bubble wrap.
I ship via insured USPS. If you'd like additional services like signature confirmation at an additional cost, please let me know.
IMPORTANT: if your delivery location is prone to theft, please either let me know, or request signature confirmation.
More information
Frequently asked questions
Do your products contain petroleum products, synthetic fragrances, fragrance oils, parabens, formaldehyde releasers, or other synthetic preservatives?
No, never -- this is very important to me. My passion, which became my business, stems from my reverence for natural, minimally processed beautiful materials, and from my own profound chemical sensitivities -- so you can be sure that my none of my products will ever contain these sorts of materials. My products are truly, radically all natural.
What do you mean by radically all natural?
That's a tough question to answer in a short space. But, in essence: there's no standard definition for what "all natural" means in the bodycare and cosmetic world.* Different people have different definitions, and I often see products labeled "all natural" that contain dubious ingredients.
What I mean by radically all natural is that every single ingredient I use would fit anyone's notion of what it is to be natural. My products are made from simple, elemental, minimally processed ingredients like herbs, clays, essential oils, oils, and beeswax. Good, clean food, basically!
*In fact "all natural" isn't a regulated term, and any company can call their products natural, even if they contain synthetic fragrances, preservatives, etc.!
Given that your products are all natural, how long do they last?
Quite a while! Typically 1-3 years. I formulate my products to be enjoyed over time, and each product is labeled with its batch number and with an "enjoy by" date. The shelf life depends on the particular oils in the product -- just as you wouldn't cook with olive oil that's a few years old, so also will the natural oils in bodycare go rancid over time. If you get to the end of the stated shelf life and your product still feels and smell fresh (no gumminess to a balm, no whiff of old oil), feel free to keep using it! I am pretty conservative when stating shelf life, so products typically last months longer than indicated.
How should I store and care for my Priya Means Love products?
Away from sunlight and at consistent room temperature is ideal -- your medicine cabinet or a shady dresser top is perfect. No need to store in the fridge. Think of it like how you'd store dried herbs -- sunlight steals the mojo of these products, and heat can dull the aromatics over time. And repeated fluctuations from very warm to very cold can change the texture of body butters and creams,
A few places to *avoid* storing your goodies: in a car (big temperature swings!), on top of a radiator, on a sunny windowsill.
Because my products are made from natural oils, butters, and waxes, they may become softer in very hot weather or harder in cold weather. These texture variations are normal and won't affect the performance of the product.
Notes on allergies and medical conditions.
My products are rich in botanicals, which speak to our bodies in complex, profound ways. But with plants, allergies are always a possibility. Please read ingredients lists, know your own allergies, and ask questions; when in doubt consult your doctor and/or do a patch test. All the descriptions of my products and ingredients are for educational purposes only.
Are your products cruelty free? Vegan?
My products are cruelty free and always will be. I am personally against animal testing, and I will never test my products on animals. To be cruelty-free, a company's ingredients must not be tested on animals either. Part of the reason I use simple, natural ingredients with a long history of human use is that they sidestep the supposed "need" for animal testing, because they're already known to be safe.
My products are all vegetarian (like me!), and many are naturally vegan. The only non-vegan ingredients I use are beeswax from local farmers who use good bee-friendly practices, natural lanolin (extracted from sheared sheep's wool), and powdered milk. Many of my products can be made vegan on request -- feel free to convo me!
Packaging return program.
I try to avoid bringing more packaging into this world! Most of my glass packaging can be returned to me for a refund of $1 per piece. Unfortunately I'm unable to cover shipping expenses, so I recommend saving up a handful of containers before mailing your glass packaging back to me. Convo me for my shipping address; when I receive your packaging, I'll issue you a refund on a previous order or via PayPal.
I often vend at markets in the Baltimore/DC/Philadelphia area -- if you live in the area, you're welcome to return packaging to me in person!
A few years ago I bought a lip scrub / perfume / body butter from you that I LOVED and it's no longer in your shop -- do you have more, or can you make another for me?
Quite possibly! Feel free to email me to ask -- you never know!
Where can I smell and feel your products in person? Do you offer wholesale?
You can find me at MARKETS in the Baltimore/DC/Philadelphia area -- find my market schedule here:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/priyameanslove#local
STOCKISTS -- each carries a different selection of my products, so call ahead if you're looking for a specific product! Here's a partial list:
BALTIMORE area: Hunting Ground, Artifact Coffee, Vita, Rooster & Hen Store, Trohv
DC area: Botanologica, Stitch & Rivet
PHILADELPHIA: Moon + Arrow
NYC: Remedies Herb Shop
Long Island: Codfish Cowboy
WHOLESALE INQUIRIES: Have a beautiful shop where my organic products would fit in? Please contact me at priyameanslove at gmail, or find me on Etsy Wholesale!
Who makes all this stuff? Where?
All of my products are handmade from scratch by me! I formulate and handmake everything in my Baltimore workshop, using only radically all natural, minimally processed ingredients, most of which are organic or wildharvested. I aim to make my products as from-scratch as possible, starting with herbs, some of which I grow, wildharvest, or source from a nearby farm. My workshop is always brimming with herbs infusing in oils and tinctures brewing, raw materials that will end up in my Deep Radiance Face Cream, Balsam Fir Deodorant, Lavender Mud shampoo -- you name it!