Hi! I’m Angela, the maker behind wholesome skincare line Charleston Botanicals

My journey to skincare began in 1996 in a quest to find more natural options for our infant son who was experiencing terrible eczema. We had tried many over-the-counter and prescription remedies with varied results. In the end, we discovered the solution was quite simple: he needed something gentler with fewer additives. The first items on our shelves were an oatmeal soap and a calendula-infused salve. Over 20 years have passed since then, and I'm still very passionate and busy creating skincare.

I'll admit - when I first started selling my products, they were tough to sell. Perhaps I was a little too early on the natural skincare train. People just didn't want to pay the price of my product when they could buy them much cheaper at the grocery or dollar store. I get it. Unfortunately, makers simply can't compete with the big box stores and I insisted on using the best quality ingredients in all of my products. As a result, I didn't sell to the public for a number of years. I made my products on the sidelines for my own use as well as for friends and family. You may have seen me at various museums throughout Ontario demonstrating soap-making over the years.

Recently, my husband and I purchased a small resort on Charleston Lake. We are on a beautiful, serene peninsula only 4 minutes from the Provincial Park. Wouldn't you know? There was room for a small boutique. It didn't take much to convince me to leave my full time job and populate those shelves. My comeback has been quite a whirlwind and products are flying off the shelves. Our society has become much more aware; they read the labels now, and they want quality, local, eco-friendly, natural skincare— and I am passionate about providing it to them!

My skincare is hand-crafted from scratch using many home-grown and wild-foraged ingredients from our shorelines and forest. I love to incorporate as many local ingredients as possible and work exclusively with Canadian wholesalers for ingredients that are unavailable locally. All products are free from harmful toxins, vegan, and presented in environmentally conscious, tasteful packaging. I work hard to offer affordable and luxurious daily essentials as well as bath and shower treats for those days you want a little extra pampering. We may not all be able to visit the spa on a regular basis, but little daily luxuries can really make a positive difference in our busy, hectic lives.

Get in touch!

https://charlestonbotanicals.ca/
Follow Charleston Botanicals on Instagram + Facebook
Shop Charleston Botanicals at the Nooks Oshawa Centre