About Us
Meet the Maker:
Hey guys! I'm Meagan, and I'm the creator of Purple Thistle Botanicals. You can usually find me hidden in what I like to call my "Potions Room", chasing my two Frenchies around the house, or spending time outside with my husband and two daughters.
I'm a lifelong learner with a passion for reading. This passion led me to the study of herbalism and the benefits of natural, plant based remedies for myself and my family. It still amazes me that there is such a wealth of natural "medicine" around us, just waiting to be found and utilized. It seems to me that the ingredients lists on products that we use in our daily lives seem to get long and harder to pronounce every year. Household cleaners, lotion for my kids, products for my dogs. Don't even get me started on the over-eager prescription of medicine for aches and ailments that are easily fixed by the plants found right in our backyard.
My goal is to utilize these natural remedies for the betterment of our bodies and minds. From aches and pains, to dry or mature skin, for ailments of the skin or emotional variety- we can look to the natural world around us for the answer.
Purple Thistle specializes in soaps, lotions, and salves. But come check us out- we have a wide and varied collection of products. Don't see what you're looking for? Shoot us a message- we're always looking for new and exciting "potions" to bring to our customers.
About Our Name:
I knew I wanted it to be a flower name- I’ve always been very interested in the meanings and uses of flowers. Thistle was actually one of my first thoughts because I feel a real affinity for Scotland, and it’s their national symbol. It’s a harsh, yet beautiful place- something I feel I can relate to! Thistle, in their tradition, represents durability, strength, and determination. Another type of thistle, milk thistle, is known for being helpful to those suffering with liver related illnesses due to alcoholism. Being a recovering alcoholic, this is near and dear to my heart. All of the symbolism really just seemed to coalesce into the perfect combination, and Purple Thistle Botanicals was born!
Our Beliefs:
Skincare products don't need to (and shouldn't!) be filled with harsh chemicals and cancer-causing ingredients. The natural world around us provides more than we could ever need to care for our minds and bodies. We believe skincare should be natural, sustainable, and cruelty-free. We believe we should leave the world better than we found it, and to do our part to leave as small a footprint as possible. It is also important to us to make such things affordable to everyone, and to do our best to educate on and encourage thoughtful consumerism. Supporting other small businesses is very important to us, as well. I grew up hearing stories about how my mom was raised with nothing as her parents worked to build their manufacturing business from the ground up. Our family business now employs over 400 people in our hometown. Shopping small supports your local economy, and brings prosperity to those around you. Shopping small and local also reduces our carbon footprint and exploitation of workers in areas without the regulations our country has put in place.
Philanthropy:
We believe in giving back to our community. Our family participates in local charity work and contributions, and we have carried that over into our business model. A portion of our sales go towards donations to local charities that we support. We in particular focus on pet rescues, holiday food and toy drives, homeless charities, and environmental causes. For more information, please see the listed websites below.
https://www.toysfortots.org/
https://www.havenofrest.org/
https://pawsandprayers.org/
https://unitedplantsavers.org/