Focus on Coop Suppliers

by Suzanne Fisher

You may have recently noticed a new product line in Honest Weight’s HaBA section called Wise Ways Herbals. This relatively local company now supplies Honest Weight with several of its many organic and natural products, which are luxurious choices for the holidays. These nourishing and soothing concoctions for skin are made with aromatherapy essential oils and organic or wildcrafted herbs, many of them grown on the farm where they are produced. They are not tested on animals and use no animal products or synthetic chemicals.

Honest Weight is currently carrying eight products by Wise Ways Herbals. Goji Rose Facial Lotion is a softening lotion for all skin types made with cocoa butter and goji berries. Tropical Rose Facial Astringent is a natural, soothing astringent for oily skin, and Earth and Sea Facial Toner is a toner for aging or dry skin. Lemon Delight Facial Cleanser is a gentle, exfoliating herbal scrub for all skin types, and Kalahari Cleansing Cream is a cleansing, moisturizing, wrinkle-reducing cream for all kinds of skin, as well. Camellia Eye Cream is a rich moisturizer for reducing signs of aging around the eyes such as wrinkles, dryness and puffiness. Especially good for gift-giving purposes are the two sample kits, one for oily skin and one for dry skin, which contain many of the afore mentioned items — at a surprisingly reasonable price for skin care products of such high quality. Wise Ways Herbals evolved from the hard work, vision, creative force and (literally) dreams of one woman, Mariam Massaro. She began her herbal education when, as a teenager, she experienced two remarkable recoveries using herbal remedies. After these experiences, she read and trained herself as an herbalist. She also became a midwife and focused on herbal treatments pertaining to pregnancy and birthing. Mariam worked with an M.D. who used herbs with his patients, filling his prescriptions.

In 1984, Mariam co-founded Blazing Star Herbal School with Gail Ulrich, in Shelburne Falls. They also developed a small herbal product line, Isis Herbs. In the fall of 1987, Gail took over responsibility for the school and Mariam took the business, changing the name to Wise Ways Herbals. In January 1988, she launched the new line with 13 products from her farmhouse kitchen. In the same year Bread and Circus picked up the line, and she was also hired to work in their nutrition department as the assistant manager. Mariam stayed for two years and learned the business end of herbal products from the inside.

In 1990, she went full-time with her own company and, needing a larger place to manufacture, moved to a 7-acre farm in 1992. In August 2003 she purchased another, larger farm outside of Watertown, where they hold retreats and Native American ceremonies. Mariam follows Native American healing practices from both North and South American traditions, and helps to lead healing ceremonies through her Starwater healing sanctuary.

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