GRANITE FALLS -- If you have acne, eczema, rosacea or other skin problems, certified herbalist Candace Hall may have a solution for you.
Hall uses herbs -- some grown in her own garden -- and other organic and natural ingredients to make a line of healing skin care products called Natures Garden Therapies.
Hall's website says her products are inspired by nature "for pure, luxurious living.'' The site says many products in stores today are filled with synthetic ingredients that disrupt the natural functions of the body.
Her products, however, "work in harmony with your body by using ingredients that are healthy and natural."
Hall and her husband, Derek, moved to Granite Falls for a safer environment after living in the Caribbean where crime was excessive, the food was bad and things were costly.
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"Living in the Caribbean you learn to make your own soaps, unfortunately,'' she said. "There's not a lot there. If you do find something, it's generic and it's expensive. You kind of learn to get used to making your own stuff there anyway.''
Hall said her son, Caden, 11 months, has sensitive skin. He developed severe skin issues and Hall made an organic butter for the rash that cleared his skin problem. Then other people asked Hall to make products for them.
Hall says many products today have synthetic fillers that can cause cancer or hormone disruption.
"It's really scary if you get down and research it,'' she said. "We just wanted something for him that's really healthy that doesn't have any side effects later in life. That's how I got started.''
She started the business when she had the money to make the investment.
"The next day I ordered all the supplies and we were up and running in a week. I tend to work very fast,'' she said.
Hall buys about 70 percent of her ingredients from Potpourri Health Foods in Willmar, grows some of her own herbs and buys others from online organic stores.
"It's all high-quality,'' she said.
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Hall, also an aroma therapist and a healing herbologist, said she educates herself thoroughly in all of the things that she does.
Hall also produces teas, soaps and sachets, and facial products such as cleanser, moisturizer, under-eye treatment, exfoliate, mud mask and acne serum.
Hall makes all of her products in her small home in Granite Falls. She does the mixing while Derek watches Caden. The kitchen shelves are lined with jars of organic herbs and tinctures. Bundles of mint and rosemary used in her remedies hang upside down to dry.
Among the herbs is stevia, a sugar substitute for people with diabetes. Hall said the herb does not affect blood sugar levels and is much stronger than sugar.
Hall, 30, thinks the BP oil spill in the Gulf may have inspired more people to do things that are better for the environment.
"We already live this way -- organic -- but it's nice to be able to teach people the good products to use and also about nutrition because with a lot of people diet plays a lot into skin health also. You can't drink 10 cans of soda and expect to have nice skin,'' she said. "We educate people in just about every area.''
Hall sells her products at Becker Market, the Farmers Market and at Potpourri, all in Willmar, through consultants and online at Natures Garden Therapies.com. Hall says the business has been successful and she's received grateful testimonials from customers. One customer sent a book about the healing herbs and oils of the Bible.
"You help people and they tend to appreciate it,'' Hall said.
