Our Story

 Our story begins long before we ever make our way onto the page of history.

That thought felt like a revelation, sitting on the floor surrounded by my ancestry research. Sepia-colored photos of stern-faced men in straw hats, bored and impatient; others seated languidly as they tried to cover up smirks from a private joke with the person next to them. Women in long woolen dresses, blouses buttoned high up to their chins, some balancing children on knees, others finding relief in finally sitting after a long day of gathering preparations. White-haired grandparents sitting squarely centered and relaxed with the knowledge that these generations encircling them were there because of them and the life they had shared. They were alive there, raising children, or in love, or fighting, or any of the other things we do as humans in families. 

There were letters spread across the floor too; letters from a war, anxious letters to a brother of failing crops and mortgages due, my great grandmother’s handwritten notes for a eulogy as she tried to adequately honor the father she had loved.

It was in this research of family, and of, really, my story’s origin, that I fell in love with the land where it all began.  It was in the wild, untamed hills of the Highlands of Scotland that my family’s stories were held, and it became where my heart was held too.

I discovered that within the dark depths of the Scottish lochs, the kelp forests were home to tales of waterhorses, but also beneficial elements like Vitamin E, Omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and selenium - all necessary in keeping the skin hydrated and nourished, drawing moisture out of the environment and softening and smoothing the skin.  And it wasn’t just the riot of purple that rolled across the hills that called to me, it was the way Scottish heather honey promoted moisture in skin, while lending anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties, all thanks to hard-working Scottish bees. It was this wondrous wisdom of water and land that captured my imagination and my heart, and it was out of this that Loch + Thistle was born.

But it’s not just my story, this telling of a family’s history on the stage of land and time. You have a story too; filled with places and people who lived and loved, and at times lost; filled with funny stories, and sad stories, stumbling and striving, all building a life.  You’re doing that too.  So am I. 

So at Loch + Thistle, we’re not just here to sell amazing, good-for-you products.  While doing that, our greatest mission is to make sure you know you are seen and your voice matters. Nature has a story to tell, and so do you; and it’s a beautiful one.

Love + Slainte,

Susan