A little secret behind our magic: The "Bubbles" that change everything
I didn’t just wake up one day and decide to start extracting herbs, let alone utilizing this crazy sounding method called Ultrasonic Assisted Extraction. It started with curiosity and a love for nature while at my first job post college.
Back then, my days were spent learning how to stabilize creams and testing topical products. But on the weekends? I was outside, climbing and completely falling in love with the wildness of the natural world. I started feeling this pull to bring that same raw, plant energy into my professional work. I wanted the stuff I was making in the lab to feel as alive as the landscapes I was experiencing.
When one door closes...
I eventually landed a job as a cosmetic chemist for a contract personal care manufacturing company specializing in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbalism, thinking, “This is it! I’m finally going to learn the secrets of the plants.” But, as luck would have it, that part of the company was strictly "off-limits" to me.
Instead of letting it go, I took it as a challenge. I started digging through old scientific journals and research papers on my own. That’s when I stumbled upon something that sounded like science fiction but felt like magic: Ultrasonic Assisted Extraction (UAE).
The power of sound
When we think of herbal extracts, we usually think of "folk" methods—letting herbs sit in a jar for at least a month. There is so much beauty in that slow process, and for certain things—like our fresh oil herbal infusions—I still love that traditional touch. But when it comes to our water soluble extracts, I wanted to find a way to get even more out of the plants. That’s where the ultrasonic waves come in.
Here’s what caught my eye with UAE and how it works: We use ultrasonic waves (sound!) to create tiny, microscopic bubbles. When these bubbles collapse, they gently "disrupt" the plant’s cell walls. Think of it like a key unlocking a door; it allows the potent constituents of the plant to flow freely into the solvent
It’s mindful: I don't use this for everything. I save this method specifically for our water-based extracts where it can really shine.
It’s potent: Because it’s so efficient, we get a much higher concentration of the "good stuff" without needing to over-process the plants.
It’s a labor of love: It does get a little warm during the process, so I stay right there with it, monitoring the temperature to make sure we don't "cook" the delicate nutrients.
Why I do it this way
I’ll be real with you—it would have been much easier to just call up a big supplier and buy a drum of pre-made extract. But where is the fun and creativity in that?
I wanted to know exactly where our herbs were coming from and make sure they were as fresh as possible when they hit your skin. By doing our extractions right here in-house, I get to make sure that every bottle we send out is packed with the highest quality botanical energy I can possibly give you.
