Emily Canning Dean
Finding better options for herself was Rebecca Weisberger’s original motivation for starting to make natural, clean aromatherapy and skin care products, and a few years later, her shop, Plant Love Botanicals, opened in downtown Brecksville.
“I had always struggled with insomnia and was looking for a more natural solution,” she says. “I hated the side effects of prescription medications that made me feel so sleepy so I started researching and learning about essential oils so I could make my own products. After a while, I became a certified aromatherapist and started making products for friends and family. I got a lot of positive feedback and they encouraged me to sell my products.”
Weisberger has been selling her products online for about five years, as well as on consignment with a few boutiques and at various events and shows.
She opened her first brick-and-mortar store, Plant Love Botanicals, at 8912 Brecksville Rd. in September.
“I wanted to open a brick-and-mortar store because I think people want to smell products before they buy them and they want to see the consistency of what they’re putting on their skin,” she said.
Weisberger said the storefront allows her to offer more than just her own products: She sells handbags, pottery, jewelry, candles and many other products from women-owned small businesses at wholesale.
“I live not far from Brecksville and have always loved downtown Brecksville,” she says. “It’s quaint, the location is great, and the space is the perfect size for me.”
Weisberger’s skin care and aromatherapy products are handcrafted in small batches, made from plant-based ingredients and infused with crystals.
“Crystals have been shown to enhance the energy of essential oils and other ingredients, which can have a positive effect on the skin,” she says. “I think there are a lot of people who want to know what they’re putting on their bodies and want to use these clean products, not just in skin care but in laundry detergents and cleaning products. I think there’s a demand for these types of products.”
Weisberger said one of the most popular products is a sleep mist.
“This can be sprayed on pillows and sheets, or sprayed throughout the room to promote sleep,” she says, “We also have a really popular anxiety roller, and we have a rosemary body scrub that is a customer favorite.”
Customers who can’t come into the store can purchase Plant Love Botanicals products online at www.plantloveblends.com.
But Weisberger said he was pleasantly surprised by the number of customers his store saw, especially over the holidays.
“We got on really well over the holidays,” she said. “The only problem is that not many people know I’m here.”
Plant Love Botanicals also has Facebook and Instagram pages.
“I am constantly updating information about new products and if there are any events you can find information on my social media pages,” she said.
Plant Love Botanicals is open Tuesday through Friday from 11am to 5pm and Saturday from 11am to 4pm ∞
The products in the store change seasonally. Photo by Tia Vigan.
Photo (main/above): Rebecca Weisberger’s shop, Plant Love Botanicals, offers a wide range of handcrafted, small-batch aromatherapy products. Photo provided.
