You’re in shower and you pick up your soap, a mauve coloured slab that smells like grapefruit. As you lather yourself up, the scents of the fruits’ natural oils waft up your nostrils and kiss your skin, leaving their sweet smelling imprints all over your body. You wash off and step out, with skin feeling as soft and hydrated as it would if you just slathered yourself with cold cream. This sensual experience can only be had with the best of products, the sweetest of soaps and at Herbaria, they specialize in just that.

Aisles upon aisles of juicy colours and heady scents, fruit mixed with flowers mixed with incense. This is what you can expect at Herbaria, Saint Louis’ one of a kind all natural, handmade soap shop. With over 60 varieties of natural soaps that leave your skin clean, soft and hydrated, this store is a favourite amongst visitors and locals alike. What makes Herbaria so special is that their soaps are in fact 100% natural, without any added chemicals or perfumes. Their heavenly scents are derived from natural oils such as olive, rice bran, soy and palm kernel oils and all their products are hand-made. LaRee DeFreece made their first batch of soap in 2001 and after great success in the Botanical Gardens Show, she started the business. Nearly a decade later, she and her husband are shipping their products to more than 50 other cities!

• With names like ‘Bay Rum’, ‘Almond Spice’, ‘Patchouli Orange’, ‘Rose Geranium’, ‘Sea Spice’ and ‘Silver Fir and Lavender’, you’re bound to have a tough time deciding which soap is your favourite. You can choose from cute sampler stacks or buy large gift boxes with various different scents.
• Aftershaves, bath bombs, bath salts and shaving soaps add variety, make perfect gifts and will please both men and women.
• Feed your skin hemp seed oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, jojoba oil and watch your body glow with satisfaction.
• Herbaria also sell all natural insect repellents. By using natural herbs, these products can help safeguard you from pesky bugs without having to use any toxins or poison on your body or in the air.
• You’ll love Soapy, the resident pooch. There’s also a range of all natural doggie products that go under the name ‘Soapy’s Choice’ and are definitely worth a try if you have a pet you want to pamper.

• They also offer tours of their shop, so that you can see their products being made and the natural ingredients that go into them. If you have the time, do go for the tour.
• All the products are vegan.
• People report that Herbaria soaps have helped them with acne, psoriasis, eczema and other persistent skin problems.
• They accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, personal checks and money orders.

• Take a bus to ‘The Hill’.

• Amighetti’s (Italian)
• Zia’s Restaurant (Italian)
• Five Bistro (American)
• Dominic’s (Italian)

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