We had the good fortune of connecting with Rose Leshner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rose, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
As a cosmetic chemist, I have worked for some of the largest personal care brands in the country, and have brought over 600 products to market in national retailers like Target, Walmart, Sprouts and Whole Foods. I noticed that most of the products on the shelves, even organic ones, were missing ingredients that truly nourish us- freshly harvested flowers and plants.

Being a cosmetic product developer for nearly a decade I was exposed to the sprawling supply chains of botanical goods. With dozens of middle-men, I realized that exposure tracing of ingredients was nearly impossible to trace, and posed a risk to consumers, even when using “natural” products… I wanted to know where this lavender came from, when was it grown, and how was it processed before I apply it to my face, and no one could answer that.

Unable to find products that were up to my standards of efficacy, I joined forces with my sister Emily, a veteran flower farmer, to create our artisanal line of farm-to-bottle skin and body care products.
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8 Days creates botanical skin and body care products infused with the flowers they grow on their family farm. In response to the pandemic, sisters Emily and Rose found that the flowers they grew made them feel better during the toughest times, and sought out to capture that feeling in a bottle. From field to bottle, they plant, grow and harvest the ingredients used in the 8 Days line, producing uniquely fragrant and intoxicating aromas from their handcrafted extracts.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
RESPONSIBLE TO THE PLANET Our choices are more than just a marketing story, we are fully committed to the “do no harm” practice. We never test on animals, and use 100% vegan ingredients. From our solar-powered facility, to our electric delivery car, we are thoughtful of Mother Earth in each and every choice.

FARM-DIRECT + ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
Peel back any conventional label far enough, and you’ll see that it has lost its connection to what really nourishes us – whole plants and freshly harvested ingredients. 8 Days incorporates fresh botanicals directly from our organic farm into every one of our products. When not sourcing our ingredients directly from our farm, we source only the highest quality, certified organic ingredients from other small batch farms and producers. Slow extraction methods and a transparent supply chain means organic products you can trust.

THE SCIENCE OF SCENT
The studies are in and there is a physiological benefit rooted in the direct connection between smell and emotion. When you inhale a pleasing scent it has the potential to activate different physiological and behavioral responses. In short, your moods, behaviors, and thoughts can be affected by different scents. All of our products are consciously scented using real plants that help you feel better 8 Days a week.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We live in paradise here in Sonoma County, California. Just 10 miles from the pacific ocean, this region is known for delicious wine, award-winning food, and breath-taking scenery.

I would take my friend out to the Bodega Coast for a hike on the Kortum Trail. Afterwards we would get fish tacos at Fishetarian’s award winning ocean-front fish market. We would seal the deal by going to Iron Horse vineyards for some sparkling wine!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I feel so lucky to be surrounded by the love and support from my family. Our business is a family business, through and through- my mom Susan runs the greenhouse, my dad Brian keeps up with the fields, my sister Emily is the plant expert and botanist, and I am the formulator and crafter. I could not do any of this without their help!

Website: https://8daysbotanicals.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/8daysbotanicals/?hl=en

Image Credits
Image by Melissa Ziegler (Buzzed Creative)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.