Enthused by Infusion

Experimenting by infusing simple herbs into high quality cold-pressed oils, health enthusiast Isy Silva turned her talents into a business venture.

She called it the Home Apothecary Shop and provides handcrafted natural skincare potions and crystals to online clients via her homeapothecaryshop.etsy.com website.

Isy (real name Isabel), also plies trade shows and holds demos at selected venues, most recently at Barb Rosenblum’s Yoga State studio off Elkcam Circle opposite 5th Third Bank.

Soft lighting and cerebral background music complemented the get-together, which attracted about a dozen of Rosenblum’s yoga enthusiasts to find out more about Isy’s products.

“They can be used on the body for general skin health and well-being,” Isy said. “They are based on humanity’s long history using plants as medicine, so I’ve been experimenting more and more and sharing with communities.”

Some potions and creams have potential healing properties, such as calendula, which has long been used for skin care as well as healing cuts and bruises, Isy said.

“They (calendula extracts and infusions) are also said to increase circulation and lymphatic flow in the body,” Isy said.

She added that her experiments with essential oils and learning about the effects of different plants transitioned into growing her own plants and working with them “directly instead of using an essential oil that has already been packaged and marketed and produced by another company.”

Some of her creations sound tantalizing simply by looking at their ingredients.

Isy’s body butter, for example, consists of raw mango seed butter mixed with oil, and then hand whipped.

“It has no preservative and no water content; it’s pure, concentrated moisturizer,” Isy said.

She makes all her products at home, usually in small batches for the sake of variety.

Isy and Barb Rosenblum met at Inyoni Organic Farm in Naples, and quickly learned they had common outlooks and health and well-being, so struck up a friendship.

Like many small businesses, Rosenblum had to tread water because of the pandemic, but is now back in full swing at her studio.

Rosenblum's classes focus mostly on two approaches.

The "yin" classes are introspective while seated on the floor, with eyes closed and moving slowly into poses. These are held and then gently exited, and physically benefit the lower back and hips.

The "vinyasa" approach features standing poses.

"It's movement with mind, body and breath," Rosenblum says. "Almost like a dance. It's good for balance, stamina and posture." 

Within those two approaches, Rosenblum adds her own touches, such as hands-on assists where necessary, the judicious use of essential oils and gentle restorative aspects such as what she calls "legs up the wall."

Besides homeapothecaryshop.etsy.com, Isy’s also at FB.com/homeapothecaryshop, and IG: homeapothecaryshop. Or call her at 239-777-6542.

Call Barb Rosenblum at 239-571-8685, email her at marcoislandyogi@gmail.com, or connect on Facebook at @yogawithbarb.