I’m super excited to be kicking off my 2nd annual Shop Local holiday series on the blog today! First up, we’re talking with Tara Foley, owner of Follain in the South End of Boston. Check out the rest of the series here. 
Welcome Tara! Tell me a little bit about yourself and your shop and how you got started. Tara: When I graduated from college, I moved to NYC and was trying to get healthy — practicing yoga, racing triathlons, eating locally and clean; so when I found out about the toxic chemicals in my beloved beauty products, I became really upset, and realized there was no beauty store in NYC or anywhere else where I could buy safe and effective products, only. So, in 2009 I started a blog — The Naturalchemyst — about healthy beauty products, and then I quit my job soon after to learn more about these products, working on a lavender farm in France, and for a skincare company in Maine. Then I moved to Boston to get my MBA at Babson. Immediately after winning a business plan competition for the concept, and graduating from my MBA (May 2013) I opened the South End shop in July 2013. Now, our mission is to change the way women and men approach the products they apply to skin.
Welcome Tara! Tell me a little bit about yourself and your shop and how you got started. Tara: When I graduated from college, I moved to NYC and was trying to get healthy — practicing yoga, racing triathlons, eating locally and clean; so when I found out about the toxic chemicals in my beloved beauty products, I became really upset, and realized there was no beauty store in NYC or anywhere else where I could buy safe and effective products, only. So, in 2009 I started a blog — The Naturalchemyst — about healthy beauty products, and then I quit my job soon after to learn more about these products, working on a lavender farm in France, and for a skincare company in Maine. Then I moved to Boston to get my MBA at Babson. Immediately after winning a business plan competition for the concept, and graduating from my MBA (May 2013) I opened the South End shop in July 2013. Now, our mission is to change the way women and men approach the products they apply to skin. 
Are there any go-to items that you offer that you always recommend for holiday gift giving?
Tara: Our deodorants! Conventional deodorant is filled with aluminum, which is extremely toxic. Our little product is an expression of how much you care about your loved ones’ health and future… We also love the fluffy marshmallow-y texture of our RICA body butter, which everyone loves for thirsty winter skin. Healthy (lead and pthalate-free) candles are always a good option, and — last but not least — a refillable bottle of Follain liquid hand and body soap is the gift that keeps giving!
This is the time of year that we always need hostess gifts, what are you recommendations for the best thing to bring when attending a holiday party or visiting someone for the weekend?Tara: People always turn to entertaining and house items for hostess gifts, but we encourage you to treat the hostess herself with something indulgent that she’ll love! Our RICA bath tea is a great hostess gift, because it does both — it looks gorgeous in the bathroom and provides a decadent aromatherapeutic treat to help the hostess unwind!
One of my favorite products at Follain was the lipstick I recently bought — any recommendations for which products can help create a great holiday-season make-up look?Tara: We love golds and greens for holiday parties, like the RMS Solar cream eye shadow, Ilia Linger lipstick, and Vapour Viper eyeliner.
One of my favorite things about shopping local is the way that the community supports each other — what are your favorite places to shop in Boston?Tara: We’re obviously partial to our great friends in the South End, like Olives & Grace, Farm & Fable, Flock, Twelve Chairs, Urban Grape…the list goes on! For anything we can’t find in the South End, there are other awesome Boston neighborhood shops like Forty Winks in Harvard Square, Dress and Good in Beacon Hill.
What would you tell someone that’s thinking about shopping local this year?Tara: There are SO MANY great reasons to shop locally — but to help put things in perspective, think about what your Boston neighborhood would look and feel like without all the cute, love-filled independent shops. Would you want to live in a place with impersonal big box stores, only? If not, then support your shopkeeper friends who have a story — and who know your story!
All photos credited to local Boston photographer: Bring to Light Photography.
Delightful – a good place to enjoy – Ann Emerson