By Jennifer Farnsworth
All natural, plant-based skin care, made in a lab, and tailored to a person’s skin care concerns, may sound like a luxury worthy of only celebrities. But cosmetic chemist Jillian Ehrenberg, owner of Petal + Hive in Ballston Spa, is changing that.
As an entrepreneur who is passionate about quality skin care, Ehrenberg has brought her all-natural skin care, with herbal extracts in every bottle, to downtown Ballston Spa.
“Every jar contains a unique original formula that is both clean and eco-friendly,” said Ehrenberg.
Petal + Hive carries all things skin care including moisturizers, eye creams, serums, cleansers, lotions, toners, oils and more. All Petal + Hive products are made in the on-site lab. Ehrenberg also sells other brands of all natural products that she has diligently researched herself.
“I have done all the work for you. If it is sold here you know that it is a clean high quality product. I research every ingredient, the packaging, everything that you may be concerned about,” she said.
Although this is Ehernberg’s first storefront as a small business owner, she is not new to the industry. She first began in 2015, selling her skin care products at places like farmer’s markets and the former Clinton Street Mercantile, where she rented several shelves. She said people really took to her products and she soon realized she needed her own space.
“I found that people were frustrated with the skin care products they were trying, they were looking for something truly clean to use on their skin, but also products that really work. Often times, by the time they reach me, they have tried everything else. Once they try Petal + Hive, they are soon able to see and feel the difference,” said Ehrenberg.
She said her best selling product is Intense Hydration Moisturizer. It is filled with anti-aging plant extracts and antioxidants.
“People really love the moisturizer. It works especially well on people who may have sensitive or compromised skin,” said Ehrenberg.
Ehrenberg lives in Galway with her family, so when looking for a location she felt Ballston Spa seemed like the perfect place.
“The Ballston Spa community supports their small business owners in a really fantastic way, and so when this spot became available, I knew it would be perfect. I have a lot of my regular clientele that I have built over the years, but we get alot of foot traffic too, which is really great,” she said.
Ehrenberg is already looking ahead to 2022 with specific goals that she has set for herself. Some items on her list include ramping up manufacturing, continuing professional development, and developing new formulas, particularly formulas that are tailored to her customers.
“My hope is to be able to meet with clients one on one and be able to really tailor to their specific needs. If someone is allergic to certain ingredients, maybe go into the lab and create a formula that is safe for them,” said Ehrenberg.
Petal + Hive is located at 89 Milton Ave. in Ballston Spa. They can be reached at 518-309-3677, and can be found online at petalandhive.com.