San Francisco-based maker Heliotrope has launched its line of skin care, body care, hair care, massage, and shaving products, featuring scents that can be customized according to the customer’s preferences.

For 13 years, Heliotrope has been making high-quality and all-natural products that soothe, moisturize and protect. It uses organic, responsibly-sourced ingredients – such as shea butter, jojoba, avocado oil, and bamboo – and are made in small batches locally in Northern California. Heliotrope was founded by Jonathan Plotzker-Kelly, an expert in product development for the cosmetic industry, and he works with chemists and aromatherapists across the Bay Area to formulate a wide variety of products. It has two locations – one in San Francisco and another in Oakland – and it also sells its products online, shipping worldwide.

Heliotrope’s products do not have any synthetic perfumes or artificial colors and come in a scent-free variant. Customers can add their desired scents to the products with Heliotrope’s 36 different blends of essential oils, developed by Plotzker-Kelly and his associates. The ability to customize scents provides customers with a new experience with every bottle, and makes the products excellent gifts for friends and family.

Thanks to his extensive experience in the industry, Plotzker-Kelly can provide guidance to customers on which scents work best together. If customers have a specific scent or blend in mind, they can inform Heliotrope, and these can be mixed in-store. Online customers have the same choices as those who visit the physical store with the option of communicating with Heliotrope if they need any assistance. This allows all customers no matter their geographical location to customize their products.

“Many people want to buy a product with just a single scent, but I often recommend them to put in at least 2 scents, so that their nose doesn’t get bored of it. Smelling grapefruit in the product every single day can get old quickly. If we add a second or even a third note, which are available for no extra cost, then it makes things more interesting and they won’t get tired of the scent as quickly.”

While the ability to mix and match scents is available for many of Heliotrope’s products, Plotzker-Kelly says facial care products are not included, as certain essential oils are not recommended to be used on the face and in close proximity to the eyes. “We want to make products our customers love and we can’t do that if the use of our products results in negative effects to our customers health,” said  Plotzker-Kelly

Aside from using all-natural ingredients, Heliotrope places a huge emphasis on sustainability. Its products are free from animal testing and come in reusable and refillable bottles. Heliotrope’s locations offer refills for most of its products, which are priced by the ounce and discounted, which aims to encourage customers to choose the more environment-friendly option. Heliotrope also sells in wholesale quantities, and various other stores in the Bay Area and beyond carry its products.

“My associates and I love to talk to customers about customizing their products. It fills us with pride to sell a product that smells the way the customer intended it to, instead of being decided by some big corporation. Our products are made from as many organic and sustainable ingredients as possible, because we believe that it is best to solve people’s problems naturally, rather than using synthetic materials,” Plotzker-Kelly says.