Essance Skincare has a mission to source only the best organic, sustainable and fair-trade ingredients to make its natural skincare products. Each of these products is free of artificial color, artificial fragrance, and harmful sulfates and phthalates. That’s by design, says owner Jasmine Tran of her Portland-based business. “Each product is a powerhouse of organic and medicinal plant ingredients intended to revitalize, heal and protect the skin,” she says. Essance Skincare’s unique herbal formulations contain chaga mushrooms, rooibos teas, ginseng, dragon’s blood, frankincense and much more, says Jasmine, whose mother taught her at a young age about Chinese medicine benefits and remedies.

Tim Schley wanted to use a deodorant with all natural ingredients. He couldn’t find one on the market that did the job, so he decided to try making it himself. That first batch that he whipped up at a friend’s apartment in Eugene worked well, but it wasn’t quite the texture and consistency that he wanted. “From that point on, I started tweaking the formula and giving numerous samples out to everyone I could get to try it and asking for feedback,” Tim says. “Within about five months, I felt ready to hit the market, and although it continues to be a learning process and I've evolved along the way, it’s been one of the most gratifying experiences of my life.” Tim’s company, Green Theory Naturals, makes aluminum-free deodorants that include probiotics and bentonite clay. Tim says the clay has a detoxifying effect to help the body rid itself of the aluminum used in other deodorants. He says the key to long-lasting odor protection is the probiotics, which outcompete bacteria that feed off sweat.