About Us

Hi, I'm Kirsten Connor.

Originally I began making products just for me and my sensitive skin.

Flourish evolved from my total, consuming fascination with making soap. About 15 years ago, armed with a book and some raw ingredients I began experimenting with making cold-process soap. I had recently moved to Vermont as a newly single mom with three little kids. My goal was to open a shop with a variety of scents, textures, and colors where people could see the raw soap curing. I became obsessed with the endless possibilities. I also began to add on simple balms and scrubs and taught myself to make liquid soap as well. As time went by I was able to master small batches of lotions and crèmes but the one thing that eluded me was figuring out hair care. As a soapmaker, I prided myself on teaching people about “real soap” and “detergent bars” but no matter how many good ingredients I added to my liquid soap my hair didn’t love it. And bar soap was worse.

Our goal is to activate your senses so that you really notice the experience of caring for yourself. From the feeling you get when you breathe in our beautiful scents to appreciating the soft, smooth texture of your skin and the healthy shine of your hair.

In every area of my life I have always been a ‘make it from scratch’ kind of person. There is just something in me that makes me want to figure it out and I found it hard to believe that shampoo/something we use everyday should be this complicated. The truth is-it is pretty complicated. With so many, many different hair types out there what works for one person with curly, dry hair is totally different than what works for someone with very fine straight hair. And figuring out the real truth behind processed cleansers was complex too.

Over the years we have changed our recipes when the ratings of certain ingredients changed. We now follow (and have for several years)Ecocert standards, which is a European organic certification organization that sets standards for natural and organic cosmetics. The cleansers we have chosen, the emulsifiers we use(to magically keep our lotions from separating), and the preservatives we add to keep our products fresh are all Ecocert approved. It is the highest standard we know of in this industry. We have always prided ourselves on having a very short, understandable ingredients list on our labels.

Recently, we have added to that, now including beautiful herbal ingredients that are wildcrafted or grown on our (or other)Vermont farms. So while our ingredient list has grown, we are happy to be adding another potent layer to the hair and body care we make for you.

Flourish Signature Scents

Honey Blossom+Marshmallow Root

Honey helps you regain your glow! Featuring locally sourced pure Vermont honey and marshmallow root this is an extremely soothing, comforting, enveloping treatment.

Who it is for: clients sensitive to scents, nature lovers When: Summertime through September

Lavender Mint+Red Clover

Our soothing yet tingly blend of essential oils, this is a more energetic treatment and tends toward a light, silky, cooling feel.

Who it is for: lively, spirited clients When: year round but especially in the heat of the summer!

Rosewood Infusion+Angelica

A sweet, floral woodsy scent with a hint of black pepper for a spicy aphrodisiac quality helps you slow down and relax. This very special treatment with the most beautiful of flowers helps to recapture your feminine strength.

Who it is for: pre wedding treatments, romantic getaways When: year round as a special occasion treatment

Ginger Elixir+Arnica

A warming, spicy scent with a mentally soothing impact. Blended with arnica for deep muscle relaxation.

Who it is for: anyone needing muscle relief post workout or a warming treatment during winter When: good for relaxing muscles year round but especially during the cold winter months and waiting for spring

Lemongrass+Melissa

An uplifting, grassy citrus scent. Balances the astringency of lemongrass with the calming soothing benefits of lemon balm.

Who it is for: suitable for both men and women When: year round

Sublime Citrus+Hyssop

A triple infusion of lemon, lime and tangerine plus the added benefits of hyssop-a nerve tonic that feels like a breath of fresh air. A Vitamin C pick me up when you need it most.

Who it is for: both men and women When: as a mid winter boost; summertime with an appealing lime scent

Cocoa Spice+Schisandra

A dense chocolate scent with warming coffee and spicy herbal notes this is the ultimate in decadent richness with a drop of aphrodisiac activity. A comforting, grounding and balancing treatment. Comforting as a cup of cocoa without the sweetness.

Who it is for: anyone needing a warm, comforting winter treatment When: seasonal special available October through February

Our Ingredients

Aside from our Vermont-farmed and wild-crafted ingredients, we rely on organic oils and butters to create our recipes.

Ingredients like coconut, olive, argan and cane sugars grow best in tropical or Mediterranean climates. When we have to source our raw materials from afar, we place an emphasis on finding fair trade and certified organic ingredients. Some of our other ingredients arrive to us after being processed in a laboratory. These would include our cleansers, preservatives and emulsifiers. In this case, we follow EcoCert guidelines to choose the safest and most effective ingredients.