Chaseway Lane Botanicals: Our Ethos
Learn about Chaseway Lane Botanicals.
Our ethos is purity, simplicity, calmness and kindness. All our creams are free from petroleum, steriods, parabens, colourings and SLS; the cetyl alcohol used as an emulsifier is from suppliers who are certified with the RSPO.
All our products are tested by family and friends. Not tested on animals, however Anywhere Cream certainly soothes my dog’s sunburnt ears.
Meet The Maker - Annalisa
My mother knew the name of every plant in her garden not just the colloquial ones, also their Latin. You can’t grow up without being influenced by that sort of energy and now my own garden in Leigh on Sea is stuffed to the gunwales with a wide variety of plants and vegetables but mostly herbs; my 15-foot-long by 4-foot-high bay hedge (Lauris Nobilis) which I laid over 20 years ago, takes centre stage.
All my herbs are used in some form or another, not only in my kitchen but also around the house – Lemon Balm (Melissa) steeped in vinegar for cleaning the kitchen and bathroom is a simple example; I also use the herbs to make Tinctures for family use.
I’m Second Degree Reiki attuned and love the very special space in my garden where I practice Mindfulness.
In my spare time if I’m not in the garden or walking my dog in all weathers, then I’m probably on a boat – my hands and nails suffer as a result of course. I have had scalp psoriasis since I was 11 years old and my daughter has dyshidrotic eczema – we can empathise with dry, itchy, easily irritated skin.
How It All Started
When my elder daughter was very young, the eczema behind her knees, in her elbow crease, in the folds of her neck and even on her chin (caused by dribbling) was irritated by the majority of moisturisers manufactured to treat dermatitis, Aqueous Cream included so I made a natural and pure cream for her using vegetable derived ingredients with the help of a highly inspirational company called Aromantic UK.
Finally, I had found an effective remedy for her; we watched as over a short time her dry, cracked, weeping skin softened and began to heal. The essential oils blended into the cream boosted the repair process with their antibacterial properties.
Friends started using the cream too; they all gave positive feedback but wondered as to which areas it could be applied – one friend suggested calling it ‘Anywhere Cream’.
Chaseway Lane Botanicals began at this point.
Sustainability
To reduce road miles, where ever possible I source my ingredients from companies who are as geographically as close to me as feasible. The Soapery who supply my essential oils, butters and base oils are only 42 miles away and I buy in bulk wherever possible to reduce packaging.
My cousin and her husband live in North Essex; he’s an enthusiastic bee keeper and supplies me with the beeswax for my balm. We meet up quite often to exchange raw ingredients for the finished product.
I hand deliver orders within the Southend on Sea postcode area, always trying to incorporate a double reason for my journey to reduce fuel consumption. For orders within a three-mile radius to me, I’ll deliver when I’m walking the dog.
Saving the packaging my suppliers use to send ingredients to me and trying wherever possible to upcycle it when sending out your orders, sometimes doesn’t look as professional as I would like, but saves unnecessary wastage, which I think is important.
I source my ingredients from trusted companies. My emulsifiers are RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certified.
History
Chaceway Lane (medieval spelling) was first recorded as being used in 1536 starting from Leigh Heath Farm on the main road that we now know as the A13 London Road, running down to the south Essex coast of the River Thames, leading to the Old Town of Leigh on Sea, the fishing village which still thrives today. The wide variety of wild plants growing alongside the ditch and the hedgerows by the lane would have been foraged to ease ailments, restore health and provide food.
Local knowledge indicates that this lane forms the far border of my garden and was my inspiration for the name of my company when I realised a deep need to share my products with those who also suffer with irritated skin.
The photo of the country lane was taken by my father in the mid 1960s of Braxted Lane, Great Braxted, north Essex; a very special place to me and makes me wonder if that’s how Chaceway Lane’s hedgerows could have looked in 1536.