Meet the Maker: Nina of Ash & Thorn Herbals
If you believe, like I do, that nature gives us good medicine, Ash & Thorn Herbals might already be on your radar. Founded by Master Herbalist, Ninetta Savino who lived in Saskatoon for much of her life until the bountiful botanicals of BC called her over, Ash & Thorn has devotees across Canada and I am one of them. Nina’s Rosy Tobacco roller got me hooked but it’s products like her salves for ailments like varicose veins and eczema that have put her on the map as a healer. I’ve always struggled with scalp issues (this could be a whole other blog) and have very processed, dry ends that have avoided trims for a year now and Nina’s hair oil has benefited my scalp and hair tremendously in the few weeks I’ve been using it. Anywho! I’d like to introduce you to this lady I’m talkin’ up, so read on, and get to know Ninetta Savino, maker of Ash & Thorn Herbals.
Me: Will you give me a bit of a backstory on how herbal medicine came into your life?
Nina: This is an interesting question because it’s a layered story influenced by 4 significant relationships that absolutely guided the course of my life and my love for plants.
My relationship with plants started when I was very young. My mom is an avid plant lover. I remember her taking me to every greenhouse in the SK area, seriously, it was a massive production. She’d get SO excited about these plants, the pure joy that would come over her just being around them was intoxicating.
My grandparents on both my mom and dad’s side were also major influences in developing my love and curiosity for plants. They were amazing gardeners! Going over to their homes was always so exciting because we would most definitely end up in their garden. They’d teach me all about growing different plants, how they were all so different and unique, and they all had different personalities and growth requirements which fascinated me. My grandparents all came from a background of self-sufficiency and taking pride in what you can grow for yourself and others, all starting from a simple seed. My German grandparents taught me not only how to grow but the importance of taking pride in taking care of the land, nourishing and preserving it. My Italian grandparents taught me the value of self-sufficiency and innovation, listening to and reading the land. Both taught me tradition and how food is medicine.
I think the most defining part of this story for me was spending time in the forest, just me, the plants, mushrooms, animals and trees. Here I developed curiosity. I started asking questions, like why are they here, how they maintain themselves, what was their purpose…I was trying to see the big picture, the connection to us as humans and the land that was here long before us. I spent years trekking and observing the same pieces of land, watching its habits, understanding the growth patterns and seasons, how each of them impacted the ecosystem. This gave me a deep appreciation to how strong, versatile and independent it was. How WE as humans were impacting it and how I could help foster its growth, health, and help others understand how we are the stewards of this amazing gift.
Me: Tell me about your first ah-ha product, where you thought “Wow, this _______ I just made is the sh*t. I think I can really do something with my business”.
Nina: The very first product I made for the Ash + Thorn product line was out of pure necessity to resolve major damage I caused to my skin!
I was in San Diego walking around on a very unsuspecting cloudy day and I burnt the F*** out of myself. So bad! I was a legit lobster shade!! Luckily, I was heading home the next day. As soon as I got home I looked at my oil infusions in my apothecary and put a formula together for my very sunburnt skin. I had created Skin Repair. So, I lathered this salve all over my burnt skin which at this point had even bubbled and the next day, my skin was amazing. I’m talking, the burn was actually gone! No more bubbling, no more redness or pain, just gone. This moment was so exciting to me because it was a true testament to the medicine that these plants hold!
Me: What inspires you to create? Are you motivated by scent first, solving a problem, or what is the catalyst for a new product?
Nina: Oooo, I like this question. For me, it’s actually a combination of the two. I’ve created many formulations for people who have a specific health issue they are concerned about, but I’ve also created products based on how I was feeling at the time, especially when I’m creating my aromatherapy formulas.
The amazing thing about plant medicine is that it’s so versatile, and sometimes, if you listen, the plants will tell you what needs to be done. I’ve created some of my best medicines just looking and sitting with a plant.
Me: You’ve done a lot to reduce waste, like making fully recyclable tins that can be taken back to, for instance, Green Tree Beauty. What else are you doing with Ash + Thorn to help mitigate waste in the beauty industry?
Nina: Yes! I’m glad you asked this question. I’m constantly re-evaluating how I do this. When I first started Ash + Thorn, this was absolutely at the forefront of creating an ethical and sustainable business as it ties into not only making our world less wasteful but also stewardship of the land.
Here are some of the things I do with my business at the moment:
I always reuse packaging, I have never purchased packaging to wrap my products
I eliminated plastic shrink bands
I use only recyclable or re-useable packaging
If eco-friendly packaging is not available, I’ve put products on hold until I can find a more earth friendly way to do it
I refuse to put my product in boxes
I always try to source indigents that are Canadian-made and the closest to me to reduce transport pollution
I grow a lot of the medicinal plants I use in my products
Most important, if I cannot sustainably wild- harvest enough plant material to continuously have a product available to my clients, I make sure to purchase from Canadian Organic farmers so I’m supporting local business but also protecting our forests eco-systems
Educate people on wild harvesting ethics and sustainability
Me: What would you love to create that you haven’t yet?
Nina: I would love to create a plant medicine based shampoo and conditioner. I’ve been asked when I’ll be doing this many times but the challenge here is preserving the product in the most natural way possible and lots of research needs to go into this so I can be sure to provide a quality product to my clients!
I’d also love to create many more internal medicines to address various heath concerns from the root of the problem for several conditions like poor digestion, acne, endometriosis, psoriasis, eczema, hair growth, etc. This to me is the MOST exciting thing to come, it is underway as we speak!
Thank-you to Nina for sharing a little about what makes her (and thereby Ash & Thorn Herbals) tick. I’m VERY interested in the shampoo and conditioner line she envisions in the future and can’t wait to see what else she creates. In the mean time, I’ll just be over here waiting for my locks to keep transforming into mermaid hair like Nina’s thanks to the hair oil that we now both swear by. I’m already on my way.
xo
