Devine is home to a very unique, homegrown business, opening this weekend. Truly homegrown, Natural Remedies and Barbedwire Boutique owner, Gabrielle Oliva, got into the business while trying to find solutions for her own family. In the store front you’ll find her skin care products and boutique. In the back, is where the magic happens, the apothecary where everything is made.
Gabrielle gave us a tour of the facility, showing us her new products and how they are made, including all organic sugar scrubs, soap, deodorant, lotion, detox soap, body wash, face serum, and more. Gabrielle said she has seen her various products help with eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, hyperpigmentation, arthritis, joint pain, stress/anxiety, stretch marks, and more. She is also has a cold and flu remedy in the works though it is not on the shelf just yet.
She is truly passionate about the business and the science behind it.
“When I hear a customer tell me their eczema cleared up and they were able to get off medication, that’s what I love most,” Gabrielle said. “Everything we make it organic, and we make it ourselves right here in this building.”
“I did a lot of research, brainstorming and trial and error before I found what really worked. When I saw how much these products helped me, I knew I wanted to use it to help others. I’m very passionate about everything we do. It’s not just a business to me, it’s a bigger purpose,” Gabrielle said.
Part of the process, was realizing how many chemicals are in the sugar scrubs, lotions, shampoo, and perfumes that are on the market.
“I started realizing what my sugar scrub had in it,” Gabrielle said. “Beauty and skin care products have a lot of ingredients that are not good for our bodies.”
Furthermore, companies are not required to disclose what chemicals are in their products.
“Frangrance (made with many different chemicals) is something that is in almost everything, and it is the worst. It’s not just in perfume, it’s in your shampoo, lotions, and sugar scrubs too. When you put perfume on your skin, your pores open, and it soaks in. That all goes through your liver,” Gabrielle said.
An article published by Harvard Medical School states, “You might assume that all these ingredients have been tested to ensure that they’re safe for long-term use. That’s not the case. At least on the federal level, no one is checking to make sure that the chemicals you’re putting on your body are harmless. ‘Products are tested to make sure they don’t cause short-term problems, such as skin irritation. But they’re not tested for long-term safety,’ says Dr. Kathryn M. Rexrode, associate professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Women’s Health at Harvard Medical School.”
Gabrielle’s skin care products smell awesome too, but she uses natural products to add scents to her products instead of chemicals.
“We use natural things. For example, our sunscreen is scented with Vanilla Extract, which is really good for you,” Gabriel said.
Many of Gabriel’s products feature an essential oils like Frankincense, Jojobah, Lavender, and more.
“Frankincense is one of the best oils in the world. A little bit goes a long way,” Gabriel said. There are many studies on the medicinal affects of Frankencense, which is derived from the trunk of Boswellia trees.
One of Gabriel’s products that is still in the works is a natural lotion that has a comparable to Bengay, but uses all organic products.
“This product has been fermenting for over a year. It has Cheyenne pepper, shea butter, frankincense, and coconut oil. As soon as you put it on your skin, you can feel the heat. It is designed to help with muscle aches,” Gabrielle said.
Two more products they make are deodorant and sunscreen, chemical free.
“A lot of sunscreen has some very toxic chemicals in it,” she said. “We use it to help protect us from skin cancer, but in it there are so many chemicals that are linked to other problems.”
The team at Natural Remedies and Barbedwire Boutique are all smiles and excited to kick off their grand opening soon. Gabrielle, her husband Ben, Lizzy, Clarissa, Cecilia, and Alana are all part of that team.
Each week, Gabrielle and her team posts an educational video about her one of products. You can follow her @GabyOliva59 on TikTok.
“I couldn’t do it without my team,” Gabrielle said. We have already filled around 20,000 orders online from customers as far away as California. We are extremely excited to open up our store front with our Natural Remedies products and our vintage boutique.”
Store manager, Clarissa Morales, suggested using apps like Yuka to scan your beauty and skin care products, to see if there are harmful chemicals in it.
“Your skin is the largest organ of your body,” Morales said. “You have to take care of it. I love Gabrielle’s company and what it stands for. We have customers who have struggled for their whole lives with different kinds of skin problems who see a big difference after just a month or two using our products.”
It’s a family business and Gabrielle’s husband Ben is the resident handyman. Gabrielle and her husband Ben and their 2 year old son Cayson moved to Moore Texas during the pandemic, and operated out of their home for about a year taking online orders. The business quickly blossomed.
“I am very proud of her,” said husband Ben Fleming. She really worked hard and learned a lot. It’s crazy how the business took off online. Our whole house was full of boxes for online orders, so we are really excited to open up the storefront in Devine.”
Barbedwire Boutique
The front of the store is filled with awesome vintage collections of purses, boots, belts, jewelry, knives, caps, and more.
You’ll find popular brands and real leather products like Freebird, Fry, Coach, and more.
“We have some vintage Coach purses from the 30s and 40s in great condition. They don’t make these anymore and the quality is so good. They last forever,” Gabrielle said. “I can also add embroidery.”
They also sell jams, candles, teas, koffee, tumblers, and jerky made by other small family businesses with a focus on naturally made products.
Some of the organic Teas on her shelf include: Liver Savior Tea (for fatty liver), Tummy Tamer, Lover’s Lane (cardiovascular support), Hair and Nail Repair, and more. They also carry Decaf Chai Herbal Koffee Blend and strainers.
The large collection of Scentaholics Candles (made with soy wax) has some amazing scents without the chemicals, including one with CBD.
Location
Natural Remedies and Barbedwire Boutique is located at 217 S. Bright St. in Devine, across from The Devine News and the old fire station. The remodeled building was formerly occupied by the Merchantile.
You can also purchase products online at www.naturalremedies2022.com