By Ann Cipperly
After experimenting with herbs and oils in her teen years, Kristen Pressnell developed a passion for creating natural herbal products that led to the Nature’s Love Product, a selection of creams, lotions, scrubs, soaps, essential oils and other items. As she becomes a master herbalist, Kristen continues to create products to heal and soothe skin conditions, with hundreds of products now available in every state in the nation.
When Kristen was 2 years old, her family moved from Opelika to a dairy farm in Clanton to take care of grandparents. She became interested in organic and natural products at 9 years of age when her brother nearly died of pesticide poisoning. Kristen read books on herbs and natural remedies that were often used generations ago.
When her father retired from the Air Force, the family moved to Auburn when she was 10. Kristen continued her interest in herbs, and by the time she was 15 years old, she was experimenting with herbs, oils and kitchen ingredients to make skincare products.
Kristen was home schooled and attended Southern Union and Auburn University on scholarship, studying music performance. She met her now husband Brian while attending Auburn, and they were married in 2007. While Kristen researchedherbs and created creams, she also focused on teaching homeschool music programs.
In 2011, pregnant with their second child, Kristen made various creams as a hobby. She needed a cream to prevent stretch marks and couldn’t find one she liked, so she created her own. “I infused herbs into oils to make the belly cream,” she says. “Then a friend who was also expecting wanted it. Then many others wanted to buy the cream.
“That was really the start of the Nature’s Love Product business. Since the products are from the love of my heart, they are made with love, and they are all natural. We had a list of ideas for names, but Nature’s Love Product is perfect.”
The next cream she made was Baby Soft Bottom for diaper rash. Then she created a lip balm for her husband. In the beginning, she shipped products in tea boxes because she didn’t know where to buy boxes or packaging for shipping.
In 2017, Kristen decided to make a living making natural products and became serious about learning the business process. She discovered where to buy jars, boxes and other supplies.
Kristen developed more products as she discovered the needs. She experimented with magnesium cream and developed several versions when her son was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes, which depletes magnesium. The doctor not only wanted her son to be on magnesium but the entire family as well. “Our family couldn’t afford the magnesium on the market at the time,” she says.
“I knew I could make a cream with magnesium. I took a jar to our doctor and asked her to try it. She ended up carrying our Magnesium Cream and has done so for eight years.
“Many apothecaries, cancer centers, doctor’s offices and spas carry our magnesium cream,” she adds. The cream helps replenish magnesium levels in people who have trouble sleeping, sore muscles, restless legs, muscle tension and other conditions.
“We had a cancer center run a test on their patients by having them apply magnesium cream to the bottom of their feet at night while receiving chemotherapy. They found the patients’ magnesium levels stayed in range while using the magnesium cream. When the cream is applied to the bottom of feet, legs and any sore spots at night, it is absorbed into the skin, increasing magnesium levels.”
The Magnesium Cream is infused with lavender and chamomile. To make the cream, it is a three-day process to dry the herbs and infuse the oils. Then, the mixture is strained, which is potent in lavender and chamomile. These two herbs are also used to make Magnesium Lotion.
“Basically,” says Kristen, “I am taking the medicinal properties of the herbs and putting them into oils and then putting them in the products. It is food for your skin. I feel that I am using ingredients from God’s medicine cabinet.”
A year ago, Brian quit his job and began working full-time to help Kristen with the business that now has five employees. The couple’s two older children, Michael Joesph, 16, and Katie Grace, 13, also help with small jobs. When their other two children, Emily Joy, 8, and Daniel Elisha, 5, are older they will also help.
Kristen now makes hundreds of products. In addition to the creams, lotions, soap and other skin care products, they also offer candles, deodorant, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent and others. For the past two years, the products have been in almost 500 stores in every state, including Alaska and Hawaii.
While several local stores carry some of the creams, they don’t have space for all of them. Kristen and Brian are considering their own retail store.
As the business grows, Kristen wants to make the creams in small batches so she can be certain the ingredients are perfectly blended. They currently produce the products at their studio in Beauregard. She is working toward a master’s degree in order to become a “master herbalist.”
Every product she has developed was inspired by a need in her family or for friends. The blemish-free product started when she had teenagers with acne. Kristen works with a local pediatrician to provide products designed for children.
When she couldn’t find face creams that worked well, Kristen created the Wrinkle Free Set that includes soap, Honey Vanilla Scrub, Wrinkle Free Cream and Glowing Serum.
While the Magnesium Cream is popular, the best seller is the Magi Cream that is used to reduce pain and inflammation. This cream has been a tremendous help to Kristen’s father.
“The reason I made it was because my dad had an eye disease that was causing him to go blind,” she said. “I had been researching herbs for so long and praying for God to show me how to help. The cream helped the inflammation and reduced the pain for my dad. That was nine years ago, and my dad is not blind nor has pain. “
Two years ago, Kristen had a doctor approach her to start a new skincare line that would benefit both hormone imbalance and cancer patients. “We have had the honor of working with two doctors on the product formulas and will soon be launching our Xeno Free Line,” she says. “This line of creams will be free of hormone-producing ingredients, such as progesterone and estrogen.
“I had no idea when I was playing with skincare ingredients at the age of 15 and creating my concoctions that at 38 years old I was going to be able to create products that actually help people,” she says. “That is my passion to be able to help people when they are hurting and need something to manage pain and soreness.
“I started by myself, and now the business is our full family income. I formulate and create everything. I get excited when I formulate a new recipe and am working to get it done. Once I get it perfected, Brian helps with production and getting the products in the hands of our customers. He is my right-hand man.
“Every day we are getting new stores to carry our products,” Kristen states. “I had no idea where we would be now. Every year I am blown away. I look back and look forward and wonder where the business will be next year.
“I am truly honored to create products that help others. This was my dream from the beginning and continues to be my dream.”
Local places that carry Nature’s Love Products include Maker and Merchant in the Auburn Mall, The Grand National Spa, East Alabama Heath Apothecaries, The Potting Shed, Angel’s Antiques, Top Shelf Alternative and Bluebelle Mercantile.
For additional information, go to the website at naturesloveproduct.com or call 334.744.0075. Nature’s Love Product business can be found in social media (Facebook and Instagram) @naturesloveproduct
