You can have delightful, effective skincare made with only beneficial ingredients.
On the Lost Coast of California in a town of less than 500 inhabitants lives Nieves Rathbun – an eager entrepreneur with a desire to share her approach to natural living. From a Face Fix powder to The Cloud of Protection spray, By Nieves all natural body care products embody a mix of logic and magic.
Born to two free-spirited parents in La Palma in the Canary Islands, Rathbun’s upbringing was full of nomadic exploration. From backpacking throughout Europe to traveling by donkey across the United States during her adolescence, her counterculture background exposed her to alternative therapies at a young age.
In 2008, she turned her aromatherapy hobby into a small business. Through selective distribution and organic celebrity endorsement, she developed a strong following throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. After years of successful operation in the city, she moved six hours north to the countryside of Petrolia, Calif.
With four employees in Petrolia and one in Oakland, Rathbun’s team mixes and packages all products by hand. She keeps her inventory small and selective – selling only five main products. One of her more popular items is The Cloud of Protection — a spray “that is great for clearing airborne pathogens, but also clearing space on an energetic level.”
“It does have a little bit of that ‘woo’ aspect,” says Rathbun, “which I love because each one of these essential oils in there is very antimicrobial, but not only are they antimicrobial, many of them show up in ‘spells’ and ‘protection spells.’ I love it when the ‘woo’ and the science meet.”
While she hopes to continue growing By Nieves organically and slowly, for now she’s thrilled to be able to make her livelihood in a manner that aligns with her morals.
“It’s like getting to live the dream in a way. Getting to run a business with my hippie ideals and that it’s working is just amazing.”
Photos by Kike Arnal