Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Torres.
Tara, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In 2017 I fell in a really deep depression, my head was in a fog, my body ached and I didn’t want to talk to anyone. The smallest tasks would make me feel overwhelmed with anxiety. I really needed something to soothe my body from all the pain. I used to make a salve for children who had dry skin and another one for diaper rash. So I started cooking up a Pomada (salve) with butter, oils, and herbs from my garden.
I talked to my Pomada asking it for love and to help my sore body. And once it was made and I rubbed it into my skin and I felt the love I put in it. I started to make other herbal medicine for my anxiety, my sleep. When I started to feel better I realized there were probably other people who were suffering like I was. I had family and friends who I knew could use some herbal love and thats how I started making medicine and blessing it with intentions.
I would sell at farmers markets and talk to anyone who would listen. That’s when I created XolyLuna a small batch apothecary to help folks with herbal medicine. Two years later I’ve met so many people, helped heal folks problems and have grown into understanding depression and anxiety. I’m on my second year of my herbalist apprenticeship and growing xolyluna.
Thank you for opening up about your depression in 2017. It’s not easy to share, but we think it’s important so that others who might be going through something similar know that it happens and that there is a positive way out. Since then, you’ve built a business – have you faced challenges along the way?
I have found such a great community of Women who wholeheartedly believe in me as a person and businesswoman and in XolyLuna. If there are any struggles that I have, it’s been me standing in my way, having impostor syndrome and not being able to believe in my self. But every step of the way has been lessons and growth. We all suffer from insecurities we just have to learn how to navigate and cope with them. Mantras are really helpful.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
XolyLuna is a small batch apothecary that specializes in herbal medicine. We are best known for our Pain Healing Pomada, our Essential Oil Blend for Anxiety and our Skin Healing Pomada. People love that both our culture and science comes through in our work. Healing ways from my family mixed with herbalism.
We do receive a lot of online orders, some from folks who’ve we’ve met in person and continue to order monthly, which we appreciate so much. But what really sets us apart is our in-person engagement, we love talking to folks and getting to know their needs. When you come up to our table it’s like hanging out with your best friend/ therapist and being to talk about the hard stuff and the fun loving stuff. At the end of the day, we are healers and givers, we treat each person as if they’re family.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
This city is the perfect place for people to start their own company, there are so many people here and so many opportunities and there’s room for everyone. My advice for someone who is just starting out, social media like Instagram is a great place to start a page, to meet people who would benefit from your business and for you to find a community. Social media has helped so much for us to figure out our community and to give back or collaborate.
Contact Info:
- Website: xolyluna.com
- Email: xolylunashop@gmail.com
- Instagram: xolyluna
- Facebook: xolyluna
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
