The Fae, Flower & Stone Story
- Kathy Keh
- Jun 12, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 5
I started making my own skincare in 2019, toward the end of me running my first health and wellness business—Bright Life, in Sarasota, Florida. During this time, I never made any products for sale, but I did share what I was making with many of my family members, friends, and customers. I've since gotten a degree in Organic Skincare Formulation and now have many more products that I can offer. But for more background...
Why did I start making my own products? Well, I was frustrated with not finding personal hygiene products that were safe for me to use, or finding them but at such high prices that it was prohibitive for me to buy them. After doing a lot of research on the ingredients that were being used (and are still being used) in our personal hygiene products, I came to the conclusion that they were harmful to me. I also felt that I needed to take this aspect of my life into my own hands because I discovered that the FDA sanctioned the use of these ingredients. This made me feel angry and disappointed, because I always believed our government would keep us safe.
It Started with Toothpaste
So it all started with toothpaste. I discovered that both drinking fluoridated water and brushing my teeth with it could potentially calcify the pineal gland, a small, pea-sized organ nestled deep in my brain, roughly parallel to the area between my eyebrows. In East Asian chakra traditions, this gland is deeply linked to our Third Eye Chakra. When this chakra is healthy and open we use our 6th sense - our sense of intuition, gut feelings - to tune into what the Universe has in store for us and to make better decisions and when this aspect of life is deadened we can be disconnected from a sense of purpose and true inspiration that gives way to new ideas and broader understanding about life.
Anyway, when this gland calcifies from fluoride exposure, its physical functioning is compromised - it shrivels and dries up or calcifies - which interferes with its ability to produce melatonin—the body's primary source of the hormone regulating our sleep cycles and other vital bodily functions. From lack of sleep alone, our judgment is impaired, but if our ability to make melatonin is compromised, our entire circadian rhythm is thrown off. This physical and emotional exhaustion alone leads to poor judgment, poor life decisions, and ultimately we lose the ability to trust our own intuition. I know I have/did.
While there are many theories about why fluoride is used in our water systems and toothpaste, for me, the priority became simply to get it out of my system. I stopped drinking fluoridated water and started making my own fluoride-free tooth powder, focusing on organic and natural ingredients that both cleansed and nourished my teeth.
To make a very long story short, making my own tooth powder was born out of both frustration and necessity. I've never been interested in beauty, cosmetics, or organic skincare. In fact, because I've struggled my entire life with depression, anxiety, and isolating, it's been incredibly difficult for me to prioritize self-care—and this absolutely included my personal hygiene, overall appearance, and the last thing that was on my mind was a skincare routine.
Anxiety, Depression and Isolation
Most people wouldn't have guessed that this was/is my reality, and something I have to address most every day. Although I've always appeared to others as social and extraverted - happy and healthy - what they didn't know was that I actually spent most of my time alone, not leaving the house and feeling overwhelmed with basic tasks that seemed effortless for others. I felt immense shame about my constant struggle with anxiety and depression so I did my best to hide it.
For many reasons, I never talked about what was really going on in my life - not to my parents, not to teachers, friends, family members and not even to any of the therapists or psychiatrists I had been seeing regularly since High School. Instead I complained about and focused on issues that never really got to the heart of why I got depressed or felt so anxious that I could barely function. Now in my 60s, I understand much better why I sink to deep levels of hopelessness and dread and I try not to judge myself so harshly about it. I have more compassion for how I got here, and that in and of itself is making things so much better.
I can't truthfully say that I am grateful for all the struggles I've had, but they've certainly made me understand a level of sadness that most people who haven't experienced this do not and now hopefully I can be helpful in some way. Having more clarity about "why" all of this happens, I know that I'm a much better version of myself than I was, and despite ongoing challenges, I am more confident that each time I sink to a low, that there is a way out through meditation, seeking outside help and by forcing myself to connect with the world, even if I struggle to do so.
If it were not for Al-Anon (my 12 step program) where I learned to connect with a God of my understanding and my Higher Power, in addition to the alternative healing modalities I have been able to learn about like Feng Shui, chakra balancing, color, aroma, sound, and flower essence therapies, all pure essences of Nature — I know I would not be here on this majestic and wonderful planet today. I also know that I would never have had the courage to give birth to this new business Fae, Flower & Stone.
I hope that the Fae, Flower & Stone self-care products, experiences and services become a shortcut for people looking for emotional relief and recalibration. I hope that using these products, attending my workshops and engaging in the services I provide can be a path for people who struggle with self-care. This coming year - 2026 - I look forward to making new connections as I meet all of you. I hope that this coming year is full of sharing and receiving the healing magic of Nature which restores my body, mind, and spirit in ways that nothing else could. I have the same wish for all of you.
The Evolution of Organic Skincare Products
Comments