Leading Holistic Skincare Products Manufacturer
Moves Headquarters to Sarasota
Starflower Essentials provides more than 100 all-natural skincare products to spas and wellness centers worldwide
(Sarasota, FL) Starflower Essentials, one of the leading holistic skincare products manufacturers in the United States, recently moved its headquarters to Sarasota from Austin, Texas. The company, founded in 1994 by president and CEO Cherylyn Van Kirk, supplies more than 100 all-natural skincare products to spas, boutiques and wellness centers nationwide.
Van Kirk decided to move the company to Sarasota after visiting the area during the course of the past five years. “I’m impressed by the region’s progressive pro-business dynamic, upscale demographics, and its wealth of cultural amenities,” she says. “Of course, the wonderful climate and the beauty of the natural surroundings were also big attractions. I grew up in the south and thrive in a warm, moist climate.”
Van Kirk explains that Starflower’s products are made of certified organic, food-grade ingredients, which are grown and processed in small batches to preserve potency and vitality.
“We take pride that we do not use artificial chemicals, including propyls and parabens, in any of our products,” she says. “We package in glass, rather than plastic, to prevent the degradation and oxidization of our vital ingredients. And since they’re food-grade certified, they can be eaten safely—but we don’t recommend that!”
The company grows and produces some of its organic/biodynamic ingredients in the pristine altitudes of the western slopes of Colorado. It also buys organic herbs and essential oils from small organic farms and suppliers from around the world. “Eventually, we’ll move the processing and manufacturing facilities to Sarasota where we can process thousands of orders per month,” says Van Kirk.
A self-made entrepreneur, Van Kirk is the mother of five grown children. She has devoted herself to a healthy lifestyle since the age of 15. As a young adult, she mastered an intensive program of herbalist and aromatherapy studies, tutored by specialists in the United States, Canada and Europe. Van Kirk says that Starflower grew from her natural love of foraging for and growing herbs. “Making herbal formulas for the skin became a hobby for me. I loved making tinctures and extracts for my family's medicine cabinet when I was the mother of young children.”
Van Kirk looks forward to becoming an integral part of the community’s business and civic arena. “The Sarasota-Manatee area harbors a wealth of exceptional spas and wellness centers—and the business community is progressive enough to recognize that this industry is a boon to the regional economy.”
For more information about Starflower Essentials, call 941-921-2420 or visit www.starflower.com.
About Starflower Essentials
Starflower Essentials specializes in food-grade, organic and biodynamic skincare products, including a new line of superfoods. Headquartered in Sarasota, FL, the firm supplies its products to spas and wellness centers nationally and internationally. For more information about Starflower Essentials, call 941-921-2420 or visit www.starflower.com.
