Long before the selfie era, beauty lovers and wellness seekers alike were finding ways to merge the two. From the search for hair oils that promote thicker, fuller-looking strands to discovering gentle ways to moisturize skin, those in the know have always turned to Heritage Store. Since 1969, we’ve been serving soul-to-skin beauty with minimal ingredients and maximum benefits—spotlighting timeless essentials like Rosewater, Castor Oil, and even crystal-infused skincare. 

Heritage Store was originally founded by Tom Johnson, who decided to give up his corporate life and devote himself to bringing wellness to people’s lives. His health food store in Virginia Beach (yes, a literal store) would go on to grow and evolve–gifting you with the skin and hair care regimens and wellness essentials you love today. And the truth is, even as Heritage Store expands and launches new products, the core collections still very much stick to their roots. 

Before Castor Oil was cool, before crystals bedecked every surface of that cool girl’s bedroom, before rosewater spray was chilling in every fridge…there was Heritage Store. Let’s throw it back and follow the journey of each of our best-selling collections.

The Castor Oil Collection 

Castor Oil was one of the very first products sold at Heritage Store, and for good reason. The legacy of Castor Oil benefits lives far outside the realm of what we can say (just check your FYP), but this cold-pressed, nourishing treatment has been used for decades on hair and skin. It’s packed with nutrients like omega-3s, minerals, and ricinoleic fatty acids. This was an absolute staple in the store alongside herbal tonics, oral care, and more. 

To this day, Castor Oil is a key must-have for Heritage Store and has grown into a full line of nourishing oils for a variety of beauty and skincare solutions. We, of course, have our classic Castor Oil and Organic Castor Oil, but have since introduced Black Castor Oil using a traditional African method of pressing roasted castor beans. To nourish hair, we also developed a scalp and hair treatment powered by our Castor Oil. Castor Oil & Tea Tree helps remove scalp build-up and is perfect for a weekly hair and scalp treatment that leaves you with softer, hydrated hair. 

We could never mention Castor Oil without talking about castor packs. Ten years ago, you may have never heard of them, and now they’re trending–but we have always been huge proponents of this relaxing ritual. You can use any Castor Oil for a wellness pack, but we developed Castor Oil & Cayenne because it is rich in nutrients like vitamins A, C, and E, and delivers a nice warming kick. Here’s a quick rundown of how to make a castor pack for yourself.

1. Saturate a wool or cotton flannel with the Castor Oil and Cayenne Pepper.
2. Place the flannel over your abdomen or other areas you feel could use it.
3. Apply mild heat to support the absorption of the Castor Oil and Cayenne Pepper.
4. Relax for as long as you need–we recommend thirty to sixty minutes.
5. When finished, wipe the excess oil off your skin.

As you can see, Castor Oil has been a part of Heritage Store since the very beginning.

The Rosewater Collection

By the time the 1970s hit and Heritage Store was experiencing success within its singular location, Tom and his team developed what would go on to become a best seller that has spanned decades. Using Rosewater has long been a cultural beauty and skin ritual because of its hydrating, soothing, and refreshing qualities. Sometimes the best things are the simplest, and our Rosewater is made with Damask Roses and our signature Vor-Mag™ water.  Although our classic facial mist still our most popular product (having been seen in magazines, behind the scenes at fashion shows, and in retailers like ULTA BEAUTY and Whole Foods Market), you can now treat yourself to a full collection of Rosewater-infused skincare that harkens back to its original formula. 

Diving into the invigorating benefits of Rosewater, we developed more hydration treatments for skin using this ingredient. To add more glow, we created Rosewater & Glycerin, and then we didn’t stop until we could offer every daily skincare step. 

There is now a cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer, oil, and two masks–one that detoxes and one that hydrates. 

What can’t Rosewater do?

The Aura Glow Collection

Around the same time our Rosewater was developed, so was Aura Glow – but it looked quite different back then than what you see now. Aura Glow was originally a massage oil designed to elevate overall wellness and promote relaxation. In the store, it was paired with aura photography, where a special camera is used to expose various colors around a person that correspond to what their aura or energy says about them. After using Aura Glow, one’s aura was often brighter. 

Years later, we captured this ideology (a brighter outlook and self-care leads to brighter skin) by developing a full line of Aura Glow skincare, where each is infused with clear quartz crystal, helping to enhance overall radiance. Your full regimen can now feel boosted by energy–from your cleanser to an eye cream, moisturizer, and a weekly glow-boosting face mask.

Heritage Store Has Always Been About Soul-to-Skin Beauty

Heritage Store continued its journey—from a small health food store to a larger center that included massage therapy, an ice cream shop, and even a psychic hotline. From the 90s to the 00s to now, Heritage Store has always been on trend, not because it’s trendy, but because we have consistently encouraged ingredients and formulas that deliver on benefits. 

Stick with us. The lore of Heritage Store just keeps going, so you can keep glowing.
Follow us @heritagestorenaturals for more on the lore of Heritage Store, and all of your soul-to-skin faves.