To celebrate Mother’s Day, we visited Amanda Callan of Herb Remedy in her Byron Bay workshop to find out how motherhood inspired her journey into natural skincare.
Amanda Callan’s journey into natural skincare began during the quiet, transformative months of her first pregnancy. As she prepared to start caring for a life beyond her own, she became increasingly mindful of what she was putting on her skin, and soon after, her newborn’s. An instinct for simplicity inspired her to experiment with making traditional bar soaps at home, a humble beginning that would eventually blossom into Herb Remedy, Amanda’s plant-based and efficacious natural skincare brand based in Byron Bay.
“[During my pregnancy], we were getting things ready for the baby, and I started researching baby soaps and was honestly horrified by the ingredients,” she explains, “I just thought, no way, I’ll make my own.” Having earned a Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy in her early twenties, the art of herbal formulation felt like second nature to Amanda. “It opened up a whole world of how plants can support us, not just internally, but through everyday things like skin care,” she says. Though she had been employing holistic beauty practices in her own home for years, it wasn’t until early 2024 that she officially founded Herb Remedy, turning her lifelong passion into a business.
While Amanda spends much of her time in the Northern Rivers where she lives, Herb Remedy is based in Byron Bay, with everything made onsite in the brand's small factory and herbal dispensary. Rooted in the philosophy that less is more, Amanda’s brand offers clean, plant-based formulations crafted with intention and care. “I'm all about keeping things simple, using quality ingredients and not overprocessing anything,” she says. “The goal is to let the herbs do what they’re meant to do without overcomplicating it.”
Since launching her brand, motherhood has been instrumental in shaping the brand’s values and inspiring new products. “Having four boys has kind of led the way with product ideas,” she says, “They get sick, I make a chest rub. They fall over, I make comfrey balm. Mosquito bites, chickweed salve. It all came from real everyday items we needed at home.”
But, like any parent, balancing motherhood with her growing brand isn’t always an easy feat. “It’s honestly minute by minute. When I’m with the boys I’m fully with them, so work has to wait,” explains Amanda. “Equally I don’t like leaving things unfinished, so when I do get time, I go hard. Parenting is always full of surprises so most of the time I’m dropping work to be there for the boys, and I feel lucky I can do that.”
Despite growing its offering over the past year, at its core, the brand remains focused on its array of handmade botanical soap bars. Unlike commercial soaps, each soap bar is crafted using a traditional cold-press method and traceable ingredients that serve a specific purpose. “Every soap bar starts with a base of Australian extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil, then we layer in herbal infused oils, dried plants, clays, charcoal and essential oils depending on what the bar is designed for,” says Amanda.
Driven by the belief that natural remedies should be more accessible, Amanda hopes to inspire more people to embrace herbalism in their home. “I’d love to see people return to bar soap. There’s a misconception that bar soap is drying or harsh, but that’s usually because of low-quality, commercial products,” she says. “Once people try a well-made botanical bar, they often don’t go back.”
Should you wish to give one of Herb Remedy’s soap bars a try for yourself, simply visit the Assembly Label Lifestore, or view the entire range at herbremedy.au
