The Women Who Shaped Ballou
Every jar we make begins with a woman we loved.
Ballou Family Apothecary was not born in a boardroom. It was born at bedsides, in hospital rooms, and in the moments when the people we love needed comfort we could actually trust. This is that story.
Dawn's Mother: Shirley Faverty
Dawn Lancaster is a certified aromatherapist, herbalist, and skincare formulator, but long before any of those titles, she was a daughter watching her mother navigate years of serious illness, including cancer, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.
Through it all, Shirley kept one small ritual. Her daily skincare routine was one of the few things that still felt like hers, a moment of comfort that belonged to her alone. When Dawn began looking closely at the ingredients in the products Shirley used every day, she didn't like what she found. That was the moment clean formulation stopped being a professional interest and became personal. Dawn made a promise to her mother, and to herself, that products she formulated and produced would not be one more thing to worry about.
Bob's Daughter: Lora Ballou Phillips Gray
Bob Phillips built his career at the highest levels of the beauty industry, with senior executive roles across Elizabeth Arden, Chesebrough-Pond's, and Unilever's prestige portfolio. But his most important insight came from his late daughter, Lora Ballou Phillips Gray.
Lora lived with scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that made her skin sensitive in ways most people never have to consider. Her search for products gentle enough for her body and simple enough to trust without a second thought was a search Bob became dedicated to. That search became the standard he still holds every Ballou formula to today: purity and honesty above all else, not just for his own family, but for every family who trusts us.
The Women Who Came Before
Bob's life has been shaped by remarkable women at every turn. His grandmother, known to the family as Gam, and his late wife, Pat, both left their mark on the values Ballou is built around: wisdom, compassion, and a fierce belief in caring for others well.
Their influence runs through the Ballou family name itself. Bob is a descendant of Hosea Ballou, the theologian who coined the word "happify," Major Sullivan Ballou, author of one of the Civil War's most poignant love letters, and Maturin Murray Ballou, who co-founded the Boston Globe in 1872. It is a family history built on the belief that words and care both have the power to change lives.
Why We Make What We Make
Dawn and Bob discovered they held the same frustration: a search for skincare that was genuinely safe for the people they loved most, without hidden compromises, and without fear-based marketing. That shared search became Ballou Family Apothecary.
Every product we craft is formulated and made in Vermont, in small batches, with full control over every ingredient from sourcing to jar. It is our way of honoring Shirley, Lora, Gam, and Pat, and every person who has ever needed a moment of comfort they could trust completely.
It's also why ten percent of every sale is paid forward to the Ballou Family Foundation, supporting affordable childcare for working parents. We believe caring for one generation means investing in the next.
This is our story. In many ways, it is a story we think you might see yourself in too.
