Catholic small business Nazareth Organics wants to make a difference in the world of clean skincare. Founders Katie and Josh Levitas believe they can do just that with tallow, “this little miracle cream in a jar.”
Nazareth Organics sells organic skincare products that Katie produces from scratch. From sun balm to facial antioxidant serum to “mom balm” — a balm mothers can use for pregnancy, breastfeeding and even for baby’s diaper rash — the small business offers everyday products for a variety of skin types.
Katie produces her products in small batches. All her balms have a tallow base, which she sources from Cottonwood Ranch, a Catholic farm in Front Royal. Over the course of a day, she makes a batch of tallow — a rendered form of beef suet — purifies it three times, and adds essential oils, herbs, and other organic ingredients that target certain bodily functions or ailments.
One example is her “Sleep Balm,” a tallow balm infused with magnesium and chamomile, which she believes help reduce stress and soothe muscle tension, promoting a good night’s rest.
Nazareth Organics is among a recent surge of businesses specializing in “clean skincare,” or products that avoid ingredients proven toxic to human health. “Holistic” businesses such as Nazareth Organics prioritize natural ingredients that aren’t manufactured in labs.
“God gave us everything that we need through his creation. He gave us all the ingredients that we need for our bodies to flourish,” Katie said.
Katie said that Nazareth Organics obtains its ingredients from well-researched sources. “The number one thing I really strive for is to make sure every single ingredient is fully vetted, fully researched and completely natural,” she said.
Katie was a registered nurse for the first few years of her marriage. After the birth of the couple’s oldest child, Bridget, she became a stay-at-home mom. “But I never lost my love for medicine, and not even just medicine but just the health of the human person,” she said. “So, I brought my love for research and health and wellness all from nursing into the business.”
She explained that tallow has become popular in clean skincare due to its high compatibility with the human skin barrier. “It’s extremely high in fat-soluble vitamins — vitamins, A, D, E and K. It’s also very rich in fatty acids that are very good for your skin,” she said. Since tallow mimics the composition of sebum produced by skin cells, “When you put the tallow on your skin, your skin can recognize it as being almost part of itself.”
With each little tub of balm, Nazareth Organics strives to evangelize. The Levitas family, who attend St. Mary of Sorrows Church in Fairfax, include Bible verses on the back of each product. Their stand at the Saturday Fairfax farmers market displays a statue of the Holy Family, which Katie said often draws in curious customers. “We consecrated our business to the Holy Family of Nazareth,” she said.
For the Levitases, family is a number one priority. They have four children: three girls — Bridget, Leila and Josie — with a baby boy, Jude, on the way. Josh is a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy, so amid the moves from Hawaii to California to Virginia, they’ve grown stronger as a family in their faith. The girls love to help with the business, often playing around their parents’ stand at the farmers market.
Katie said that using natural ingredients in everyday products is nothing new. For hundreds of years, humans have used tallow from cooking to making candles and soap. She hopes that her family’s business will help others to better appreciate natural living and the goodness of God’s creation.
“Why did we ever get away from these oils that are so nourishing, and they’re straight from God’s hands?”
Nazareth Organics products may be found at The Paschal Lamb Books and Gifts in Fairfax, the Warrenton Market, The Hamilton Mercantile in Hamilton, and the Fairfax Saturday Farmers’ Market.
Find out more
Go to nazareth-organics.com.
Follow on Instagram @nazarethorganics.
