Dragonfly Bath House | Sheila Wegreen | Fairview, AB
Meet Sheila Wegreen. She went from crunching numbers in an office to foraging the outdoors for natural ingredients, which she uses to formulate products for her skin and bath care company, Dragonfly Bath House.
“I used to be an accountant, so diving into the industry of night creams and bath soaks has been incredibly fun,” said Wegreen.
In 2016, Wegreen was motivated to create her own line of skin care items after participating in a workshop hosted by another local maker, The Green Goddess. Wegreen fell in love with the process of creating her own products.
“Taking that workshop gave me the idea to start playing with ingredients from my own Oriental culture,” said Wegreen. “The first items I made were Epsom salts and lip balms. I found a lot of joy in it.”
Believing she could turn her new passion into something bigger, Wegreen enrolled at Formula Botanica and earned a diploma in organic cosmetic science. In 2017, she confidently launched Dragonfly Bath House, and the transition into her new role has been a smooth one.
“Paired with my business background it felt very natural for me to start up a small shop,” said Wegreen.
Wegreen put thought into getting her business’s name and logo just right.
“Choosing the dragonfly as my totem blends my spirituality and my Christian faith,” said Wegreen. “It also reminds me of the people who live in the Peace Country because we all value strength, courage, love and hope.”
Wegreen has the main manufacturing performed in Calgary and takes pride in having her quality products professionally manufactured using natural formulations. She receives bulk batches and does her own bottling to distribute throughout the Peace Region.
“I use the best of both worlds,” said Wegreen. “95% of my ingredients are natural, and the other five percent are what I call ‘necessaries,’ which I hand select and am very conscious about choosing.”
When creating products, Wegreen focuses on safety, effectiveness and ethics. With a background in chemistry and herbalism, she strives to find a balance with her formulas because she wants the best for her customers.
“I focus on using natural ingredients because they can be better for us health-wise,” said Wegreen. “However, sometimes there are modern-day ingredients, which are safer and more effective than some of the natural options.”
When purchasing ingredients, Wegreen says she only sources from suppliers who can provide material safety data sheets, kosher certification and organic certification.
Foraging many of her ingredients herself, Wegreen loves that she can use local plants such as the petals from Alberta Wild Roses in Sand Lake or Fireweed from Grande Cache.
“I take my ingredients seriously and always ensure we conduct microbial testing and manufacture our products in licensed facilities,” said Wegreen.
It’s easy to purchase Dragonfly Bath House products.
“New and existing customers can shop online on our website, or they can purchase items in Fairview at The Health Collective or The Old Bistro,” said Wegreen. “We also have products in The Mint pharmacy in Beaverlodge, and we’re going to have some in Grimshaw at Raediance Florist and Gift Shop soon.”
With Christmas coming, Wegreen says there are certain products that sell best during the holiday season.
“Our collagen bath soak has been the most popular. The hydrolyzed collagen is infused with botanicals, herbs and essential oils, which make it perfect for a relaxing soak,” said Wegreen.
Next on the list of holiday must-haves is the ResurFace night cream and the Posh Polish cleanser because, according to Wegreen, they work beautifully together as they hydrate and improve the appearance and texture of skin.
Wegreen looks forward to launching new products such as a patented formulation made to help with crepe skin or “turkey neck.” In addition, she’s been in contact with potential retailers.
“With new retailers coming onboard, clients will be able to get their supplies whenever they run out instead of waiting for a trade show or getting it shipped through the mail,” said Wegreen.
As a business owner, Wegreen appreciates the community spirit and the support from the people of the Peace Region. When retailers make a special effort to include local producers, it makes a difference.
Wegreen is also grateful for the many local makers she has connected with.
“It’s amazing to band together and cheer each other on. We share feedback and let each other know about opportunities, shows and markets,” said Wegreen. “We understand that no business flourishes alone, and I’m proud to own and use products from other producers as well.”
By Dani Wearden | Liza Curtiss Photography and submitted