Hope in a Bottle

By Lisa Arnett
April 2026 View more Discover

Three apothecary-style shops stocking all kinds of self-care goodies

Verbena Soap & Apothecary

5129 Main St., Downers Grove

With rows of dropper-top bottles, glass canisters filled with sea sponges, and bundles of herbs and flowers hanging to dry from the ceiling, this Downers Grove shop channels the feel of an old-timey apothecary with a modern twist. “We want people to walk in and feel joy,” says owner Jennifer Rouzan. Step to the back of the store and you might find her slicing long columns of soap into individual bars, or wrapping shower steamers in floral tissue paper and twine and topping them off with a gold wax seal.

Though Rouzan spent most of her career working in the financial industry, she’s always had a not-so-secret creative side. “I’ve been a maker all my life and I have a lot of artistic people in my family,” she says. “I grew up in an antique store with my grandmother, and before I officially retired from working, I wanted to play with the making part of my life.” She took master classes with European soap makers and started making bath bombs, shower steamers, and soap as a hobby. “Now I’ve turned it into a business, and my husband is my partner here, and two of my three kids work here. It’s truly a family business,” Rouzan says.

Most products are made in the shop, including soap bars, body scrubs, moisturizing butters, and room mists. “If I don’t make something here it’s because I am partnered with someone who has had 50 years of experience making what they specialize in,” Rouzan says. Verbena’s powdered laundry wash has gained a loyal following since the shop opened last year. “It has super-simple ingredients, and a little goes a long way,” she says. “After three washes, your fabrics are back to their natural state, and your cottons are fluffier. We can customize your scent or you can go unscented.”

Good to know: Rouzan offers hands-on soap-making sessions for birthdays, couples’ nights out, and other special occasions. “We also do a lot of gifts, whether it be shower favors or corporate gifts,” she says.

La Vie En Rose Apothecary

7 S. Prospect Ave., Clarendon Hills

This Clarendon Hills shop is stocked wall to wall with owner Lauren Brunnell’s favorite self-care goodies. “The translation of the store’s name is ‘life in pink’…and I love the idea of ‘stop and smell the roses’ and see life through rose-colored glasses,” she says. “I’m originally from New Orleans, and the aesthetic of my store is very French and eclectic and reminds me of something you might see in the French Quarter.”

Brunnell worked in human resources consulting before leaving the industry to teach yoga. “Both of those experiences taught me so much about listening to and understanding what people are looking for, and I started to feel a pull to create something of my own,” she says. “My friends were constantly asking me where I bought things and what I was using for skin care, and I was always sharing recommendations and little discoveries. Over time, I realized how much I loved curating and connecting people to products that felt special and intentional.” She specializes in skin care, cosmetics, and fragrance and also carries gift-worthy accessories like jewelry, purses, and barrettes. “I use the term ‘apothecary’ very broadly, as an umbrella that catches all things wellness. If you have a fabulous piece of jewelry that makes you feel beautiful, that’s self-care. We have meditation books, massage tools, essential oil rollers, and bags handmade in Peru. There is a story behind every single thing in the store.”

Brunnell’s own difficulty navigating the so-called “clean” skin care category has informed what she carries. “It’s overwhelming when it comes to clean beauty products because there are endless labels, unclear standards, and too many choices with not enough transparency,” she says. “I wanted to create a space where everything on the shelf would be carefully vetted. It’s not my intention that someone would buy everything they would use in their own beauty regimen here, but I’m looking to introduce them to something new.” One of her favorite skin care lines, Flora Mirabilis, takes a minimalist approach with just two products to support healthy skin: a clay-based cleanser and face oil. Customers also can’t get enough of a magnesium body butter she carries by small-batch brand Manifest Wellness that’s used as a muscle relaxer and sleep aid. “I’ve had people drive in from the city just to get it, and I cannot keep it in stock,” she says.

Good to know: Brunnell is all about supporting female- and minority-owned brands in her shop. “I am really proud to champion businesses that not only create these beautiful, effective products but also support marginalized communities and give back,” she says.

63rd Street Apothecary

10 E. Wilson St., Batavia

Batavia resident Lucy Martinez can trace her interest in skin care all the way back to her sixth birthday party. “A friend of mine gave me a soap-making kit with fragrances and a mold and big blocks of raw glycerin soap to melt down,” she says. “My mom and I accidentally burned the first batch…and after that, she refused to make the rest of it. So I had this big block of glycerin soap I would bathe with.” Decades later, Martinez has perfected her own process of handcrafting soaps, lotions, candles, and more at this shop, which she opened in 2024. As a nod to that memorable first failed attempt at soap making, she named the shop after the Chicago street she lived on as a child.

“I have been working with herbal medicine for many years, as I am a Reiki practitioner and also a shamanic apprentice,” Martinez says. “I truly believe in healing the whole body.” Her soaps, creams, lotions, and fragrances are botanically based, with formulas she has fine-tuned through years of experimenting. “My body lotion is made with grapeseed oil and jojoba as well as argan and rose hip seed oils, which are going to be absorbed quickly and are not going to feel greasy,” she says. “I do have customers who have sensitivities to fragrance and skin issues like eczema, psoriasis, and acne, and I do have unscented soaps for them.”

Martinez also makes her own candles scented with a variety of essential oils. “I get a lot of compliments about the scent throw, and because of the wax blends we use, you’re not going to get the soot that you normally would with another candle,” she says. The shop features candle-making stations where you can design your own custom-scented candle in your choice of vessel with a cotton or wood wick. “We’ve hosted bridal showers, birthday parties, and Girl Scout groups, and people can come in here and bring their own snacks,” Martinez says.

Good to know: On Martinez’s shelves, customers also can find gear from another local Batavia maker, MoJo Handbags. “They hand-make purses, wallets, pouches, totes, and more,” she says.

Photos: Verbena Soap & Apothecary; La Vie En Rose Apothecary; 63rd Street Apothecary