For the health nuts, beauty enthusiasts, and skin care nerds out there, we have some news—big news. Follain, an independent retailer that procures only the best of clean beauty products, is opening its first West Coast brick and mortar in the U Village. (Yes, permission to jump up and down with glee duly granted.)

We're about to have even more natural beauty options come this summer. 

Follain launched in 2013 in Boston and has continued to grow every year with new locations expanding into towns such as Bethesda, Maryland and Dallas, Texas, plus, of course, our own shop nestled between Delfino's Pizza and another forthcoming store dubbed Katalyst. 

The brains behind the operation, Follain CEO and founder Tara Foley, was on track to become an attorney back in the mid-aughts. But when Foley realized that she was slathering on pretty toxic products onto her face and body, she decided to—skrrrt—switch gears and leap, head on, into the world of natural skin care. She left her job at a law firm, started a blog, delved deeper into research, ventured to France for an apprenticeship at an organic lavender farm where Foley learned the ins and outs of how the plant is transformed into a skin care product. From there, she dove into another apprenticeship at a private label skin care manufacturer in Maine. Five years later, Foley had a ton of knowledge, passion in spades, and her new company focused on healthy skin care goods.

Follain, being the natural beauty paradise that it is, houses over 75 U.S. brands—skin, hair, cosmetics, postpartum products, you name it—so there's truly something for everyone.

Why Seattle? You might be wondering. For one, some of Follain's favorite skin care lines are based out of our fair, green-conscious city—ahem, French Girl, Gressa, Hannes Dotir, Herbivore Botanicals, and Kari Gran. Which means, according to Foley, exciting events for shoppers, as well as the growth of clean beauty devotees. "The community in Seattle is committed to clean beauty as well as an overall healthy and more sustainable lifestyle," notes Foley. "But there is no destination for safe and high-performing personal care and I'm looking forward to Follain being that trusted resource to Seattle shoppers." 

The beauty and clean skin care atelier will also bring store design to a new level. It'll adhere to its usual aesthetic vibe as other Follain locations (think: spa-styled bathroom, with open shelves, large white basin sinks for testing products, and white tiled walls). But this new spot there will have some subtle tech added, too, like touch screens for product info and customer skin quizzes.

Stay tuned to Shop Talk for updates about opening dates and events coming to Follain when it arrives this summer.