Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Spinelli.
Hi Mary, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hyssop Beauty Apothecary was born from a simple desire for authenticity. Founder Mary Spinelli, a lifelong enthusiast of crafting homemade masks and beauty treatments, grew frustrated with the industry standard. She found that products labeled “all-natural” were often filled with the very synthetics she tried to avoid. Taking matters into her own hands, Spinelli set out to create a brand that lived up to its promises.
The journey began in December 2017 with a single item: the Peppermint Lip Smoothie. Launched on Facebook, the debut product was an instant hit, selling out twice immediately. By February 2018, the line had expanded to include five core facial products—staples that remain best-sellers to this day.
After two years of home-based production, the brand established its brick-and-mortar roots in Nutley, NJ. The community’s demand for artisan skincare continued to surge, prompting a major expansion in October 2025 into a facility six times the size of the original shop. Today, Hyssop Beauty Apothecary serves customers through its expanded Nutley storefront and online, with its artisan-made products now stocked in over 110 retailers nationwide.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The timing could hardly have been more challenging. Hyssop Beauty Apothecary signed a multi-year lease for its first retail location in October 2019, just months before the global pandemic forced the world to a standstill. While countless small businesses were forced to shutter, Hyssop found a lifeline in its product lineup: soaps and hand sanitizers.
Designated an essential business, the shop remained open, though operations were lean. Mary worked tirelessly as the sole employee, crafting products in the shop, while her husband took to the road to handle local deliveries. What began as a survival strategy—free local delivery—became a beloved community staple. In fact, it proved so popular that Hyssop continues to offer the service to this day.
We’ve been impressed with Hyssop Beauty Apothecary, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Please tell us more about your business or organization. What should we know?
Hyssop Beauty Apothecary is more than just a skincare brand; it is a sanctuary for authentic, conscious beauty. Founded in 2017 by Mary Spinelli, we began with a simple but radical premise: “all-natural” should actually mean natural. What started in a home kitchen with a single hit product—our Peppermint Lip Smoothie—has grown into a nationwide brand and a beloved community staple here in Nutley, NJ. We recently celebrated a major milestone in October 2025, expanding into a new facility six times the size of our original shop, allowing us to serve our customers better than ever.
What do you do, what do you specialize in / what are you known for?
We specialize in small-batch, artisan-made skincare that bridges the gap between raw nature and luxury. Our product line ranges from our core facial products—which have been best-sellers since 2018—to body treatments, serums, and aromatherapy.
Beyond our products, we specialize in interactive experiences. We don’t just sell skincare; we invite you to create it. Our new Nutley facility hosts our “Perfume Bar” along with hands-on workshops where guests can craft their own facial masks, body scrubs, and custom perfumes.
What sets you apart from others?
Three things define the Hyssop difference:
1. True Transparency: We refuse to hide behind greenwashed labels. When we say natural, we mean it. No fillers, no synthetics, no “nasties.”
2. Energetic Intention: Our founder, Mary, is a Reiki healer. We believe that skincare is a ritual, so our products are not just chemically balanced—they are infused with positive energy and intention during the crafting process.
3. Sustainability: We care for the planet as much as your skin. We use glass packaging whenever possible and offer a bottle buy-back program to minimize waste by closing the loop.
What are you most proud brand wise?
We are most proud of our resilience and our bond with the community. When the pandemic shuttered businesses just months after we opened our first retail door in 2019, we refused to give up. We shifted our focus to making hand sanitizers and soaps, with Mary working solo in the lab while her husband ran free local deliveries—a service we still offer today because our customers loved it so much.
That commitment to showing up for our town recently earned us the Business Beautification Award from the Nutley Chamber of Commerce in January 2026. Growing from a kitchen counter to having our products in over 110 stores nationwide—while keeping our heart right here in Nutley—is our greatest achievement.
What do you want our readers to know about your brand, offerings, services, etc?
We want to break the myth that “natural” means “less effective.” All-natural skincare can be just as efficacious—if not more so—than mass-produced, synthetic skincare products. Nature is powerful, and when formulated correctly, it delivers incredible results without the harsh side effects.
What matters most to you?
At the heart of everything I do is a commitment to integrity and harmlessness. What matters most to me is running a business that provides exactly what it promises while doing no harm to the environment or its beings.
Why? Because I believe beauty should never come at a compromise.
For too long, the industry has been filled with empty promises—products that claim to be “natural” but are filled with synthetics, or products that claim to work but offer no real nourishment. To me, “providing what it promises” means proving that all-natural skincare can be just as efficacious—if not more so—than mass-produced alternatives. I want our customers to trust that when they pick up a bottle, the ingredients inside are pure, potent, and exactly what we say they are.
Equally important is the “how.” It matters deeply to me that our footprint is light. This means respecting the environment through sustainable practices like glass packaging and refill options, and respecting all beings by ensuring our products are cruelty-free and non-toxic.
Ultimately, I want Hyssop Beauty Apothecary to stand as proof that a business can be successful, effective, and ethical all at the same time. We don’t just want to make you look good; we want to make you feel good about what you are putting on your skin and how it impacts the world.
Pricing:
- Coffee Eye Cream $14
- Hyaluronic Acid Serum $16
- Vitamin C Serum $19
- Phyto-Retinol Complex Youth Renewal Plant Serum $21
- Facial Oil $24
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hyssopbeautyapothecary.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hyssopbeautyapothecary
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hyssopbeautyapothecary
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hyssop-beauty-apothecary/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/hyssopbeautyllc
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@hyssopbeautyapothecary
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hyssop-beauty-apothecary-nutley
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@hyssopbeautyapothecary
