Tahoe Weekly Feature
Tahoe Petrichor creates natural healing products from local plants
I love the smell in the air after it rains. When asked to describe that smell, words like moist, earthy, woodsy and musky come to mind. The scent is called petrichor. Alixandra Laub, the owner of Tahoe Petrichor, creates essential oils and skincare products.
She, too, loves the earth’s smell after a rain. “The leaves open up and release their essential oils. Bacteria grow releasing pheromones; the compounds released by the trees are some of the same compounds in essential oils,’ says Laub.
“I hand make extracts from the plant using herbal medicine practices,” Laub says. “Sage is a staple in this area and is one of my favorite plants. It’s perfect for pain and smells like walking through the desert. Juniper berry is an astringent and has anti-aging properties. Every year I focus on a new plant and learn everything I can about the plant, then integrate the plant into a practical product.”