About Kristin | Founder of The Mamawise Store

I've had a lifelong love affair with herbal medicine. 

I first discovered herbs at a young age thanks to my mum, who was also a nurse and midwife.

I can remember patiently waiting for the Chamomile and Catnip tea to brew, while I methodically turned the teapot. I would feel so grown up drinking this little nightcap with my mum.

I loved to cut off a thick, juicy Aloe Vera leaf and squeeze the inner gel onto my sunburn.

I can also remember wrapping the strong, broad leaves of the Comfrey plant around my swollen ankle as a poultice. Thanks to a fall from my overzealous rollerskating!

I was 10.

As the daughter of a midwife, it was no surprise I heard all about birth and babies from a young age.

My love of herbal and nutritional medicine eventually led me to university where I completed a 4-year Bachelor of Naturopathy in 1998. 

The following year I completed postgraduate training in Natural Fertility Management™ and Preconception Care. 

This allowed me to help women prepare for pregnancy, and then provide naturopathic care all the way up to the birth.

As somewhat of a natural progression, I went on to complete a Graduate Diploma in Childbirth Education in 2006.

I began attending births as a doula around the same time. 

I spent the next 20 years combining my passions: naturopathic and herbal medicine with my second love - all things pregnancy, birth and postpartum. 

Now 25 years on, I'm still here!

I'm still loving on herbal medicine - where it all began for me. I've used herbs throughout my pregnancies, in preparation for labour and birth, and of course during my postpartum periods. I’ve also used herbs with my own children since they were babies, and still do today as teenagers!

I still geek out on the history and love the folklore, just as much as the modern science.

The history speaks volumes and women have been using botanical medicine throughout pregnancy and postpartum for centuries. The Mamawise range brings this traditional wisdom to modern, busy mamas.

How the products began

It was 2012, and I was blending custom herbal teas and soothing postpartum bath soaks for my doula clients.

Word eventually got around, then other mamas wanted 'some of what she's having'. Some were local, others were on the other side of the country!

So I added these onto my website at the time. It was a little clunky, but this way any mama could order them.

Over time the interest grew, as did the product range. By 2015, my 'handful of products' had tripled. So I built a stand alone online store. This was known as The BodyWise BirthWise Store.

In 2022, 7 years on - and 10 years after my product range began - it felt like the right time for ‘BodyWise BirthWise’ to evolve.

The result was a rebrand and a rebirth (pun intended). And so, in 2023 'Mamawise' was born.

My product range was the first to get the glow-up, and a new look store. Then 'The Mamawise Naturopath’ was birthed into the world as I also returned to clinical practice, working exclusively with mothers throughout the changing seasons of motherhood.

About the products

From the very beginning I've been committed to creating clean, simple and cruelty-free products wherever possible.

This has meant always sourcing certified organic herbs and ingredients, and choosing my suppliers carefully. And in some cases, scrapping a product idea because it meant venturing beyond these values.

Behind each product formulation is my naturopathic knowledge, and my years of experience working with mamas in the birthing and postpartum space.

I've only ever created products that I have used myself, and with my babies. And all products are handcrafted in small batch production, by myself.

I believe blending herbal teas is both an alchemy and an art! This rings true even more when using medicinal herbs, plus I wanted the herbal teas to also taste great!

The herb-infused oils used in the balms are from the traditional solar/cold infusion method. I love keeping it old school here.

The herbal extracts are always dispensed to order to ensure optimal potency.

About the ingredients

✔️ Australian Certified Organic (ACO)

ACO herbs and ingredients are sourced wherever possible.

Currently over 90% of the ingredients used in the products are ACO (excluding the herbal extracts).

This means they’ve been grown without the use of synthetic or toxic substances for a 3 year minimum period - and contain no added artificial colours or fragrances.

The term ‘Certified Organic’ is overseen by a number of internationally recognised bodies, and suppliers are audited each year to guarantee organic integrity and strict certification standards.

✔️ Chemical free

The other herb sources are wildcrafted, imported and supplied through a highly-regarded Australian herb company. All wildcrafted herbs are harvested from a chemical free area.

✔️ Plant based formulations

All ingredients are sourced from plant or mineral origins - with the only exception being the organic beeswax. These include liquid herbal extracts (tinctures), fruit liquid extracts (glycerine-based), solar method infused herbal oils, plant seed butters and oils, and pure essential oils.  

✔️ Mineral oil free

Mineral oils are colourless, odourless oils made as a by-product of the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline. They are avoided due to potential toxin contamination, pore clogging traits and lack of skin nutrients or true hydration properties. 

✔️ Extra virgin & cold-pressed oils

The bases oils used (e.g coconut, olive, apricot) are either extra virgin/virgin and cold pressed. The seeds are crushed and pressed in order to extract the oil in the most natural way. This extraction method (without the use of of chemical solvents) ensure the oils retain all their aroma and nutritional value. The seeds are crushed and pressed in order to extract the oil in the most natural way.

✔️  Cruelty-free

All ingredients sourced to make the Mamawise products are from a supplier that is accredited by Choose Cruelty Free Ltd as a cruelty-free company.   

✔️  Bee welfare