Amber is a new member of the Gaia Girl Team. She joined in 2015 and is working with the production of all Gaia products and in the development of new products. Her special area is healing plants and their properties. She is a qualified herbal practitioner and currently working on her nutrition masters. She is the youngest of three daughter to Scottish/ Irish parents and she was born and raised in Mallorca. She has a deep understanding and love for the island, its nature and culture and has a very hardy and down to earth approach to life and work. We have caught up with her to find out more about her life and her passion.
We caught up with Amber to talk a bit more about herself and her work producing for Gaia…
Name: Amber Bardon
Age: 29 years
Occupation: Herbal Practitioner & Production Manager for Gaia
Three trivial facts about yourself?
1. I always think I am right.
2. I love parties.
3. I am a terrible hostess.
So how did this all start? Have you always been interested in plants, their properties and making them into healing products?
Yes. I have always been interested in plants, mainly because I spent most of my childhood outside in the countryside and as I got older I found ways to learn about their uses throughout history and even in different cultures. My mum was my first patient/victim, I gave her some horrible potion I had concocted for her sore throat, poor thing almost threw up, but for my sake was very brave and drank it all up. I must have been about 11 or 12. My sisters have rarely tried my concoctions, but that is a sister thing
We love the natural back to basics style of the Gaia products, where does the inspiration for it all come from?
From nature. You just have to look around you and that gives you all the inspiration you need.
How has your take on how we can use plants and herbs to heal ourselves evolved in the last year?
In the last year? I suppose I have focused on the use of plants for cosmetic uses.
There are many different philosophies on how to self heal/ allow nature to to help you. How would you describe your style?
I am trained as a western Herbalist. This means that I focus mainly on plants that have been used in Europe and North America, I guess my personal style is based around modern medicine viewed in a holistic way, but I am not a practicing herbalist right now.
Chamomile Tea or Coffee ?
This is the toughest question because both have saved me in tricky situations...but coffee has probably saved me more.
Why in your opinion are people looking more and more at ways to help themselves in more natural ways?
I think people are beginning to realise that they are able to help themselves. That when they are sick they have the power to cure themselves. then there are the side effects of many modern medications.
When you could describe your personality with a type of plant which one would you be?
This is interesting because I have done a few Goethean studies of plants and I kind of feel that the question is asking me to relate myself to a celebrity, which I dont think I am capable of doing.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
My five year plan...hopefully in a new car, listening to my sister on the radio, cruising down some road on my way to Herb Fest to listen to some of the best herbalists out there and being completely content with life.
What are your passions besides plants/healing and natural cosmetics.
Music. I love music and jamming sessions, I get terribly carried away.
I also love mountains...I could never live without mountains, or far away from the sea, the thought fills me with dread.
Best season of the year and why?
Aaaah Sprrrring!! and in Mallorca we have two!!!
Almonds or Prickly Pears?
What a terrible question... Almonds.
If you won 20.000 Euro what would you do with it?
I would have a massive party up at my parents house, that would last for days and there would be music, food and drink for all my friends and family and nobody would have to worry about anything. I might need a bit more money though, it’s gonna be huge!!!
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