about lizzie

Lizzie Chadbourne, Founder & Owner

“My story begins outdoors. Growing up in North Carolina, I spent my childhood rambling in the woods and exploring the natural world. An early curiosity about plants developed into a passion for herbalism, and propelled me to enroll in an herbal studies program. There I learned about the healing and medicinal value of plants; their historical uses, current applications, methods of extraction, and theories of combination. 

Frustrated with the ineffectiveness of commercial body products, and skeptical of the often harsh, toxic ingredients, I used my growing knowledge of botanicals to create my own skincare products. I was thrilled when my acne subsided, my skin was no longer dry, and my headaches triggered by artificial fragrances were a thing of the past.

After college I pursued a career in education and continued to experiment in designing skin care products. It delighted me to combine herbs and emollients creating products for friends and family, and gratifying to see my interest in plants come to life.

It wasn’t until I went through a challenging personal period that I started to see a larger potential in my hobby. Stressed out and unsure of my current journey, I turned to a friend for advice and she reminded me that I always felt better after using body care and to cultivate space and time for myself.

I did as she said. That night I took a long bath, applied a face mask, moisturized and used these products I lovingly crafted. I allowed myself to slow down and be present, to turn up my senses to the textures and scents, and to engage longer than usual in self-directed kindness. 

It was then that I discovered that a transformation can occur when we use small moments of intentionality to nourish, heal, and treat our bodies with reverence. During this point of clarity, I realized exactly what I could bring to others. I decided to step off my traditional career path and my small business was born. 

I feel lucky to be achieving my goals as a small business owner in my home state of North Carolina, whose natural beauty inspires so much of what I do. We source locally grown ingredients from small farmers, use original artwork from NC artists for our artwork and gift sets, and for many years we partnered with a former Durham-based workforce development nonprofit called Partners for Youth Opportunity (PYO) to hire our staff. I feel very fortunate that this partnership introduced me to some incredible employees. 

Lo & Behold has allowed me to combine many of my lifelong interests with my passion for helping people take care of themselves, and our local community.

I am so thankful to everyone who has been a part of the Lo & Behold team along the way.“