Our Story

Turning challenges
into purpose

Naturalistic Body Care began with a simple belief: thoughtful body care should feel approachable and personal. Behind the brand is Alex Ciaravino, the founder of Naturalistic Body Care.

Explore body care Visit our Venice store
A Naturalistic Body Care team member beside shelves of body care products at a market display.
Naturalistic, out in the community.

The journey

  1. A journey of perseverance

    Alex has been a fighter from the start. Diagnosed with autism at a young age, he spent years nonverbal and faced many challenges growing up. Through therapies, specialized diets, and medical support, he worked tirelessly to build communication skills and independence.

    Over time, Alex earned his high school diploma, completed two years at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, and obtained his driver's license. Like many people with disabilities, however, he found that stable employment opportunities could be difficult to access.

  2. Discovering a creative path

    Alex's interest in the ingredients, scents, and textures found in everyday products led him to explore making body-care and home-fragrance products with thoughtfully selected ingredients.

    What began with homemade candles grew after he moved to Southwest Florida in 2020. Alex joined the Venice Special Olympics weightlifting team, continued exploring entrepreneurship, and earned OSHA and supply-chain certifications while developing his own body-care brand.

  3. The beginning of Naturalistic

    Naturalistic grew from Alex's desire to create simple, enjoyable products and a business with a wider purpose. Today the collection includes artisan soaps, body butters, lotions, sprays, scrubs, diffusers, and candles.

    We now make most Naturalistic Body Care products in small batches in our Venice store's makery, using natural ingredients in what we make. We also carry selected products and gifts from other makers.

  4. Made close to the shelves

    Our permanent Venice shop brings the makery, Naturalistic Body Care retail collection, active salt room, and facial services together under one roof.

    Customers can browse scents and textures in person, ask product questions, and see where much of the Naturalistic collection begins.

  5. A mission bigger than products

    Alex's vision extends beyond body care. He hopes to grow Naturalistic Body Care into a business that creates meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities.

    The Venice store gives that mission a permanent home while Naturalistic continues to meet customers online and in the surrounding community.

  6. The silver lining

    For Alex, living with a disability has revealed something powerful: where challenges appear, individual talents can shine.

    Naturalistic Body Care is about turning obstacles into opportunity, nurturing a creative strength, and building something that connects the maker with the community.

Two Naturalistic Body Care team members holding a spray bottle and patterned soap bar.
The people behind Naturalistic.

Made close to home

Naturalistic Body Care is more than a shop.

It is a Venice makery, a local storefront, and a growing effort to create thoughtful products and meaningful opportunities.

Visit our Venice store Explore body care