SHOP TALK

SHOP TALK

Chrissy Cabrera at home in Silver Spring with items from her Naturally London line

BEST FOOT FORWARD

How a Silver Spring mom created a line of products to soothe sore feet

WHEN CHRISSY CABRERA WAS pregnant with her first child in 2015, she suffered from severe swelling in her feet. The edema impacted her ability to stand and walk. Things got worse by the day, spreading up her legs and leaving Cabrera in near-paralyzing pain. Doctors told her to elevate her feet, which only helped a little. She spent a lot of time soaking them, but the discomfort continued. Her husband was a lifesaver, massaging her feet after the regular soaks.

Cabrera, 43, who lives in the White Oak neighborhood of Silver Spring, was frustrated that she couldn’t find anything on the market to provide natural and effective relief. Just three months after her daughter, London, was born, she became certified in aromatherapy and formulations by The School for Aromatic Studies, which is based in Stuart, Virginia. Cabrera started creating foot treatments and launched Naturally London, later adding products for the hands and nails. She named the business after her daughter, who’s now 7 (she and her husband also have a son, Julian, now 2).

The original two products she developed, a foot soak and a foot butter, feature scents that are citrusy with a touch of spearmint—less medicinal, more relaxing. The collection, which can be purchased at Macys.com and on Naturally London’s website (naturallylondon. com), uses natural ingredients such as butters, mango and avocado. Says Cabrera, “This was not about cute toes; this was about healthy feet—in fact, the website is set up by condition, allowing for visitors to find just what they need.” Silver Spring resident Carmen Castellon, 68, learned of the brand through word of mouth and is a fan of the hydrating cuticle pen “because when I use it, my nails and cuticles are very strong.” Castellon often gives Naturally London items as gifts. “The products are very good, and my friends and family do not usually indulge or even pay attention to their feet and hands. So I give the gift of care,” she says.

Naturally London is a long way from Cabrera’s earlier career in the U.S. Air Force, where she served as an airman first class for five years while stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. She came to Maryland in 2007 and worked as a government contractor, keeping that full-time job while developing Naturally London, which itself was a fulltime undertaking. “I was not fortunate enough to only do my dream,” she says. “The government job allowed me to invest tens of thousands of dollars into getting where I am today.”

Aching feet have been a problem for Cabrera throughout her life, including when she ran track for a year in college and during her time in the military. And while her products won’t cure conditions that can lead to sore feet, they are aimed at providing relief. Her current foot care regimen—when she can find the time—includes a pre-shower dry file and Naturally London products: Moisturizing Polish ($30), Lavender Orange Foot Butter ($27) and Exhale ($21), a foot soak item. Cabrera tries to soak twice a week. “As a mother of two young children, this is something I really need to make time for; it is not always easy to carve out the time,” she says.

Naturally London’s staff of two can expand to four or five at busy times. “When we were featured on the Today show in a [February] 2022 segment called ‘protect your hair, skin and nails’ … orders were coming in fast and furious—all hands were necessary,” Cabrera says.

The brand continues to grow. Cabrera recently added an intense moisturizing treatment candle and Pure Bliss Moisturizer for hands and feet. n