Laz The Plant Scientist combines a degree in Biomedicine-Human Biology and Masters in Medicinal Natural Products & Phytochemistry with her PhD research into Medicinal Plants, with a mission to bring high-quality, ethically sustainable products for wellness to the forefront.

My name is Rebecca Lazarou, I am a herbal scientist currently doing my PhD in medicinal plants at Kew Gardens and UCL School of Pharmacy. I founded Laz The Plant Scientist to support people with high quality herbal medicine formulations for all sorts from mental health, to immunity and hair loss. My business supports my PhD which aims to protect medicinal plant knowledge from going extinct globally. I am also a board member for the McKenna Academy and science advisor for herbal educational charity Herbal Reality.

How did your business start?

I had a bizarre start to my career, as a teenager a few weeks before picking my A-levels I had a dream about a name. The name kept ringing round in my head so the next evening I googled it, and it lead me to find the world of natural medicines. I then went on to do a degree in biomedicine- human biology always with the intention of going into medicinal plant and fungi research, and after completing my masters in medicinal natural products and phytochemistry I decided to start my business along side academic research. I couldn’t find the products I wanted out there, and after learning about the shockingly bad quality control and sustainability ethics across the wellness world I decided to do it myself.

What is unique about your company?

I weave academia, ethnobotany, medical science and traditional herbalism into my formulations. I prioritise accessible price points and doses that work, as well as making sustainability a non-negotiable.

Who and where are your customers?

My customers are online and are so wide and varied its hard to pin point who they are!

How’s the future looking for you? What are your plans?

I want to primarily work on my PhD, travel the world studying different medicines from different cultures and helping to preserve them. I want to write books and poetry based on all the things I learn and hopefully one day help set up city farms growing medicinal plants.

Why do you buy from Organic Herb Trading?

Because I trust them completely for quality, sustainability and meticulous care into all that they source. They are also so easy and accommodating to work with and well priced.

What do you buy from Organic Herb Trading? How do you use it, and what do you like about it?

I buy loose leaf herbs for teas, glycerin extracts for my blends for depression (Reconnection Remedy) and burnout (Resilience Remedy).

Why is organic/provenance important to you?

Three reasons, firstly organic makes stronger medicines because the plants have more secondary metabolites which are usually the medicinal compounds that work in our bodies. Its important to me that people who don’t believe in herbal medicines can’t deny that my medicines work so organic helps ensure that! Secondly how it helps the environment is profound, and finally I like knowing that no nasty chemicals are going into the products.

Do you have any heroes?

I really look up to Sebastian Pole and all that he has created, I have learnt so much from him. Also Professor Michael Heinrich my PhD supervisor is so kind and smart and has been a force for good in the ethnobotanical world. Finally Dennis McKenna again is so humble and heart centred, but has had a massive influence on helping people reintegrate with our precious planet. Three amazing leaders and mentors with much integrity and genius!

What is your favourite cup of tea/or long cool relaxing drink?

Rosemary tea I find so enlivening, it sharpens my mind and lifts my spirits and I think it is so delicious.

Please feel free to tell us one unusual fact!

I am learning bass guitar and want to be in a band! I am still not very good though so that feels like a pipe dream. I also want to learn the bouzouki as I am of Cypriot descent and I love our music. I love music as much as I love herbs, and often take herbs from OHTC before a night out to bring more joy in!

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