I recently attended an event hosted by Sprayology founder and CEO, Ellie Whalen, and after chatting with her for about 15 minutes, I knew I had to continue our conversation for an interview. Sprayology is a line of homeopathic sprays meant to treat common everyday ailments like allergies, insomnia, and stress, and I’ve been using the products for the last few months. The range includes 20-plus homeopathic formulas and two vitamin sprays, all of which are designed to be spritzed directly under the tongue and most of which are safe for anyone over the age of 2.
I chatted with Whalen about what exactly homeopathy is, what it means to be FDA regulated, if her remedies can replace OTC medication, and more.
The Fashion Spot: For those not familiar, can you explain what homeopathy is and why you think it’s important that people incorporate the remedies into their daily life?
Ellie Whalen: Homeopathy is a safe and effective natural way to treat and prevent illness. It’s a system of medicine that’s over 200 years old and uses only natural ingredients to stimulate the body’s own healing mechanisms, allowing the body to heal itself. Since very small doses are used, all of this can be accomplished without negative side effects. Homeopathy is the second most widely used system of medicine in the world. Traditional or allopathic medicine is fourth worldwide.
I think it is important to incorporate remedies into daily life because they work, are easy to use, non-toxic, have no contraindications with other medicines, and they are FDA regulated for ages 2 and up.
tFS: Can you explain what it means to be FDA regulated? Are all homeopathic products FDA regulated?
EW: 22 of our 24 products are FDA regulated. Our two vitamin formulas are supplements and are not regulated by the FDA. Homeopathic drugs in the United States are subject to well-defined regulatory processes that more closely resemble those that apply to allopathic medications than to dietary supplements. Homeopathic products are under similar regulations as allopathic drugs and are considered by the FDA as over-the-counter drugs with legal status and can be sold without a doctor’s prescription. Manufacturers of homeopathic medicines are registered with the FDA and licensed by state regulatory agencies. Homeopathic products can legally tell you the benefits and indications of such products.
tFS: What kind of “proof” do you need to make FDA-regulated claims?
EW: Our lab must be an FDA approved facility and we must comply with all regulations. Homeopathy has a long history of record that provides the proof. These findings have come from actual use on people, which are recorded in the Materia Medica and contains all HPUS ingredients – basically a homoeopathic physicians’ desk reference.
tFS: Your line is entirely spray-based. What’s your take on homeopathic creams and lozenges? Is there a difference in terms of effectiveness when it comes to sprays versus drops?
EW: Over the years I have used homeopathy in many forms, many with positive benefits. I personally find the spray to be easier to use and incorporate in my daily life.
tFS: How is your range different from other homeopathic ones?
EW: Sprayology actually offers a much smaller range than most homeopathic companies because we produce not for each ailment, but rather for what we believe most people need to live a more balanced life each day. There are homeopathic remedies for everything you can imagine from A to Z, but frankly, this can be overwhelming and in my opinion part of why more people don’t use homeopathy in the U.S. Our goal is to simplify homeopathy and provide the most effective formulas possible so more people will use them daily.
tFS: Your newest launch, Life Detoxer, is rather general it seems. What kind of “problems” does it treat? Who could benefit from using it?
EW: You’re right and it’s because Life Detoxer is such a different formula. The fact is when toxins build up in the body the symptoms that can result vary greatly. It’s harder to qualify the symptoms of toxin build-up. The most common and often first to present is tiredness, while other symptoms can be seen in the skin or under the eyes, but again people say it is because they are tired. The important fact is that toxins are entering our bodies on a daily basis and we must work to rid them daily. Our product focuses on the lungs, liver, and kidneys. It’s a safe, natural and gentle way to get the body to push out what is getting in.
tFS: On a typical day how often do you “spray” yourself? How many different remedies do you use on a typical day?
EW: Great question. This does change based on if I have additional symptoms or if I am traveling, but I do have certain products I take each day. Rejuvenation Plus, Life Detoxer, Woman Power, Daily Multi, B-12 Plus Folic Acid, Snore Soother, and SleepEase. In addition, I also use Body Balance, Brain Power and Party Relief fairly often. Our average customer buys 3 at a time.
tFS: Do you see these remedies as a complement or a replacement to traditional everyday medicine, like ibuprofin, for example?
EW: I see our Sprayology products as a replacement for daily aliments. We don’t offer sprays for every aliment, only what we have found we can consistently treat effectively. We’ve heard from many of our customers who have stopped using other products and replaced them with Sprayology, but some use them as a complement as well. For example, if you take OTC allergy medicine that can only be taken every six hours, but you are still experiencing symptoms you can safely take our AllegEase with it and as often as need up to every 15 minutes for relief.
tFS: Some of the sprays have alcohol, but you say they’re safe even for children. Can you explain?
EW: YES! The alcohol content of the formulas are safe unless one is extremely allergic to alcohol. Alcohol is used in our products because it makes the sprays more effective, allows for quicker absorption into the body and keeps the products fresh. All Sprayology homeopathic products contain 9% organic NON-GMO alcohol. The amount of alcohol in an adult dose is comparable to the amount of alcohol in one ripe banana. It is important to note that most liquid natural products are preserved with an alcohol solution that is 20-60%, these can be very strong when taken orally. For this reason, Sprayology developed its formulas using a 9% solution so they’re safe and palatable for ages two and older.
tFS: Why do you think homeopathic remedies are more widely accepted in Europe versus the U.S.?
EW: There are a few reasons for this. First, I believe homeopathy is more widely accepted worldwide because it has been used in these countries for so many years. People have personally experienced homeopathy work first hand and these people grew up with it as a trusted part of daily life. In the U.S. we have grown up with a very different medical system that tells us natural products don’t work. Second, there have been many products sold in the U.S. that I consider snake oil. Basically, all kinds of claims have been made and the customer is now cautious. The difference is Sprayology is required to make claims and we stand behind them. We guarantee our products will deliver if used as directed. If they do not, they can be returned or exchanged for another product.
