Trailer

ShelfSense: Stories Behind Our Stuff is where Cynthia Barstow brings together natural products change-makers sharing their stories with younger generations, so together they can help make sense of what’s on our shelves. Along the way, they reveal how the choices we make — from food to fashion, beauty to beverages — impact our health, our wellness, and our planet.

Transcript

Every day, we walk the aisles—or scroll online—scanning the shelves:

Should I buy organic cereal or regular granola?

Do we really need all this plastic packaging?

Is clean beauty legit—or just more greenwashing?

• Before “organic” was a buzzword, it was a law.
• Before mineral sunscreen, there were chemicals galore.
• Before herbal remedies became trendy, there was a push for botanical safety.

Thankfully, there were visionaries who saw the future coming.

I’m Cynthia Barstow, and ShelfSense: Stories Behind Our Stuff is where pioneers of the natural products movement meet the next generation of curious, conscious consumers.

We’re talking backstories—real ones.

The untold tales of herbalists, organic farmers, non-toxic founders, and eco-entrepreneurs who changed the way we eat, shop, and live.

And it’s where students and young changemakers are asking:

“What’s up with this?”

“Where did it come from?”

“How do I know what claims to trust?”

“How do I keep my newborn away from toxins?”

Every episode, we bring together the people who built the standards with those who live by them now.

We’ll unpack the stories behind everyday items—and reveal how values like health, safety, and sustainability made their way onto store shelves.

This isn’t just another podcast about what to buy.

It’s about why the stuff matters.

Where it started.

Where it’s going.

And how you—yes, you—can get the backstory before you reach for that box, bottle, or balm.

This is ShelfSense: Stories Behind Our Stuff.

Hit subscribe—and let’s make sense of our shelves, together.