Local Vendor Spotlight: Sovereign Skincare
Founder of Sovereign Skincare Justin Geatches & his wife, Margaret
Only when you first help yourself are you capable of helping others.
Through years of self-discovery, learning, experimenting, and healing, it’s a truth Justin Geatches has held close.
“That’s how you build heaven on Earth,” said Justin. “You know your history and have a strong footing. You heal yourself and then you start to heal others.”
Through this personal process of alchemy and awakening came the creation of Sovereign Skincare, Justin’s Great Work or magnum opus.
His line of tallow-based moisturizers is infused with botanicals, adaptogenic mushrooms, and oils that nourish, protect, heal, and restore the skin’s barrier. Each jar is handcrafted by Justin and his wife, Margaret, in Calumet. It’s made in small, intentional batches to preserve potency and ensure freshness.
“The skin is your largest organ, which is why we’re focused on it,” said Justin. “If your body is overloaded with toxins, it’s going to show up there. It’s on the frontlines of the battle, absorbing and expelling.”
Rather than relying on pills or supplements, Justin emphasizes transdermal nourishment — delivering nutrients through the skin by topical application.
“Historically, medicine wasn’t about ingesting things — it was about applying therapeutics like poultices and salves,” he said. “Learning this was kind of a lightbulb moment for me.”
Sovereign Skincare’s main ingredient, beef tallow, is something that has been used in healing for thousands of years.
“Our ancestors have used it since the dawn of time. It’s another recent rediscovery, and another ‘ah-ha’ moment for me,” said Justin. “We’re remembering. The manual was already there. It’s not a fad — it speaks for itself and is not going away.”
Sovereign Skincare uses a rendering process for its tallow that yields liposomally-bound adaptogenic essences from organic mushrooms and herbs that are quickly absorbed and highly bioavailable. According to Justin, this delivery method bypasses digestive pathways, allowing for direct cellular uptake and targeted systemic support.
His formulations use only high-quality ingredients — they’re locally sourced when possible (and thoroughly vetted to ensure they meet quality standards), and if not local, they’re always organic.
The beef fat is from Upper Peninsula regenerative farms with pasture-raised cows — Guidon Family Farm near Escanaba and Frozen Farms Co., a three-family cooperative in Calumet. It’s rendered and filtered a minimum of four times at a licensed, commercial kitchen. Local honey is a staple ingredient, as well as certified organic extracts, herbs, and carrier oils sourced mostly through a company called Hawaii Pharm.
“Because of volcanic soil and climate (in Hawaii), their products provide a level of quality we just can’t replicate regionally,” said Justin. “That extra effort in sourcing in uniquely vital for such outstanding healing attributes.”
The water used is also from one of the purest sources available.
“We exclusively use raw artisan spring water from the Wazoo Spring in the Keweenaw,” said Justin. “We pass it through medical grade ceramic filters before use and then return it back to its raw state using our signature high grade quartz crystal restructuring process.”
An English major who describes himself as fluent and gregarious, Justin said it was important for his product to have a narrative that was fun and engaging for his customer base. Each moisturizer is named after an ancient deity with properties that embody their mythic energy — Pan’s Passion, Lilith’s Light, Gaia’s Grace, Wotan’s Wisdom, Kali’s Karma, Chiron’s Cauldron.
“I’ve always loved history and love to read,” said Justin. “One of the first books I remember really connecting with is The Odyssey. I found mythology captivating — the idea that an everyday person could step up and become a demigod. The process of transcending into their higher selves; that’s a common theme in these stories, the common thread that creates this universal architype. I want to encourage people to embrace their own story and find their source of empowerment.”
The idea of sovereignty — self-mastery and personal responsibility — was an obvious choice for his business name, said Justin, as it speaks to the belief that individuals have agency over their health, their choices, their path.
“This is a nod to knowing that as you move through the world and fly through the cosmos, what you do matters” said Justin. “We all have an impact.”
Raised in the suburbs of Detroit by a family who loved to be out in the woods, Justin described a childhood of balanced interests. He loved video games and books like many kids in his neighborhood but was able to hone his skills in the natural world through the direction of his father, a self-described survivalist who taught him to forage, fish, and live off the land. By age five, he was ice fishing on Lake St. Clair, picking wild berries, and learning how to process deer in the field.
“I’ve always had a natural affinity for herbs and healing and helping others,” said Justin. “That’s been in me as long as I can remember.”
Like many people, his path wasn’t linear. He studied English at Wayne State University, drawn to language and storytelling, but was unsure how to translate that into a career. He explored editing, briefly pursued pharmacology, and spent time in local politics as a precinct delegate. None of it quite fit.
“I started to feel disillusioned,” he said. “Especially after COVID. I kept asking myself — what am I actually supposed to be doing?”
The answer came through a concept he returns to often — alignment.
“When you have alignment of your mind, body and soul, you find you’re being pulled toward your goals instead of chasing after them,” he said. “It fills you with energy you’ve always had but has been dulled down.”
That realization changed everything. Instead of looking outward, he turned inward, focusing on self-discipline, awareness, and what he could genuinely offer others.
He became consumed by eastern mysticism and Tibetan medicine, and took classes at a community college on herbalism and horticulture. These influences merged into what he now calls “etheric herbalism,” a perspective that considers both the physical and the unseen.
“You are what you eat, but you’re also what you think,” Justin said. “Your mind is part of your health. That’s something modern science often overlooks.”
A relocation to the Upper Peninsula, a newfound purpose, and experimenting with tallow formulas led him and his products to local farmers markets, where exposure grew.
“People came up to me, just sharing what the products had done for them. Skin conditions, allergies, things they hadn’t been able to solve before. It was so heartwarming.”
That positive response was social proof, which became the foundation for turning the venture into a full-time pursuit.
“It was validation,” Justin said. “But more than that, it was motivation. There’s no better motivation than helping people.”
Learn more at www.sovereignskincare.com.