My wife and happen to be walking past and saw the store. We walked in and obviously smelled great! The lady who greeted us was very nice and friendly as well and very informative. We learned that they make all their own product that they have in the store except for the candles. Which is impressive because they have a lot of product. I'd defiantly recommend checking it out if you're in the area. read more

Downtown Apothecary - Riverside - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Riverside, California

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This is my go to place for bath products. They make nice products and it's a nice treat. :) beautiful shop too.

Downtown Apothecary keeps my passion for supporting small businesses in Riverside burning. My first experience was great and the staff was attentive and had great recommendations for a first time customer. My most recent stop in was no different. While the specific scent I was in search of was not available the woman helping me had spot on recommendations and I left with more than just a bar of soap for my boyfriend. Their selection of more masculine scents is beyond compare. I wish I could leave with them all. I ventured out of the soaps and have found my holy grail products in their perfume oils (specifically the orange blossom and garden is scents), lip balms, and their hydrating face gel. The face gel is better than any moisturizer I have ever used. My go to Clinique Moisture Surge that I found myself saving all my pennys for has been replaced by their offering. Forget it being a dupe, this gel is the superior replacement. I am in love. When I need to restock you will most definitely find me at Downtown Apothecary. read more

Great service and products. This was my first time in here and they were very helpful and friendly. I will defiantly be back for more! Good selection of scents and products. read more

Frustratingly charming! I came into the shop thinking we'd be in and out, since I hate overpriced bath/body products but couldn't resist the cuteness of the shop. Even on the ridiculously crowded first day of the Festival of Lights, the shop was absolutely pristine and has gorgeous decor. We were a little cautious of the employees at first when they greeted us, afraid we'd get stuck in a trap of endless plugs and samples. But they were actually very nice and approachable, and one employee offered a short but helpful overview of the store before leaving us be. We were able to talk comfortably and joke around a bit with another employee. Another still offered to help look in the back when she saw us picking through a basket for a certain scent. Overall everyone was very hospitable and pleasant while still giving us the space we needed to explore. The slightly high prices reflected the small business and house-made aspect of the product, but weren't so high as to put us off. As stingy as I am, the Starry Night scent got me BAD and I had to splurge on a rollerball perfume. I'm thinking about going back for the body butter I tested which was awesome and still smells great! I had written the Apothecary off as another fancy schmancy shop but it's genuinely lovely and worth the visit. All my future gift requests will be in the tune of Starry Night and Beachside. read more

My favorite place for my candles soaps and bubble bath! I love their lavender bubble bath. Leaves my skin feeling so soft. The bubble are full and fluffy read more

I had first noticed this place downtown while I was visiting the Festival of Lights last month, but I only made my first visit this afternoon while I was walking around with a friend. The space is nicely decorated and the products attractively presented. The sales associate (Francesca according to my sales slip) was very friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the products without being pushy - I felt like we were welcome to explore and ask questions whether or not we bought anything. As it happens, I noticed a display of orange blossom-scented stuff near the door and decided to buy the fresh sugar scrub; it's one of my favorite scents and hard to find, so I was stoked to see it. As other reviewers have noted, things are a bit pricey, but it's locally made, quality stuff and probably meant more for pampering yourself than everyday use. I tried the scrub tonight, and I came out of the shower smelling delicious. My skin is also baby soft even without lotion. I'm already thinking about what I can buy for the women in my life for mother's day, but in the meantime I need to come back for that orange blossom body butter and the perfume oil! read more

Absolutely love this place! Everyone is always incredibly friendly and helpful. Their lip balm is a life saver, and I personally like it a lot better than the Burt's Bees one that I use too. I recently bought one of their soaps and after the first use I definitely felt the difference. The bar of soap is $9, so it is a little bit pricey, but I think it's worth it so far for the price given the size and the fact that it's got natural ingredients in it. Definitely recommend this place to anyone looking to support small businesses and get some wonderful products too. read more

I could smell the essential oils and yummy soap/body products from down the street! I literally followed the scent to the store! Very nice and organized store - good prices - excellent customer service and an on line store! read more

Stopped in here out of curiosity, as I make and sell my own soaps and was curious to see their selection. Wonderful shop, décor is beautiful, the scent of the shop is intoxicating, clean and sweet, and a beautiful shop with well-laid out soaps to boot. I purchased three bars, plus a loofah bar in gardenia scent. I love this soap because this soap is cold-processed, made from scratch, and works beautifully. I purchased the chamomile, the wildflower honey, and the pure bar, which is unscented. I prefer the lighter fragrances, but this shop has something for everyone, including bath bombs and lotions. I have used the chamomile and really love the calendula in the soap. Moisturizes well and the scent lingers. I was given a free little sample bar when I checked out. Customer service was good, I didn't get the gals name but she was polite and helpful, and let me browse in peace. These soaps are a wonderful treat for yourself or to give as gifts! Stop on in and support local business, you will be delighted by Downtown Apothecary! read more

I absolutely love this place. I come here at least a couple times a month to stock up on my exfoliating soaps (which I strongly recommend), bath bombs and salts. They always have the most amazing scents! They also have scented body oils, skin care balms, and body/face/nail scrubbers. The staff is always so friendly and helpful. I always look forward to coming to this place when I'm downtown to see what new goodies they have! read more

It smells so good!! Nice owners love this store. I love the bath soaks and the soap, Love the free samples you get in your bag. read more

This place is a hidden gem! Visited this past weekend with my bf while passing through Riverside and we absolutely enjoyed everything we purchased. The ladies are very kind, helpful, and knowledgeable about the products too! The shop itself was neat and creative (did you see the little tub with bubbles!?) . I purchased a bundle of handcrafted soaps, a loofah strawberry soap which is very exfoliating, vanilla lip balm, and a "groovy" lavenchouli bar for when I want to take a long bath. I will definitely be back! They also sell bath bombs and bath salts but if you are looking for quality handcrafted soaps that have that "definitely handcrafted" feel, you must visit them! This place beats your local farmer's market soap, or at least mine.(did I mention I received a free sample with my purchase? I've been using it as guest hand soap and they love it!) read more

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I usually love coming here and buying special little gifts but this visit upset me a little. I wanted to buy some bath bombs the sign said everywhere $5 each or 4 for $16. I guess this didn't apply to the heart shaped ones that still were labeled the same price $5 or 4 for $16. I think you need to make this aware to your customers. read more

Gorgeous store and wonderful addition to the downtown area. I love the calendula- rose misting spray I bought for my face. So excited to be able to support local. read more

The tea tree and charcoal soap bars are amazing... the scent of the tea tree oil isn't overpowering (which is usually what I dislike about tea tree oil) and the charcoal doesn't leave any black residue. I've been using Coalface from Lush but this is so much better... it keeps my skin oil free for more than ten hours and the tea tree oil is helping a lot with my recent acne. Helps that both ingredients I need come in one product already. At $8 a bar, a bit more affordable than Lush. The store itself is quaint and the staff were really nice. I bought other soaps (especially the Rose w/ Clay one) which I can't wait to try. read more

What a great place! From the moment you walk in..it all smells sensational! The owner, Tonya was there & she was super friendly. She told us all about how she makes her own products, bath bombs, soaps, even nail polish! Love that she was so knowledgeable and spent lots of time talking to my youngest daughter, who also makes her own soaps and bath scrubs. The soaps are gorgeous..tons of ones to choose from..Stone, Fig Forest, Hedonic were my favorites. The swirled soaps are beautiful. Very reasonable prices for handmade items. Soaps are about $8, but a nice good size. Bath bombs were about 4 for $10. read more

Nice little shop in the plaza near the Mission Inn. It was a cool little store that makes some of their own soaps in the back. My wife really liked the decor and we spent about 20 minutes talking to the staff about the product. They seemed a little too busy to chit chat (nobody else in the store) but I am always curious to check the customer interaction wherever I go and it was below average. If you are going to charge premium prices gives beyond premium service. read more

Downtown Apothecary - Riverside - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Riverside, California

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Their bath bombs smell amazing, but they dont have bubble stuff. I will say, that their bath bombs smell so good, compared to LUSH read more

First time shopper! Went in, in search of a nice bday gift for a friend. Being a guy, I had no idea what to buy, so I had asked the store associate (I think her name was Oriana? She was cute) for some input. She was very helpful and was able to assist me by picking out two soaps and a couple large bath bombs. The store is cute, with a pleasant and welcoming aroma lots of unique gifts for your bathing and pampering needs. read more

Apothecary is full of settle scents that will help your long day come to an end. With the kind workers, and exellelent products, you'll find great gifts for a significant other or a casual gift that we are always in need of in a short amount of time. read more

Downtown Apothecary - Riverside - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Riverside, California

Excellent addition to the downtown strip. Great ambiance, friendly staff, wide variety and great quality. The soap I purchased smells amazing. read more

A gem in downtown Riverside! They have the best soaps and body scrubs that I have ever tried. I have been using the soaps for 3 years and continue to enjoy them. I use the scrubs and my skin feels amazing. My favorite one is Fig Forest. I highly recommend anyone to stop by and treat themselves. You won't be disappointed! read more

I was in the Riverside area having lunch and stopped by here. I've been in the need of a good candle now that Fall is here. I can't believe how cute, clean, and nice this place is! Honestly I prefer it over the crazy hectic Lush lol One of the ladies that work there, I wish could remember her name but she was incredibly kind and very helpful. I ended choosing there amber glass candles with the scent orange and bergamot and a Eucalyptus and sage shower steamer since I don't have a bath tub. They're decor was earthy and inviting especially with all those smells to choose from. I can't wait to go back. Btw I live in qest covina but definitely worth the drive. read more

Came in after seeing this last time I was at the Saturday Farmers Market buying my usual handmade soap. I couldn't believe Riverside has a shop like this! I had no idea. It's hard for me to make it to the farmers market just to get soap, if I miss it then I have to wait a week. I came in here and got the summer special- buy 4 soap bars and get 1 free. The young lady working was very sweet and helpful and easy to talk to. I can't really speak for the quality of the soaps just yet as I JUST used one for the first time but as of right now my skin is soft and still smells great. I used the Summer Zucchini bar first which smells so clean and heavenly! As far and price, it's a little steep BUT I don't mind paying $8 for a bar of soap because it's locally made (in house), simple and nice ingredients and it's a small business. Plus it just makes your shower more enjoyable having a nice product like this! read more

I absolutely love the scent called Mojave Trail. I feel like it's exactly what I'd love in a woodsy scent. It's nothing too strong and it's not at all to masculine. I love that their products are all made in house. That alone is super impressive. I urged my Mom to come in with me on Giving Tuesday. I loved that they had some all natural products and that there were so many more items than JUST soaps. They had things like bath bombs, bath salts, masks, scrubs, candles, soaps, oils, and a number of other goodies for the bath. Their variety is really something. They have so many different scents. Some are combos of fruits and other foliage while others are named after features of the ocean, woods, etc. We didn't make a huge purchase but we did end up leaving with a lil soap and some cute lil samples. I really appreciated the time that they took with both me and my Mom. They didn't get frustrated with all of our questions and gave lots of great information. They really took their time and made sure that we were well informed of all of their promos for the holidays but also that we saw all that they had to offer. I really had a great experience here. I haven't had such attentive but pressure-free service that was so nicely personalized since I've been to a very similar all natural apothecary shop in a tiny lil sleepy town somewhere between Los Angeles and Fresno, CA. read more

It's pricy$$$$$. However, 5 stars because I've been coming here for a few years and the staff is ALWAYS sweet and respectful. The quality is great and honestly it's just a lovely store. read more

I love everything about this store! I discovered it during one of my cupcake runs and I'm so happy I did. I bought the charcoal and tea tree soap (amazing by the way) and the hyaluronic acid hydration gel, which hands down is the best! I've tried many high end moisturizers and this tops them all. My kids also loved the bath bombs which are made there in the shop. I can't wait to go back and try more of their products. read more

I highly recommend this place! If you love shower gels, soaps, this is the place to go. The products are unlike the ones you shop at the mall because these are organic. The staff is super friendly and helpful. Please support small businesses like this one. read more

I walked in because it smells so good. I was staying at the Mission Inn hotel so decided to get 2 bath bombs, one lavender and one peach also got a watermelon lip gloss. Every thing smelled amazing. After my bath my skin felt silky made it feel moisturized. I couldn't afford to buy it on a weekly basis but if you want to spoil yourself with nice body care this is the place to be. read more

Downtown Apothecary - Riverside - Bath bombs and lip gloss. Nice treat. - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Riverside, California

I'm super excited about this place. Went with my friend about a week ago and got the forest fig bar and the black bar for my friend. The forest fig is so great my bathroom is filled with this scent well after I shower, which helps when others are trying to use my bar without asking. The soap is gentle and doesn't make my skin feel dry, the scent even stays in my hair and I love it. The store and staff both amazing. The lady who helped me (sorry forgot your name) was so helpful and genuine. She wasn't pushy to make us buy anything and even gave me info on party bars, I can't wait to go again and I already have people wanting more soap that are coming with me. read more

I love this place! I stop by all the time for fancy soaps. My favorite thing is the shower steamers- I have 2 kids and the 10 minute shower spa experience is an important part of my day! Haha. Pandemic order was great too, I stocked up on shower steamers, hand sanitizer, and they threw in a bath bomb! Thanks for being a great part of our community and making amazing products! read more

I shop here A LOT since it's very close to my house and I like a lot of their products. Perfect place to shop for gifts, who doesn't love a cute soap or bath set? They always have new scents and products to check out. I highly recommend their rose clay mask and body butters. The employees are also very nice. Never overbearing but available and willing to answer my questions when I have them. read more

I love this store. They have wonderful bath bombs, soaps and scrubs. I especially love the soap stacks - thinner slices of soap for a discount price. Everything smells amazing!!! read more

Do you love Lush, but hate the drive to the closest one? Forget driving and mass produced bath and body works goodies. Down town apothecary has all the bath and shower goodies you could want in fun to try and love to have scents. They carry everything from whipped body butter, sugar scrubs, shower steamers, loofah bars and More! The prices are a little bit more than you would spend at bath and body works, but around the same as lush. My favorite part is supporting a local small business. Their products do not include harsh chemicals and some include essential oils for smell. This is the perfect place to get Christmas gifts or Mother's Day gifts or grad gifts (because college students need a relaxing break during midterms and finals) I highly suggest pairing a nice whipped body butter with a milk bubble bath and loofah bar as a set. For a new mom who just had a baby and can't take a nice long soak in the tub having some nice lotion, a shower steamer, and a loofah bar is pure heaven! read more

Downtown Apothecary - Riverside - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Riverside, California

A wonderful place to stop by when you're walking Downtown! They have soaps and bath bombs and all the scents you could ask for! The staff there are friendly, but not over-the-top-talk-to-you-about-their-products-all-day friendly. Don't expect Lush staff, where they practically bombard you with samples and product info. The employees here are laid back and happy to help, when you ask for it. Inquire about your favorite scents, their process of making their products, etc. Don't be intimidated by their silence! Ask for samples when you leave :) read more

Yes, the store is beautiful and has great selections of soaps but dealing with their employees is another thing. First time I went I was curious and amazed at all the selections and varieties of bath products they had. I wanted to look and smell everything, but the whole time I had three woman staring at me from all corners of the store. Not helpful enough to ask me if I needed something. Just staring... Then I saw the Halloween section and I asked if it was discounted (this was Christmas time) Store owner was grumpy and said No! She said the product is the same. Yes, so let me give my friends a Christmas gift covered in skulls and Ouija boards.. But whatever, I spent my 100 bucks on other soaps and left. Second time, hoping for a better experience.. I wanted to try some scrubs I didn't get last time. I was at checkout (again spending about 100 bucks) and the cashier was making samples of soaps, I asked, "what are those?" (knowing they were samples) she said, "samples." .. We stood there awkwardly in silence..expecting her to offer me one..but she didn't. At this point I was irritated already so I flat out asked for one. She grabbed the first one with attitude and threw it in my bag. In my mind I'm thinking, I'm not window shopping, I'm actually buying things to help grow and support your business. You do not value me or my business, so I will not value you. read more

Please note- this review is NOT a review of this shop's products, only my experience in browsing, purchasing & returning an item. First off, I've visited this shop 3 separate times. The shop itself is well kept & they have a wide variety of soaps & other bath products which seem awesome (and I wanted to try before my last experience with them). My first stop at this shop was just to browse with my partner and we were both intrigued by the wide variety of handmade soaps. My 2nd stop at this shop was about a week later, right before Christmas & I stopped in to look for a gift for my partner. I conversed with the clerk, Savannah, for quite some time asking her questions about the products. I ended up choosing a soap stack (bundle of 3 soaps with different scents) to purchase for my partner. I told her my partner is very particular and I wasn't sure that she would like what I got her, so I asked if I'd be able to return if she didn't like them. She said she completely understood that & there would be no problem at all if I needed to return them. I said great, purchased them & went on my way. Well, Christmas came & my partner didn't care for the soaps so I went into the shop yesterday to try to return them. The soaps were in the same packaging as purchased, in the same bag provided by the store & I had my original sales receipt. I walked into the store & there was a middle-aged blonde haired woman helping some customers & she greeted me. I walked up to the counter & she asked how she could help me. I told her I was there for a return & just as soon as the words left my mouth, her entire demeanor changed. I told her that I bought them for my partner & she just didn't care for them. The woman told me "we normally don't do returns on any soaps." This confused me as practically the entire store is soaps.. I proceeded to tell her that Savannah, who performed my transaction, assured me that I would be able to return the soaps if the recipient didn't like them. She stated to me, "I don't know why any of my associates would say that because they all know we don't do returns on soaps or bath items. We can do store credit though." Again, this is a soap and bath store, so you're telling me you don't do ANY returns? Side note: there's NO return policy anywhere on the receipt or stated ANYWHERE in the store. I maintained that her associate told me that I could return. She took my receipt and told me she needed to look into her computer and it would take a minute. After about 5 minutes of awkward silence, her cash drawer pops open and she states "I'll just give you cash." I replied "ok." She handed me the money and said, "just for the future, we don't do ANY returns." I replied "I will not be back" and left the store. So, this woman, whom I'm assuming is the owner from her statement about "her associates" changes her statement about the return policy several times - first saying no returns on soaps, then she said no returns on soap or bath items and finally finished with no returns at all. I didn't opt to do an exchange because by the time I learned that was an option, I no longer wanted to give this establishment my business. Some of the worst customer service I've ever had. Fighting with a customer over a $10 sale? Well, she lost big time because I'll NEVER be back, never recommend this place to anyone & now you have a nice, long crappy review to warn everyone about your terrible customer service & ridiculous return policy! Good luck with your business. In response to your comment Tonya: wow, can't even address the situation properly or be sincere. Even your response is lackluster and lacks empathy. If you read the review, you would understand that the whole issue was NOT the return itself but how it was HANDLED and the AWFUL customer service I received and the fact that I was initially sold the product & told by YOUR EMPLOYEE that if I needed to return the item, I'd have no problem doing so. Also, if that is your return policy then it needs to be stated on the receipt so the consumer is aware of your store policy. . I'm assuming you must be the person I dealt with at the store during the return because your attitude and carelessness clearly comes through in this correspondence.. Good luck with that arrogance. read more

Love this place!! Soaps are always fresh and they always have new products! Soaps last awhile and truly keep their scent! I stop in at least a couple times a month! read more

This store is really a great addition to the downtown area. I really appreciate that it is locally owned . But the greatest part is that all the products are hand made right on site . There are so many interesting different types of soaps it's hard to choose . I like to go in and buy gifts . Always fun to match the different types of soaps to the person I have in mind to gift. read more