Three generations of Czech herbal knowledge, traditional preparation and a family story I believe in.
When I decided to create Brighter Living, choosing the products I wanted to offer wasn't really a difficult decision.
I already knew Dr. Popov.
The products had been introduced to me by my sisters years before Brighter Living existed, and over time they became familiar to me and my family. But as I learned more about the company itself, I discovered there was much more behind the Dr. Popov name than I had originally realised.
A Czech family tradition
The story reaches back through three generations of the Popov family.
Dr. Mitrofan Popov devoted much of his life to natural approaches and herbal knowledge. That interest and experience continued through his son Vladimír and later his grandson, Pavel Popov.
Pavel eventually turned this family heritage into the Dr. Popov company in the Czech Republic, combining knowledge passed through his family with modern production methods.
For me, that connection between generations is important.
Perhaps it's because I recognise something of my own upbringing in it. I also grew up in a Czech family where herbs were simply part of everyday life and where much of what we knew was learned from the generation before us.
Tradition with modern standards
What I particularly appreciate about Dr. Popov is that traditional herbal knowledge isn't treated simply as a marketing story. It influences how the products are made.
For example, the Original Herbal Drops are produced using a long cold maceration process. Carefully selected herbs are finely milled and macerated in food-grade alcohol, with water also used during the extraction process.
The herbal material is then centrifuged at high speed as part of the production process.
These details may not be the first thing you notice when you pick up a bottle, but they're exactly the kind of details I wanted to understand before putting my name behind the products I sell.
More than 30 years of Dr. Popov
The Dr. Popov company has now been producing herbal products in the Czech Republic for more than 30 years.
Over that time, its range has grown to include herbal drops, teas and other wellbeing products, while its connection to traditional Czech herbalism has remained an important part of the company.
That's one of the reasons I wanted to introduce Dr. Popov to more people here in the UK.
Why you'll find Dr. Popov at Brighter Living
I don't want Brighter Living to be a shop filled with products simply because herbal wellbeing is popular.
I want to offer products whose story, ingredients and approach I understand - and products I would be comfortable sharing with my own family and friends.
Dr. Popov was part of my life before Brighter Living existed.
Now I'm very happy to be able to share a little piece of that Czech herbal tradition with you too.
Monika x
