Partner Spotlight: a paid placement by a neighborhood business, not editorial coverage.
An Egyptian-born banker whose previous experience went unrecognized when she arrived, and the doctor who treated her, now make tallow-based skincare together. The ideas still come from Monday night dinners.
Monday nights have become a tradition for Heddy Narchi and Dr. Tracie Hinton-Chavez. The co-founders of Heddy + Hinton Naturals gather at Heddy's home for dinner, where conversation flows as easily as their friendship. Business ideas mingle with laughter, recipes and stories, and more often than not, the food becomes an afterthought.
That easy camaraderie is the foundation of a partnership built on shared values. Although their backgrounds could not be more different, both women eventually arrived at the same conclusion: true wellness begins by returning to nature.
Their paths first crossed when Heddy sought help for persistent digestive issues. She found Dr. Tracie's functional medicine practice, Deep Roots, and embraced the holistic approach to healing.
"She taught me that going back to basics is the way to health," Heddy says. "Everything natural, what you consume and what you put on your body."
Heddy says the changes transformed her health and gave her a new purpose. Recently retired after a successful corporate banking career, Heddy found herself wanting to share what she had learned with others.
"I want everybody to be healthy, not just me," she says.
For Dr. Tracie, natural healing has been a lifelong calling. As a child, she rescued injured turtles, frogs and birds, creating homemade remedies in a backyard recovery area. While the mixtures may have been simple, the desire to help never changed.
"I didn't always want to be a doctor," she says. "I just wanted to help people and try to learn more about how the earth can help us heal."
After spending a decade in nursing, she expanded her education through massage therapy, homeopathic medicine, herbalism and advanced medical studies before opening Deep Roots. Throughout that journey, she remained committed to finding practical, natural solutions to health challenges.
"It's easy to look past what's right in front of us," she says. "Solutions that sustain life within our environment. I think people lose sight of that."
Heddy's appreciation for quality and craftsmanship was shaped on the opposite side of the world. Raised in Alexandria, Egypt, she grew up watching her mother design elegant clothing using natural fabrics and hand embroidery. Beauty, she learned, was not simply about appearance. It reflected quality and care.
Her father, a respected physician, reinforced that lesson with a saying she still remembers: "Beauty is substance." His philosophy extended to medicine as well, favoring natural remedies whenever possible.
After earning a degree in English, Heddy built a diverse international career that eventually brought her to Charlotte's banking industry. As an immigrant, she learned resilience and adaptability while raising two children as a single mother.
"When you move here from abroad, they don't recognize any of your previous experience," she says. "You have to prove yourself."
Following retirement, she finally had the opportunity to combine her lifelong appreciation for luxury, wellness and entrepreneurship.
Together, the women realized they offered complementary strengths. Dr. Tracie contributes decades of expertise in functional medicine and herbal formulations, while Heddy brings executive leadership, business experience and certifications in nutrition, wellness and lifestyle studies from Harvard.
"Our motto, 'Naturally Luxurious,' is a combo of both of us," Heddy explains. "'Natural' comes from Tracie. 'Luxurious' comes from me."
"We're opposites in a lot of ways," Dr. Tracie adds. "She's very quick, and I'm very laid back."
Heddy agrees the differences are part of their success. "She's a patient listener, and I'm not," she says with a laugh. "She appreciates and values my business perspective."
Those complementary talents became the foundation of Heddy + Hinton Naturals, whose handcrafted skincare products are built on tallow, which is rendered animal fat. The products reflect the pair's shared belief that skincare should nourish the body as much as it enhances appearance. Rather than chasing trends or relying on synthetic ingredients, the company emphasizes simple, carefully selected natural components inspired by traditions that have stood the test of time.
For both founders, the business represents something larger than skincare. Their goal is to educate consumers about holistic wellness while encouraging healthier daily habits through products made with intention.
One year after launching the company, Heddy + Hinton Naturals continues to grow with new products and an expanding customer base. While Charlotte remains home, both women have their sights set on broader national and international reach.
Their partnership proves that meaningful businesses often grow from meaningful friendships. Around Heddy's dinner table, where ideas are still exchanged over homemade meals and plenty of laughter, the next chapter of Heddy + Hinton Naturals is already taking shape.
By contributing writer Constanze Price.
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This partner spotlight appears in the September 2026 issue of Stroll Ballantyne Country Club. Read the full edition here.