Actor, activist, and best-selling author Pamela Anderson has turned an unexpected harvest from her backyard into her latest beauty creation. While tending to her sprawling seven-acre garden in Ladysmith on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Anderson stumbled upon wild groundcherries growing among her flora. The discovery ultimately inspired the newest limited-edition creation for her minimalist skincare brand, Sonsie.
Speaking about her initial discovery, Anderson admitted that she did not recognize the unique plants right away. She initially mistook the small fruits for tomatillos because of the papery husks wrapped around them. However, upon tasting the fruit, she realized it was something entirely different.
“I thought it was a tomatillo, with the little paper baskets around the little tomatoes, and when I tried one, I was like, ‘Wow, that’s not a tomato. That’s a cherry,’” Anderson explained in an interview. “It’s a really earthy, interesting fruit. So I’ve been obsessed with them ever since.”
From Backyard Foraging to Sonsie Skincare
That backyard obsession quickly transitioned into product development. The new Sonsie Basic Balm in Wild Groundcherry features the earthy, citrusy essence of the fruit combined with a hydrating, peptide-rich formula. Unlike heavy or sticky glosses that Anderson recalled avoiding throughout her career in the 1980s and 1990s, this new balm delivers deep hydration without an irritating texture.
The limited-edition formula also includes a warm golden shimmer designed to enhance natural lips without relying on microplastic-derived glitter. Staying true to her brand ethos, Sonsie publicly discloses all fragrance ingredients transparently rather than hiding behind a generic label.
Embracing a Relaxed Garden Style
Anderson’s British Columbia property features a relaxed, unstructured landscaping style. According to reports from Homes & Gardens, her estate mixes wildflowers, herbs, and vegetables together rather than organizing them into rigid rows. This hands-off approach to nature mirrors her philosophy on aging, confidence, and modern beauty standards.
“I feel like a little fairy in my garden. I always say I’m Sonsie’s garden fairy godmother,” Anderson shared regarding her seasonal inspirations. Because the groundcherries are sourced from limited wild growth, the product batch is finite. “We only made so many, and then those will be gone. Then I’ll just have to find something else.”
Groundcherries
For those curious about the inspiration behind the balm, groundcherries belong to the Physalis genus and share botanical links with both tomatoes and tomatillos, according to the University of Minnesota Extension. The small fruits thrive inside delicate papery husks and are typically harvested when their outer coverings dry out and the fruit naturally drops from the plant.
By blending her quiet life on Vancouver Island with her minimalist beauty brand, Pamela Anderson continues to champion a back-to-nature approach that resonates with fans worldwide.
