The Legacy of Vītl Waters

Vītl Waters is more than a brand — it’s the living legacy of Michigan’s most mineral-rich wellness tradition.
Long before modern medicine, the city of Mt. Clemens was world-renowned for its mineral baths. From the late 1800s through the 1940s, visitors from across the country — including celebrities, socialites, and the chronically ill — came by rail to soak in waters believed to heal everything from arthritis and polio to chronic skin conditions. At its peak, the city boasted over 75 hotels and bathhouses, all built around one extraordinary natural resource: the mineral water that flowed from deep beneath the earth, over 1,400 feet below.
That tradition may have gone quiet after World War II — but Susan Gans refused to let it be forgotten.

Susan Gans: Preserving Healing, Advancing Wellness

In 1996, after a career in real estate, Susan began a new chapter in health and beauty. She soon discovered the last remaining mineral well in Mt. Clemens — and the story of a man who healed his shoulder injury through its waters. Inspired, she purchased the well and revived his original product, AcheAway®, evolving it into a modern, full-spectrum mineral care line.
As President of Geologix and the visionary behind Vītl Waters®, Susan led the mission for over 26 years. She developed everything from bath salts and creams to mineral infusions and hospital-grade skin treatments — all made with the same naturally potent water once used in the town’s historic bathhouses.
In 2009, she officially launched the Vītl Waters® product line on May 1st, marking a new era for the brand. The line was entirely natural, mineral-dense, and proudly green — decades ahead of clean beauty trends. Her products were even used at Henry Ford and St. Joseph Mercy Hospitals, further validating their impact.
Susan passed in June 2022, but her legacy remains etched in every bottle, soak, and story.
“We like to say the water is 600 million years young,” she once said. That’s the spirit we continue.
Water History

Our CEO

 Lois Lombardo is the founder and owner of Olympia Salon & Spa, a cornerstone of wellness in downtown Mt. Clemens for over 28 years.

Inspired by Mt. Clemens’ rich history as “Bath City”—once renowned for its healing mineral waters—Lois was drawn to the area’s legacy of holistic rejuvenation and natural wellness.
Growing up in St. Clair Shores, she developed a deep appreciation for the beauty
and spa industry at an early age, and envisioned creating a space where people could feel restored and reconnected. That vision came to life in 1998, when she opened Olympia Salon & Spa in the heart of Mt. Clemens.
Over the years, Lois steadily expanded her services and professional credentials,
ultimately relocating the spa to its current home: the historic Martha T. Washington Hotel, built in 1910 and the last remaining hotel from Mt. Clemens’ mineral bath era. The building now serves not only as a full-service salon and spa, but as a living piece of the city’s wellness heritage.
Today, Lois is playing a leading role in reviving Mt. Clemens’ identity as Bath City, bringing attention to the power of its natural mineral water and its historical significance. Through Olympia Salon & Spa, she continues to honor the city’s past while helping shape its future as a destination for healing, beauty, and restoration.

Continuing the Vision

Today, under new stewardship, Vītl Waters remains committed to Susan’s original mission: preserving the healing power of Mt. Clemens’ mineral water and making it accessible to all.
We continue to operate from the last known working mineral well in the city — the same one Susan protected and poured her heart into. With renewed lab testing, expanded open house events, and a reimagined product line, we’re building toward a future that includes a new bath house, honoring not only the water, but the woman who helped keep it flowing.
Vītl Waters is not just a brand.

It’s a legacy in motion — rooted in history, infused with purpose, and lovingly carried forward.
Bath House Updates