Since today is International Women’s Day I figured that it was the perfect time to share with you a new series I am launching! I’m going to be shining some much needed spotlight on brands that I love, in categories like beauty, home and food, and that are made right here in Canada. I’ve been slowly trying to educate myself on where my food and my beauty products come from and in an effort to do so I’ve become so passionate about sharing those things with you. I believe that it is so important to support local businesses wherever you can as well as being aware of what and why you purchase what you do . Today, it is SO easy to find amazing, all natural and locally made beauty products that work incredibly well and also look beautiful so why wouldn’t you want to buy from around your community?
Emily Stencel is the founder of the all natural and vegan line of scrubs Perk Naturals. At the young age of 24 Emily is already making a name for herself in green beauty industry with her handmade scrubs and perky personality. Since being introduced to Emily via e-mail a few months ago I have come to admire her as not only an entrepreneur and a go-getter but as someone who truly cares about what she is putting out for others to use.
I’ve been using the Perk Naturals scrubs for a little over 3 months now and am in love with every single product in the line. I’ve featured the grapefruit lip scrub multiple times here on The Blondielocks but I figured since I use literally every single product (citrus scrub, coffee scrub and lavender-lemon scrub) and because they are all seriously amazing, that it was about time for a full feature post. I reached out to Emily to ask her a few questions about Perk so make sure to keep reading to learn more about Emily and the Perk Naturals Collection.
Kaylee: How did you become involved in creating all natural scrubs and what was the inspiration behind Perk Naturals? Do you think you might want to expand your product range eventually or stick to your niche?
Emily: The idea for creating all natural scrubs sparked while I was living in Australia. It was such a beautiful place to live but the change in climate resulted in my skin to suffer from dryness. I started researching organic beauty and with so many products on the market, I realized the best way to restore my skin’s hydration without preservatives or chemicals was to try to create something myself. After many trials and tests, I designed a scrub that actually worked for my skin and I really wanted my close friends and family to share the same experience. I began creating personalized scrubs as gifts for loved ones and seeing their positive results became addicting! You could say that seeing their perkiness after using my products inspired me to go forward with starting Perk Naturals. I became determined to design a skincare line that offered multiple uses with great results while still being suitable for all skin types.
What’s really special about our scrubs is that many of them are multi-purpose products. For example, try substituting your shaving cream for our Citrus Mistress. We call it a dry skin lover’s dream because it leaves your legs so nourished and hydrated that you don’t need to apply lotion afterwards. Our Lavender and Lemon is also a great addition to your bath routine. Try sprinkling this scrub into your bath; the lavender essential oil will work as aromatherapy as well as a muscle relaxant.
In terms of expanding, the answer is definitely! Within the next couple of months, Perk Naturals is undergoing a major makeover. Perk Naturals has evolved so much since we launched and we want our packaging and products to coincide with where the brand is now. We’ll be releasing our upgraded packaging, improved products as well as a new product that we’ve been dying to share with everyone. It’s very exciting and we hope everyone stays tuned and takes on this incredible journey with us @perknaturals!
Kaylee: I am obsessed with your packaging and branding! Can you tell me a little about the branding process of Perk?
Emily: Thank you! I really wanted Perk to be a product that people would want to display in their bathroom rather than hide in their cabinet. I chose a label that was feminine, simple, yet cute enough to be seen as a part of bathroom decor. Since launching a little over a year ago, our brand has evolved, and I think that’s prevalent through the way we represent our products on social media. We’re still very feminine, but we’ve gravitated towards showcasing Perk in a more colourful way to emphasize what it means to feel Naturally Perky.
Kaylee: What are 3 green beauty brands that you love and why?
Emily: That’s such a hard question to answer because there are so many amazing green beauty brands out there! When it comes to cosmetics, my go-to brands are Da Lish cosmetics and Fitglow beauty. I would definitely recommend DaLish cosmetics to anyone looking for makeup free from parabens and harsh chemicals. Their foundation is long lasting and perfect for evening out my complexion. I also can’t get enough of Fitglow Beauty lipsticks. They have a beautiful selection of shades and I don’t leave my house without applying one of them! Finally, my third beauty brand would be Kai Naturals Bamboo wipes. Though I like making my own cleanser and makeup remover, when I’m on the go, these wipes are travel size, gentle, and leave my face feeling soft and refreshed.
Kaylee: What is one beauty product you can’t live without besides scrubs?
Emily: Besides scrubs, it would be a great facemask!
Kaylee: What is your beauty mantra (**or a quote/saying you love)?
Emily: “She was beautiful, but not like those girls in the magazines. She was beautiful, for the way she thought. She was beautiful, for the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved.She was beautiful, for her ability to make other people smile, even if she was sad. No, she wasn’t beautiful for something as temporary as her looks. She was beautiful, deep down to her soul. She is beautiful.”― F. Scott Fitzgerald
