Here at Gatineau our salons, bathrooms, and Head Office are filled with candles and the addictive aromas of Grace & Butler, the brainchild of best friends Sarah and Sharon who shared a passion for scents since primary school. We caught up with Sarah over coffee to learn more about them and what it takes to run such a successful business...
How was Grace and Butler born?
Sharon and I have been best of friends since primary school and have always shared a love for gorgeous scents, combining this with our passion for giving our homes the perfect atmosphere to suit any occasion we realised the right candle always played a crucial part in terms of lighting, aroma, and comfort.
Following intensive training, research and plenty of practice to perfect our candle making skills, we started making our own and giving them as gifts to friends and family. The response was overwhelming and we were soon inundated with requests from people who wanted to buy them. Encouraged by this result, Grace & Butler was born!
All of our candles are hand poured to make sure the blends of essential and fragrance oils are evenly distributed throughout the entire candle and we are dedicated to only ever using the best quality ingredients.
Of all your wonderful candle blends, which is your favourite?
It's a difficult question because so much time and love goes in to each and every blend, and I tend to change my favourite seasonally or depending on the occasion, but I think my favourite has to be the Orange and Geranium. It reminds me of the feeling of being in a spa, so whatever your mood or time of year it's just instantly warming and relaxing.
Gatineau was also launched by an entrepeneurial woman in 1930s Paris - what advice would you give to other women with dreams to launch their own business?
I know it may sound a little corny, but I would say to always follow your dreams and rely on your intuition. Work with what you love and be passionate and enthusiastic about your business, enthusiasm is contagious. Take care of your brand, having a great brand will take you a long way, and never compromise on your morals or your brand to get a deal.
With such a busy schedule every day how do you find time to take care of your skin?
I must admit it is difficult to find the time but one thing I do do is drink lots of water, I am rarely seen without a bottle in my hand ( of water haha!) I recently converted to Gatineau after meeting skincare expert Claire Cawdell, and I'm now a huge fan and I make sure to cleanse, tone and moisturise every day.
What are your go-to skincare and makeup products you can't live without?
I honestly don't like to wear too much make-up, I love feeling fresh and natural, and if I am going out I'll tend to use a very light foundation or CC Cream (the Gatineau Perfection Ultime Complexion Cream is perfect for that) and a nice nude pink lipgloss - Tasmania by Nars is my favourite at the moment. I think glowing skin and a big smile is what beauty is all about!
How was Grace and Butler born?
Sharon and I have been best of friends since primary school and have always shared a love for gorgeous scents, combining this with our passion for giving our homes the perfect atmosphere to suit any occasion we realised the right candle always played a crucial part in terms of lighting, aroma, and comfort.
Following intensive training, research and plenty of practice to perfect our candle making skills, we started making our own and giving them as gifts to friends and family. The response was overwhelming and we were soon inundated with requests from people who wanted to buy them. Encouraged by this result, Grace & Butler was born!
All of our candles are hand poured to make sure the blends of essential and fragrance oils are evenly distributed throughout the entire candle and we are dedicated to only ever using the best quality ingredients.
Of all your wonderful candle blends, which is your favourite?
It's a difficult question because so much time and love goes in to each and every blend, and I tend to change my favourite seasonally or depending on the occasion, but I think my favourite has to be the Orange and Geranium. It reminds me of the feeling of being in a spa, so whatever your mood or time of year it's just instantly warming and relaxing.
Gatineau was also launched by an entrepeneurial woman in 1930s Paris - what advice would you give to other women with dreams to launch their own business?
I know it may sound a little corny, but I would say to always follow your dreams and rely on your intuition. Work with what you love and be passionate and enthusiastic about your business, enthusiasm is contagious. Take care of your brand, having a great brand will take you a long way, and never compromise on your morals or your brand to get a deal.
With such a busy schedule every day how do you find time to take care of your skin?
I must admit it is difficult to find the time but one thing I do do is drink lots of water, I am rarely seen without a bottle in my hand ( of water haha!) I recently converted to Gatineau after meeting skincare expert Claire Cawdell, and I'm now a huge fan and I make sure to cleanse, tone and moisturise every day.
What are your go-to skincare and makeup products you can't live without?
I honestly don't like to wear too much make-up, I love feeling fresh and natural, and if I am going out I'll tend to use a very light foundation or CC Cream (the Gatineau Perfection Ultime Complexion Cream is perfect for that) and a nice nude pink lipgloss - Tasmania by Nars is my favourite at the moment. I think glowing skin and a big smile is what beauty is all about!
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Grace & Butler are kindly offering our Gatineau readers 20% OFF their first purchase of candles and diffusers.
Enter Code: GATINEAU at checkout
Discover more on their website now.
Enter Code: GATINEAU at checkout
Discover more on their website now.