Hello loves, most of you might be unaware, however I had a tonsillectomy procedure done on the 7th. & haven't been feeling very well at all. All my time since has consisted of not talking, watching Friends on Netflix, drinking smoothies & eating Jell-O.
Today I'm feeling a bit better, so today's post will be an interview I did with the owner of Ashes Scents. So let's jump right into that!
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| Ashes Scents | Indie Wax Vendor Interviews |
-What led you to choosing the brand name you did, was there any others in mind?
Sooo funny story I was going to name it Ashes Scent Shop but my sister in law pointed out that I might not want people to use the acronym which wasn’t family friendly. I actually am registered as Ashes with the fictitious business name of Ashes Scents. Growing up my my aunts would call me Ash and I hated it but as I got older I felt I liked it better than Ashley so using it for my shop name was perfect. It’s familiar and easy to remember too which is nice for customers.
-Do you sell anything other than wax melts?
I sell Bath and Body Products as well. I love making different kinds of scrubs. I have three different types so far. I also have face masks, whipped soaps, lotions, lotion bars, shampoos and conditioners.
-What led you to creating your own products?
I actually started out blending in 2017. I needed things to put the blended fragrance oils in so I started with wax then it kind of got out of control bc I needed more things to put the oils in so I started formulating bath and body products. Finding the best bases for everything has become a mission. Which actually lead me recently to reformulating my wax to a custom blend instead of manufacturers blend.
-How long have you been in this business? Is it a side hustle or full time job for you?
I have been making melts since 2017 so three years. I started the company in October 2018 so over a year. This is definitely full time for me, maybe more than full time since I am always doing something for the business.
I don’t know if I have been in it long enough for it to change. I think there are some new challenges we are facing as vendors with rising shipping costs and our suppliers raising their prices to account for these increased prices, which is changing the industry in a negative way. I think in a positive way a lot of us vendors have really formed bonds and that’s really positive to see in the industry. I think it’s nice for customers not not feel like it’s always either or when it comes to who they purchase from.
-What other interests & hobbies do you enjoy?
I love to read so if I am not physically reading a book. I am listening to one on tape.
I know this might be surprising but I love vendor wax, so I melt a lot of it. It’s a lot of fun for vendors to use the same materials and come out with such different products both aesthetically and scents.
I know this might be surprising but I love vendor wax, so I melt a lot of it. It’s a lot of fun for vendors to use the same materials and come out with such different products both aesthetically and scents.
-While scent preferences vary from one to nose to another, without nosing someone's preferences, what are three scents you'd recommend to anyone.
Omg good question. I would probably recommend blends with watermelon, cotton candy and sugar cookie. They seem to be tolerated well for people that have a lot of specific scent preferences or for those who are not sure what to pick.
-What is your favourite thing about the wax melt industry?
The variety there are so many manufacturers of fragrance oils out there that the possibilities are endless for someone like me who blends fragrance oils.
-Excluding your own brand, what is one of your favourite brands to get wax from?
Ok there is no way I can pick one. I have a top five.
1. Savannah blue: I love magical blends and honestly she has a good amount outside of bakery and she is Ready to sell so I love that. Plus Amy is just hands down an amazing person so that helps too lol
2. Gypsy Monroe: April’s blends are fabulous she puts so much time and thought into her craft and you can tell.
3. Blended with love: Ashley’s blends are unique in such a good way. I love how fancy they make me feel. Plus her wax art is gorgeous.
3. Blended with love: Ashley’s blends are unique in such a good way. I love how fancy they make me feel. Plus her wax art is gorgeous.
4. The Scented Squirrel: Jess is amazing I can always count on her to deliver.
5. LoveLee Bath and Wax: Leelee does so much for the vendor community. She is always willing to help other vendors. She is kind and fun and she puts a lot of love into her wax.
Sorry I am horrible at choosing
-What are your top 10 selling scents?
1. Mermaid Loops: fruit loops, mermaid dreams and tangerine gelato
2. Pink Summer: stone fruit, watermelon, apricot & pink sugar
3. Spun Sugar: fruit loops, pink sugar & rainbow sherbet
4. Sally: Orange, pineapple, mango sorbet & coconut
5. Goodnight Moon: toasted marshmallow, sweet lavender & peppermint
6. Althea’s Ambrosia: Raspberry Macaroon, Honey Peach and Lavender.
7. Winter Circus: snowflakes & cashmere, baby buttermilk, cotton candy & marshmallow
8. Hallmark and Chill: flannel sheets and vanilla bean Noel
9. Ashes Christmas: Pink dough, strawberry crunch, warm musk and a hint of lemon
10. Holly Jolly Christmas: evergreen, sugar cookie and vanilla bean no
Ok so my production run might be different from other vendors. I usually spend time sitting down and blend all the fragrance oils, I test then I start the making process by laying out the molds I want to use then I will pull colors and glitter and sprinkles. Then i actually start making so it takes about a month to do around 30-40 different scents but that is for bath and body and wax melts
-What helps you continue doing what you do, where do you find your motivation?
I find motivation everywhere. I will be outside and be like omg got to get a picture of this sunset i need to try to recreate this color scheme or at the store, that shirt would be the perfect color scheme. I remember this one time passing by honeysuckle and being like I need to do a honeysuckle waffle cone
-Advice can be so helpful when starting out. What is something you wish, you knew when you started out?
When I first started out making wax melts I only knew scentsy, I didn’t even know the vendor community existed until almost two years into making. I did so much research through reading and in looking through bits and pieces of online information. I knew from the start research was so important. I literally started with no help it wasn’t until I discovered that wax community and vendor resources that I was like omg where was this when I first started, how did I not know
-Where do you want your business to be in a year, are there any goals you wish to achieve?
I want my business to be self sufficient (meaning none of my personal funds go into it) and more people to love my stuff. I love making people happy through my art so I really want that to love to grow throughout the community.
Ashes Scent Online
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