Meet Olivia Rose | Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Olivia Rose and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Olivia, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’m inspired by romance in every day life and in pop culture — classic novels, new love stories, old movies, rom-coms, and even television can provide such an escape. I love to settle in with some tea or a cocktail and a good book, and I found myself craving a scent to heighten the experience of the story, but I’m sensitive to a lot of the ingredients you find in typical candles. I couldn’t find a candle that combined everything I wanted, so keeping romance as my inspiration, I set out to make an ethically-sourced clean fragrance candle with a coconut apricot wax (as opposed to soy) with crackling wooden wicks and do-no-harm packaging. Combining romance and luxury with sustainability added elegance and excitement to the market.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
a) Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of, or excited about.

I don’t compromise when it comes to quality or aesthetic. There’s a lot of
temptation to put the product out ASAP, especially in a society that often
highlights results over the process. I spent over two and a half years developing,
testing, and fine-tuning my line to make sure that the product was sustainable
with an elegant but alternative spirit, so that I could be really proud of the candles
on every level.

b) How did you get to where you are today professionally? Was it easy? If not,
how did you overcome the challenges?

Nothing worth striving for comes easy, and I’ve found that motivation can take you far, but consistency is what’s going to keep you moving forward on the hard days. Establishing a routine is what keeps progress in motion. Even if it’s just making 1% progress a day, that 1% push adds up.

c) What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way? What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

The number one lesson I’ve learned is to work with intention. Knowing in my heart what the purpose behind the brand is makes it so much easier to trust the process, no matter how long it might take. Having a clear intention also keeps the momentum going, so if I’m experiencing delays in the process, I just re-focus on my intention and it guides me on what to work on in the meantime.

One ideal I like to reinforce about my brand is that it is possible to have luxury without compromise. Some might think that committing to sustainable practices would weaken the product, but it actually serves to elevate the beauty and quality, and that’s clearly reflected in the candles.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of the best things about Southern California is that you’re always just a stone’s throw from an iconic establishment, a hip new dive, or anything in between! I’ve found some of my favorite places during spontaneous outings, but if I wanted to be more exacting in creating an itinerary for my best friend’s visit, it would go a little something like this: I spend a lot of time in San Diego, so let’s start there. We’d grab our essential morning coffee at the gorgeous Grounds Bean Bar, then head north up the coast to the La Jolla Caves for some exploration and sight-seeing. After that, we’d do a little shopping at the Del Mar Farmers Market and Artisan Open Air Market. Once our shopping bags were full of fresh fruits, flowers, and maybe a few gifts, we’d road trip to Joshua Tree. You can always find a great Airbnb with a full kitchen and hot tub, so we could gab over home-cooked dinner, then take a glass of wine out for a soak under the stars. The next day, we could hike the national park but save enough energy to go to the Red Dog Saloon for craft cocktails and live music. After all that star gazing and desert dust, I’d bring us into LA for a little bit of glam-my way. We’d sight see Beverly Hills from the car, then hit Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach for a little bit of boho-chic shopping. I’d definitely take her to Belles Beach House for some major Southern California atmosphere. I’d then take us to my all-time favorite Montecito Inn in Santa Barbara for pampering with in-room massages and facials for a restful ending to a jam-packed trip.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My beautiful mother, who taught me how to love timeless romance novels.

Website: eveningblush.com

Instagram: @eveningblushco

Facebook: @eveningblushco

Other: TikTok: @eveningblush

Image Credits
Whimsie Photography & Jess Living Photo