#GIRLBOSS SPOTLIGHT: KABREA THOMAS
/Written by: Amy Ann
Meet Kabrea Thomas, the founder of Signature Scents by Hand and the creator of the #GirlBoss Spotlight Blog itself! As a perfumist she's breaking boundaries and taking things to the next step by advocating self love. Self love definitely starts from within, and Thomas isn't afraid to show us a thing or two about how scents can help us do just that.
Signature Scents by Hand:
What inspired you to start Signature Scents by Hand? What was the process like?
Kabrea Thomas:
The inspiration behind Signature Scents by Hand came from my childhood. Growing up personal grooming was a big deal as a female. Whether it was getting my hair and nails done, threading my eyebrows or some retail therapy it was almost important that one of these things were done at least once every other week. I remember the 'feel good' feeling I would get when I would groom myself. With that being said smelling good, and having several fragrance options was a given. I remember sneaking in my mom's room every now and then to sniff some of her new fragrances that I wanted to try. At the start of Signature Scents by Hand I never really intended on expanding it so much. I thought that maybe I can just make one scent and be done with it. But as I started talking to my consumers it took me back to memory lane, and reminded me how "we" women love to have options. Maybe have a date night scent, a scent to wear for bed, a scent for work and so on and so forth. And that's really when the birth of my other scents came along, as well as the other products.
As for the process of making the scents it can be a little tedious. Mainly because there's a formula for everything. And if I miss one thing it can make a big difference on the consistency of the product which has been a learning progress for me. Because everything is oil based when creating a scent I first start with the smell. When making our first fragrance Yours, the process took about 3 months to complete. It took this long because I wanted to perfect the formula, and in the process I learned that every scent smells different on everyone because of their body chemistry and that was another angle I had to test. Once I had gotten the formula down pact, I had to figure out who I was targeting and make sure I was able to connect with the consumer.
SSH:
How did you come up with the name 'Signature Scents by Hand'?
KT:
This may sound funny but the name Signature Scents by Hand honestly came to me in a dream. I remember being in Costa Rica brainstorming names for my fragrance boutique, and during the process the names were either taken or okay sounding to me. But I remember waking up in the middle of the night and I wrote the words 'Signature Scents by Hand' in my work notebook. The next morning I woke up and researched the name and found no business under the name. I love the name because it describes exactly what we do - we make Signature Scents by Hand!
SSH:
Explain what your creation process is like?
KT:
Depending on the product it varies. For example when I make the body butters I have to manually melt the shea butter and coconut oil from solid to liquid, and then have them harden back together. However I never let them harden hard enough because I have to them blend the essential oils in. Also I want the body butters to be solid but still soft and creamy enough to melt onto your skin. The massaging oil candles and Aftershave Beard Balms also have a very similar process.
SSH:
What is your favorite scent and or product to use?
KT:
My favorite scent will always be Yours, it's my go to signature scent. I think I also love it so much because it was the first scent I ever made. Just going through the creation process from selecting a bottle,font/labels, and even the scent makes me appreciate it so much more. My favorite products to use are definitely the Yours, perfume and the Nicole body butter. There's just something about the Nicole body butter that I love to smell it when I'm going to sleep. It has such a lasting pleasant smell.
SSH:
Where do you see Signature Scents by Hand in the next 5 years?
KT:
Creation wise I'm not sure, but I know within those 5 years we will have a new signature scents added to the collection. In the next 5 years I am also hoping to change up the look of some of our products - giving it more of a new and improved look. Business wise in 5 years we will be expanding our store locations, and hopefully have a mobile fragrance truck business by then. The goal is to sell scents mobilly in select areas in the tri-state area.
SSH:
Are there any new projects you're working on for SSH in 2019?
KT:
We started 2019 with our first box subscription - Scented Self Love Box Subscription. The scented self love box is a scented package filled with things that make you smell good and feel good on a daily basis. The focus is to make YOU time a requirement. Our scented self love box contains custom fragrances as a travel size scent, body butter and massaging oil candle. 2018 was such a rough year for me, and so I wanted connect with my customers more on a personal level. And in a sense together we can embrace our struggles and indulge in self care.
This year we are also working on a fragrance course. I have many custom fragrance clients who need a sense of guidance when it comes to putting a new fragrance out in the market. The course will be very brief but detailed so that my clients never feel alone, and have a better understanding of who they're targeting. So it will be a mixture of perfume history, branding and knowing how to sell to their consumer.
What a wonderful way to start the year! New ideas, and indulging in loving yourself more. To stay tuned and keep updated on the brand + the girlboss behind it be sure to follow us on instagram and subscribe to our website.