Natural Beauties with Belinda Smith of ST. ROSE Artisan Fragrances

Where did the name ST. ROSE come from? 

Our name was inspired by the patron saint of gardeners and our commitment to create in harmony with nature.

 

You call multiple places home. How have your travels inspired your scents?

I feel very lucky to be able to call both Australia and the United States home. Having my first memories of life be draped against the stunning backdrop of the Australian countryside cultivated my love for nature as well as a fascination with the aromatic essences of the Earth’s botanical plants and flowers. My family moved to the United States in 1991 and Circa 91 in our collection is a timeless revel in nostalgia.

Intrinsic to fragrance is its power to transport us, whether that is back in time, to a special place or person, and even to unseen worlds. Travel, art, music, and certainly nature are all sources of my inspiration behind the fragrances in our collection. 

 

What is your go-to scent at the moment?

I love wardrobing fragrance, especially with the seasons. This summer I had Juliet in White on constant rotation with its light citrus and soft floral notes. The intoxicating rose and whiskey fusel notes makes Grand Larceny perfect for date nights (even if that means cooking dinner together at home and enjoying a great bottle of wine).

With its spicy allure, I get asked what I am wearing every time I wear Gypsy Cowboy and it’s always what I reach for to cozy up to as the months get cooler. Desert Nomad is a sultry earthy fragrance that is pure magic and makes me feel instantly more grounded. I’ve been known to even spray it on my pillow before bed.

What are a few ingredients most people don’t know are in conventional perfumes?

At ST. ROSE we are exhaustive to ensure that every single essence brought onto our perfumers’ palette adheres to our stringent safety guidelines and we chose to formulate without BHT, Parabens, Pthalates, Nitro, poly or alicyclic musks, or artificial colorants.

I believe the most important thing in the beauty industry is to push for wider transparency so that we have the knowledge to make informed decisions … about all ingredients and which ones are right for our families. Consumers today are highly educated and motivated to learn about all aspects of wellness —we simply need to enable them to make informed decisions. At ST. ROSE we are incredibly proud to ‘bare all’ and share our fragrance ingredients, something that is not currently required under current labeling laws in the United States.

It’s important to note that chemicals across the board are not bad for us. Our body is made up of chemicals, and so is everything else, including food and water. It really comes down to ensuring that ingredients (of natural or synthetic origin) are gentle for skin and earth. Ask any formulator, chemist, or toxicologist – the vitally important consideration for ingredient safety is dosage. Where ingredient labelling becomes important is that according to the Environmental Working Group [source: EWG], “on average, women use 12 personal care products a day, exposing themselves to 168 chemical ingredients.

Men use six, exposing themselves to 85 unique chemicals. So in consideration of that accumulative “body burden” when you layer those products daily cross refencing the ingredient lists can be really helpful to determine if there is a glaring overload of a particular ingredient.

 

What are a few natural beauty rituals you swear by?

I love the benefits of gua sha and try to do it at least a couple of times a week with a face oil. I also do a mask at least once a week and enjoy mixing my own tincture with of a clay-based powder depending on what my skin needs – the base varies from fresh pressed juice of lemon or orange, if I need a brightening boost, or even oat milk for something soothing.

Baths are also such an indulgent treat and adding a few drops of jojoba oil and a couple drops of essential oil is total magic.

What are some of your favourite clean beauty products outside of fragrance?

Rosehip oil has completely transformed my skin and I love F. Miller Skincare’s Natural Face Oil which includes this liquid gold. I typically keep my routine really simple with Odacité’s charcoal cleanser, rose water toner, and face oil. I can’t fall asleep without hand cream and a lip balm. I am obsessed with Costa Brazil’s line and Henné Organics lip mask is currently on my bedside table.

 

What does “clean” beauty mean to you?

We define “Clean” as being free of ingredients shown or suspected to pose a health concern to either people or the Earth. At ST. ROSE we give these words meaning backed not only by research but we also bare all and provide our customers with full transparency of our ingredients. We take an uncompromising approach – clean also has to be luxurious, high-performance, sophisticated, and equally gentle to the Earth as it is on skin. 

 

Who is your beauty icon?

Forever and always my mum. A minimalist with a skin-care first approach and who taught me to never underestimate the power of a great lipstick.

What is your favourite form of self-care?

They say if you can’t get out of your head, get into your body. Yoga and being outside in nature instantly makes me feel more balanced.

 

Besides making the switch to ST. ROSE for your fragrance, what is your top tip for a sustainable beauty routine?

Shop with brands that focus on sound sourcing practices, utilize environmentally friendly packaging materials, and make giving back to the earth a priority.

 

Finally, what does sustainability mean to you?

We are a truly conscious brand from seed to bottle. From our sustainable sourcing and eco-friendly packaging materials to our recycling program and commitment to give back to conservation projects as a 1% for the Planet business, our ‘Good For You, Good For the Earth’ credo is at the very core of our business.