The Australian Made
NĒKTAR
Former lawyer Katheryn Blewett has created a bespoke range of contemporary personal care products providing clean and honest formulations. She chats to Anita Quade about sourcing the finest ingredients and her life-changing journey.
Congratulations on your launch of nēktar Australia – tell me how this came about? “I was inspired by fragrance from a very young age. I had an absurdly large interest in collecting miniature French perfumes and by the time I was in high school I had collected over 300 of them. I was always fascinated by fragrance and its ability to transport the senses. Close your eyes, inhale, and with one smell of a particular fragrance you could be anywhere in that moment. It was when I visited Grasse Fragonard perfumery in the South of France, the mecca of fragrance in the world, that I realised this was the space
86
|
WWW.PROFESSIONALBEAUTY.COM.AU
that I wanted to immerse myself in. I was inspired by the scents and surroundings and it was at this moment where I envisaged marrying the concept of sustainability with scent and aesthetic sophistication. When I came back home to Australia I began immediately researching and liaising with the contacts I had connected with in France to get nēktar in its pre developmental stages.” You are a former lawyer – what sparked your interest in the wellness sector? “My now, late father, was a biochemist and specialist formulator, so it was a natural
predisposition for me to gravitate towards this line of work. Growing up my dad taught me to ingredient read and I was always so fascinated to learn and do my own research in this area. It was something that came naturally to me and that I really enjoyed doing. It gave me power to know I could understand the listed ingredients and what they meant. Whether it was the ingredients on detergent, or a packet of chips or a hand cream, I instantly knew how to review and asses the product, a skill I still possess to this day. There was always a strong focus on ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ in our house and it has always been something I am very passionate about. That has transitioned to present day into all aspects of my life and raising a family with two young boys. I am slowly trying to educate and pass down the ingredient reading tradition.” Your line of curated personal care and home products are built around the promise to deliver clean living luxury and sustainability – how important was this to you when launching the brand? “There is such a strong focus on sustainability in our society and it is the only way forward. Ensuring that the brand fulfilled this aspect along with also remaining clean and natural was crucial to nēktar’s ethos. When nēktar was in its
