During last years edition of Hygge, I got to speak to some interesting people about their concept of Hygge and how it all came about for them, one of which, being Amanda Dicker. An entrepreneur who runs the Chapel salon in Turnbridge Wells.
Amanda’s story really struck a cord with me, I found it relatable and surprisingly something we don’t tend to talk too much about…How we really feel. Which as we all know is too true.
Amanda has created a range of products aimed at getting us to stop and take time for ourselves which is exactly what Hygge is all about. From luxuriously scented candles, to soothing hand cream and my personal favourite. The fragrance wand which fits nicely into your handbag so you can roll it on throughout the day for a moment of calm for the senses.
With Hygge in mind, and the launch of her aforementioned collection I thought it would be a great chance to follow up and find out more.
How are you? And how have things progressed / changed since we last saw you on Lady Loves?
I’m good thank you. Since the last time we spoke, things have definitely progressed. Most notably, I’ve been working on myself. I’ve been taking time to really focus on what I want and I’ve started to really put myself first. I’ve found that when you do this, everything becomes a bit more focussed, which has been great in terms of both my personal and professional goals. In addition to this, I’ve been investing a lot of my time recently in helping others to feel good about themselves and helping people become who they are meant to be. Individuality is such an important trait, and it really only comes when you take the time to understand yourself. It all ties together with one of our brand values – which is tailored. You have to do what’s right for you, not anyone else.
You mentioned last year that you were working on a range, it is amazing to see this vision come to life. What was your main inspiration for creating these products?
The inspiration for these products came to me about 8 years ago. Women kept coming up to me and saying that they wished that they could take a piece of The Chapel home with them. Of course, it wasn’t the actual salon that they wanted to take home with them, but it was the feeling they had when they were here – the fact that they were allowed to have these moments to take time for yourself. The products were born from this – I created them as tools to help people take time for themselves and reconnect with who they are.
I love that you have turned ‘the watch’ into a brand staple image, we know from last year how important this symbol was to you. The symbol of reminding ourselves to stop and be present is so powerful, what are your favourite ways to stop and take time for yourself?
I can’t point to anything specific that I do to take time for myself, as I’m always growing and learning what works for me. I will say, however, that one thing which works well for me is simply sitting and being in complete silence.
I really love this idea of lighting candles for ourselves, it really does create this sense of belonging – what was your influence in choosing scents for your candle?
The influence for each product scent comes from different times during the day. For me each part of the day (morning, afternoon and evening) is distinct and represents something different. People act differently depending on what time of day it is, and I wanted to reflect that in the products.
Each product is carefully thought out, the extra care and detail to take the user on a journey, so it’s more than ‘just apply my hand cream’ is just brilliant. Why was this important to you?
When we started talking about the products to agencies, one thing struck me and that was that everyone kept saying that they didn’t have time. In meetings everyone looked so stressed and worn out and I thought that this shouldn’t be happening. I left the meeting and went to the bathroom simply to take a bit of space and wash my hands. It may sound silly but by taking that time to ground myself and relax, I realised how important our messaging was and how getting the right message out there will hopefully help people who are stressed out to take a pause and relax.
The magic wand, I now take this everywhere and love reapplying it, what made you choose these particular scents? Is there plans to expand the range?
The scents were chosen with the same influence as the candles. In terms of the range, we don’t have anything specific planned but I am always looking out for ways that we can help women feel good about themselves. That’s what The Chapel is about, and so if an opportunity to do this presents itself then we will always grab it.
What ways will you be indulging in Hygge this autumn?
Autumn is such a great time of year, it’s always pretty and I think there is the general excitement that Christmas is around the corner. For me, however, autumn represents a time to be at one with both nature and family. I like to sit outside in the evenings and look at the stars with my husband and son, get a fire going if possible and just be in the moment.
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