I love when you walk into a shop and you are greeted with a sincere welcome. Not an eager over-the-top sales person wanting to sell you something. Instead an experience where you are truly welcomed, and the staff is excited to see you. The ambience. The smell. The products. Your senses are stimulated. You feel excited to be shopping there. I am speaking of Scentsory Bath + Body Boutique located in the very heart of downtown Oconomowoc. Every single time I have visited this is what I have experienced. I have been in major awe since the very first step I made in the door. Every single purchase is something to talk about. The quality of the products, the scents, the feeling-all of it, down to the packaging to the bag you walk out the door with. Astonishing. So, I thought y’all need to learn all about Scentsory Bath + Body Boutique and the owner, hostess extraordinaire Sophia Barry. I asked her a series of questions. She went above and beyond to share her story and her passion.
Meet Sophia. Sophia Barry.
What is Scentsory?
Located in charming historic Downtown Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, Scentsory Bath & Body Boutique is a shopping destination carrying over 34 varieties of handmade bath balls. It’s like Lush by Local! Handmade scrubs, salts, gorgeous loaf soap and the first ever fragrance bar, where you can create a custom fragrance for yourself or gifting. It’s impossible to leave empty handed.
What better way than to hear it from her own words?
The start
Scentsory came together in a very natural way for me. It was one of those “meant to be” things where rather then an uphill struggle it was a smooth process to create Scentsory. I think that’s simply because all the pieces were there. My Wellness Coaching business had gone from one-on-one coaching to more group settings such as seminars and make-and-take parties focused around essential oils, the importance of self-care, etc. Handmade products were a huge part of that. Before getting my education in wellness and that business, I had worked in retail management for about 12 years, always in higher-end boutique settings- sometimes locally owned, some nationally. Scentsory combines both aspects of my expertise. I have always had a natural affinity for quality-quality service, quality products, quality atmosphere. Nothing less will do, especially when you are a brick + mortar store…the customer deserves it! And they recognize it and will keep on coming back, shopping making sure you do well if they receive it. That’s always been my experience.
The products are made with organic ingredients whenever possible- it’s sometimes cost prohibitive but I do it when I can. I’m very conscience of keeping products at a price point where customers can shop for daily use- our skin is our largest organ and should be treated with premium quality products that we love, not just on special occasions. I often have people comment on how my products don’t give them a headache like Lush or Bath & Body Works- that’s because I use natural ingredients! The bombs, salts and soaps will never stain your tub and I keep clean-up in mind when I do include (small) amounts of glitter- I’m a mom too! The fun of making your own premium quality perfume, comparable to Sephora, but totally personal from top note to base note- is pretty cool. Private parties are booking up fast, and I knew they would. It’s all the fun of make and take- with none of the mess and refreshments on the house in a gorgeous and girly setting- what’s not to love?!
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