Photograph by Frank Di Piazza
In addition to owning a boutique packed with unique gifts and hip finds for the home, Kate Bethel of Maven creates her own line of candles and bath products right in the shop. She recently showed us her workspace and let us in on the items she needs to create chic candles and bespoke bath bombs.
1 Spin the Wheel. Bethel consults this aromatherapy perfume-blending decoder—it's like a recipe book for scents— to cook up all of Maven's custom candle and body product fragrance blends.
2 So Soothe Me. What makes soaking in a tub laced with Bethel's bath products so relaxing? The dried herbs, flowers and exotic salts she mixes into each batch.
3 Scent of a Woman. Like a chemist of scent, Bethel concocts the perfect aromatic blend from a wide array of premium candle and cosmetic fragrances.
4 Soy Joy. These pure soy wax flakes do double duty: Not only do they help Bethel's candles burn clean, they also give her skin products an ultra-moisturizing quality.
5 Nuke 'Em. Why do things the old-fashioned way when you can heat up wax in a flash? Bethel pops these Pyrex containers in the microwave. "They're great because they're easy to clean and durable," she says.
6 Cutting Up. Mistakes will happen, and when they do, Bethel reaches for one of these razor blades. They're ideal for scraping up melted soap and wax accidents after they've cooled.
7 Wiggle Room. Because these clear soap molds are made out of silicone, it's easy to pop the soaps out once they've cured.
8 Bombs Away. Sure, these stainless-steel meatball molds might seem to belong in a kitchen, but Bethel calls them "absolutely perfect for making Maven's signature recipe bath bombs."
7268 Manchester 314-645-1155 mavenstl.com
