I began my sugaring journey as a client, and after about 5 years I trained to become a practitioner myself. Becoming a Sugarist allowed me to leave a toxic work environment and create my own business, The Pampered Peach. Now, I have been working for ME for 10 years, and have also helped launch others into the world of sugaring, both as clients and as practitioners themselves.
In 2020, when the world flipped on its axis due to the pandemic - I was given an opportunity to reflect on who I was as a person and what was important to me.
I began getting loud about supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, especially the Trans community. I consulted with OUT Niagara to create a Gender Diverse service menu, and began ensuring that The Pampered Peach was an affirming space for our clients.
While I have family and friends who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, I quickly realized through this experience that I too, was a queer person who had just begun to acknowledge my own alignment.
Coming into our 10 years in business, it is important to me that all aspects of my brand align with my not-so-new sense of self and the environment I am creating for my clients.
in the beginning…..
selkie • beauty beyond the binary
As I dive into my own cultural history and connect to my Celtic roots, I am leaning into the stories of my ancestors.
The Selkie (sel • kee) is a mythological creature from Celtic and Norse folklore that inhabits the sea as a seal, and sheds its skin to walk on land as a human.
Should they misplace their skin, or if it is stolen, the Selkie becomes trapped on land in their human form.
A classic story is that of the Selkie Wife - whose skin was stolen by a man who witnessed the beautiful Selkie dancing beneath a full moon. He hid it away, and she was forced to marry him, though she longed for the sea, and for her freedom.
autonomy, authenticity
& the complexities of identity
One could draw the parallel that our existence trapped within societies expectations keep us from our authentic and true selves, in the same way the Selkie becomes trapped by whoever hides their skin. Our autonomy is constantly held hostage, especially as folks whose identity falls outside of the binary, as women, as BIPOC and as LGBTQIa+ folks.
Over the years, we have been and continue to be passionate about creating a space where someone can be exactly who they are and be celebrated and supported by our team.
transformation
In it’s simplest form, the idea of the Selkie shedding it’s skin to become human reflects the transformation we create by removing your body hair through sugaring. We have often heard the phrase “I feel human again” at the end of an appointment.
To expand on that feeling, not only do we provide a physical transformation; often our clients (and ourselves as well) walk out of a session feeling an emotional shift because of the connection and safety we create together.
In addition, the concept of the Selkie and their ability to transform and shapeshift feels connected to the cycles people who bleed experience as they move through the multiple phases of life - menstruation, peri-menopause, menopause and post menopause.