Say what you will about Instagram, but over the last few years I’ve met some really incredible people through those annoying little squares. In a lilting, irregular interview series, I ask a million questions, and share the answers with you. Grab a warm drink & enjoy! xx
Meet Gab, founder of Studium Essentials, a line of transformative, naturopathically formulated, and gender fluid skincare from & for the earth. One of my favourite people to follow on IG for down to earth reminders about reconnecting with the natural world.
Your Cosmic Profile
HD: Man Gen, 1:3 with emotional authority
Astro: Sun: Leo, Moon: Pisces, Rising: Leo
Has the evolution of your work and business followed a linear trajectory or moved and changed in unexpected ways? What has the lifeline of your business really looked like vs what you expected?
My business has absolutely not followed a linear trajectory in the way I had planned and I am so grateful for that, even though it felt frustrating at the time. I think my biggest learning in 2021 was everything takes longer than you think it will. Being at uni and having studium as my full time job means that I (like every other) small business owner wears many hats. My linear plan was to start delegating and outsourcing parts of the manufacturing process, seeking formulation advice from cosmetic chemists and continuing to scale through more retailers nationally and internationally. This was between 2020 and 2021 when the first wave of covid had hit.
What actually happened was the opposite - uni took up a lot of my brain space/time, second covid wave came around, I didn’t end up outsourcing a manufacturer as I decided the process of making all the extracts in house is much more magical /congruent to my brand and my original formulas that the cosmetic chemist tweaked for me weren’t what I anticipated (leading me to months and months of tweaking and retesting all my formulas). 2021 was meant to be a year of expansion and scale, but instead I turned down all wholesale orders, hardly posted on Instagram and closed my website for 2-3 months to really bunker down, plan and get crystal clear on the direction I wanted to move in come 2022 and beyond. I also hired my first employee at the end of 2021 who helps me manufacture and pack orders and it’s been the best business decision yet. I am still in the hermit/ planning/seeding stages of my business. The past year and a half has forced me to start from scratch and it has taught me patience, trusting the process amidst steep learning curves and strengthening the muscles of resilience/ perseverance.
Do you ever make decisions in your work and business life that other people don’t understand? How do you manage the expectations of others?
Yes absolutely. Sometimes it doesn’t even make sense to me at the time but I’m learning to trust my intuition more, and more often than not – it’s right. I think if you can rationale a decision and be transparent about it, the human in others can see the human in you and understand where you are coming from.
Is there any common business advice you’re grateful you didn’t take?
I was once told ‘never admit liability’. People make mistakes, people appreciate honesty and transparency. I’m glad I went against that advice!
Any words to share with those longing to reconnect with nature, but have fear, feel they have no time or no idea where to start?
I know it sounds cliché but start really small. Aim for a daily exchange with nature; because the more you do it the more you will crave it. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. Water your plants, take a sun drenched lunch break, look up at the clouds, open your doors and windows when waking up, attune to the day/night rhythms by letting light in in the morning and blocking it out at night, admire a plant growing through the cracks in the pavement, get your bare feet on some grass or in the sand, download an app that plays nature sounds, bring parts of nature inside ~ fill a bowl with water and place a fresh flower in it, if you work at a computer have ‘window breaks’ where you look out the window for 30 seconds, literally stop and smell the roses.
Maybe this is an annoying question because everyone is SO different, but are there any go-to plants, herbs, simple medicines or recipes you feel we should all have in our medicinal toolkit / back pocket?
Oh man, I could waffle on with this one. For sake of simplicity and accessibility, I think these two are perfect because you probably already have them in the kitchen.
~~ Onion & Honey Throat Syrup
Dice or thinly slice ½ - 1 brown onion
Cover with honey (the onion doesn’t have to completely submerged as it will release its juices)
Optional extras – grated ginger or garlic, powdered turmeric, cinnamon or cloves.
Place in a jar or container with lid on
Leave overnight or for at least 4 hrs
Take a teaspoon as needed at the first inkling of a sore throat
This is one is lifesaver, it works so fast and honestly doesn’t taste as gross as it sounds. Try a manuka or local honey if possible. If you don’t eat honey you could try doing it with blackstrap molasses but can’t guarantee it will taste as nice! The onion and honey work as a demulcent to soothe sore throats, reduce inflammation and fight bacteria, they’re also both a prebiotic too!
~~ Digestive Tea
This one is great for those times when you overindulge in a rich or heavy meal. It is a traditional Ayurvedic recipe, the spices are great at combating indigestion, bloating and gas and also can be used to refresh the palate. It’s a pungent blend but it grows on you over time.
Equal parts (1-2 tsp each for a mug or 1-2 tbs each for a pot)
Fennel Seeds
Cumin Seeds
Coriander Seeds
Cover with hot water and allow to brew for 10 minutes with the lid covered before consumption.
What is one simple thing (or three!) anyone could easily do right now to love on the earth that little bit harder?
Learn whose Country you are on and learn about the activities that were prominent in that area. Currently I am on Galgabba Country, which translates to ‘place of rest’ and the land still emulates that spirit. It was also place where seafood and hunting was abundant, learning about the ways of life pre colonisation has really helped me deepen my relationship to the land and I love going on walks by the water and imaging what life was like for the Galgabba people. Imagine a world where everyone knew about the indigenous ways and relations to land? I think the world would be in a much more reciprocal state. You can find a map of Traditional Place names here, the local library and the internet are great sources to learn more about the history of whose Country you are on too.
Do you have any favourite resources or suggestions for newbies keen to learn about the wonders of herbs and plants?
Oh it’s a tricky one because I feel like the resources are never ending. But for newbies I would recommend:
~~Books
Medicinal Herbs: A Beginners Guide by Rosemary Gladstar
Plants for The People by Erin Lovell Verinder
Dorothy Halls Herbal Medicine by Dorothy Hall
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
~~Website
The Naturopathic Herbalist
@blackforager
@animamundiherbals
~~Youtube
School of Evolutionary Herbalism
Herbal Jedi
Susuan Weed – Wise Woman Tradition
What are you super excited (and nerding out about) lately!?
LOTS of things, but I’m not ready to share just yet! But there is a pair of Eastern Ospreys that have a giant nest on a pole across the road from me, so I’ve been watching them obsessively hoping they have a chick soon! And of course, that encompasses all the other fitting bird crazy research things: their diet, mating habits, calls etc.
THE LIST
~your current favourite
Drink: Close tie between an iced tea of hibiscus, ginger, lemongrass + lemon balm or homemade dandelion and chicory latte
Food/Meal/Recipe: shamelessly addicted to @jessica_nguyen_ Nước chấm dipping sauce (you can find the recipe in her highlight). It’s so versatile and I love mixing it through vermicelli salads, on top of Bánh xèo and as a dipping sauce for rice paper rolls. All the fresh summery things. You could make it with fysh sauce too if you’re vegan.
Meditative practice: Going for a stroll by the lake or along the beach with my dog at dusk
Beauty products or rituals: A perfectly shaped and impossibly smooth rock I found at the beach that I use to massage away facial and neck tension
Reading material: Woman As Healer by Jeanne Archterberg and A Book of Symbols. On the wish list is Woman Made
Listening material: The album El Camino De Mi Alma by Hermanos Gutierrez or my meditatin’ playlist
Herb or plant you are working with: I’m loving Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) and Holy Basil/ Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum). Such delicious, gentle nervines that are fantastic as a tea iced or hot.
Scent: Solutio by Sigil Scent – the ultimate summer scent!
~
Find Studium Essentials online.
& on Instagram
& get on the waitlist for Naturopathic consults with Gab coming 2023.
Read more interviews with excellent people here.
Know someone you’d love me to talk to? Let me know!