Melissa Hebeler / E! NewsYou know that if Kylie Jenner gets her hands on something, it's got to be good.
The youngest Kardashian isn't the only one who loves a good home scent, though. Voluspa co-founder and co-owner Traci Arnsten, who counts the famous family as fans, started the popular candle company with her husband out of her garage after she realized her love for aromatherapy years ago. We sat down with the owner herself to discuss everything from running a successful business to the importance of selecting quality home scents, and here's what she had to say!
What was your first job?
A cashier at a fro-yo shop.
How did you get into the industry?
I took a sales job working for an aromatherapist and fell in love with scents and oils.
What is a typical day like for you?
I get my kiddos dressed and out the door by 8 a.m., get in a quick workout, tackle emails, work until early afternoon and get home by 3-4 p.m. so I can hang out with the kids after school.
Tell us about your office décor.
I love baroque and urban details mixed together, like our polished concrete floors and gold sofa.
What's the best part about your job?
Watching people experience my fragrances for the first time and hearing what it reminds them of or how it makes them feel.
What's the most daring career risk you've ever taken?
Quitting a great 9-5 job to start Voluspa in my garage.
Who are some of your career heroes?
My business partner/husband Troy and my mom who has been an entrepreneur since I was 10.
What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Use failure as a lesson. The most successful people I know have all failed at one time or another and have learned from it.
Tell us about some of your celeb fans.
The Kardashians are all fans. We just sent Kylie the entire Vermeil collection for her home.
Why are quality scents worth splurging on?
Scent is an experience. Fine fragrance vs. fragrance you can buy at Target is like the difference between a steak and a hamburger. The better ingredients last longer and add complexity.
What makes your products special and unique?
Voluspa combines beauty and fragrance, not just one or the other. Our products are elegant, visually creative and have amazing fragrance.
What are your best sellers?
We have several cult fragrances: Makassar Ebony and Peach is one of them. I kept tweaking the peach and vanilla resin components of this scent until they were perfect. You can recognize every individual note of the scent and then also experience them together in concert. That is what makes a fragrance truly standout.
What do you think your brand does really well?
We provide beauty and fragrance in a large variety of formats and designs: There is literally something for everyone. We also manufacture all of our products in our factory in California so we control all aspects of production. The quality is second to none and we can do it for great prices because we do it ourselves.
Today for lunch I had…OMG did I eat today?
The first website I log onto every day is…The Huffington Post, WWD, then St. Margaret's Episcopal (from my daughter's school).
My usual coffee order is…an almond milk latte.
If I wasn't doing this job, I would…be in a band or a hairstylist.
My favorite place to visit is…Mexico.
List five things that are on your desk right now…a new custom glass sample in consideration for our Japonica collection, the 5 final fragrance combinations I'm deciding between for spring 2017 newness, 3 bottles of Smith and Cult nail polish, a giant cup of coffee and pictures of my 3 beautiful daughters.
The book I'm reading right now is…Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I was at Universal over the weekend and was inspired to reread it.