Our Story
My story starts with perfume. Sort of. I was around the age of seven, and living in Florida at the time, when I attempted to make my first “rose perfume.” I gathered fragrant pink rose petals from the rosebush in my parents’ backyard garden, placed the petals in a small plastic bag filled with cool water, and left the bag outside overnight to allow my concoction to steep. My Caribbean parents raised me in a home where appreciation for the botanical world was infused into all areas of life—from our cuisine to our cultural natural remedies. So, I’m gonna make a perfume, I thought. The next morning, eager to behold my aromatic creation, I discovered soggy-petal water that was lackluster at best! Needless to say, my natural perfume creation didn’t turn out quite as planned. However, it was the start of something beautiful. The start of my love for all things botanical.
Fast forward to 19-year-old me. At this time, I was experimenting with making natural soaps, body oils, and lotions in my parents’ kitchen due to my dissatisfaction with all of the chemically-laden body care products on the market at the time. There had to be a better way, and I was determined to create it using the botanicals I’d come to know and love.
My love for natural health then led me to become a licensed massage therapist, as well as an esthetician and nail technician. In 2007, “Sevansa Spa” was born, and I offered my thoughtfully-handmade natural body care products to the public under the “Sevansa Spa” name.
I then continued my journey by moving to Pennsylvania and becoming a registered nurse. My bedside nursing experience allowed me to see firsthand how stress and lifestyle factors are intimately connected to illness. This strengthened my dedication to creating simple natural products to aid in maintaining a balanced natural lifestyle.
Along the way I took up photography, ran a portrait photography business for over 10 years, did some travelling, and visited many beautiful and inspiring places—all while continuing my career as a registered nurse. Health and wellness remained steadfast interests of mine, so I continued on to grad school, became a Nurse Practitioner, and currently still practice as such in my community. I also got married and thus, Pennsylvania is now home. All of these meaningful experiences shaped me and my business.
Finally, “Sevansa Spa” is now “Sevansa”—a small family-owned business that is home to “handcrafted natural goods for body and home.” I use simple but impactful botanicals in my products because I believe there is beauty in simplicity. I also strive to handcraft all Sevansa products using natural ingredients that are kind to your body and the planet. This has been years in the making, and even my signature “Botanical Bar Soap” formula took over one year to perfect. Each product is free of tree nut oils, making them gentle enough for even the most sensitive of skins. Harkening back to my stellar rose-perfume-making days of childhood, I thoughtfully create each aromatic essential oil blend in my products, and many are inspired by my travels and experiences.
Lastly, I have a deep appreciation for local artisans who use natural materials as their medium. I even occasionally feature handcrafted home décor items from these artisans on the Sevansa website. I believe that a community that uplifts its members is a healthy community, and showcasing these artisans is a small but impactful way to achieve this. I encourage you to find beauty in simplicity each day, and I hope that each Sevansa product brings a little dose of natural joy into your world. Thank you for exploring Sevansa.
Warmly,
Vanessa