Gemporia CEO Steve Bennett's sister, Jainey, is the mastermind behind our exciting new range of homeware products. Read on to find out more about her design process and future plans.
What made you decide to create a range for Gemporia that wasn’t based around jewelry?
I've been involved in the metaphysical side of gemstones for a number of years. I find it both fascinating and rewarding. As an ex-personal trainer, I spent many years helping women change their lives by working on their diets and exercise regimes. I also ensured that I gave a holistic approach. It's this holistic approach that I enjoy and now this has continued into my range of homeware products. We all love jewelry and enjoy Mother Nature's gemstones, and I wanted to create products with which we can embrace Mother Nature's energies in a completely different way.
What are your favorite gemstones to use in your products and why?
I don’t really have favorite gemstones, I honestly love them all! Each gemstone not only has its own characteristics but they have their own energies. It's these energies that I tap into for each project that I create. I will never use a gemstone for the sake of it, each time a gemstone appears in a product of mine there is good reasoning.
How would you describe yourself in one sentence?
That’s a hard question, but I'd say that I’m caring, giving, hard-working and, most of all, spiritual.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
My inspiration for the gemstone candles came from my love of candles and bathing with gemstones. One day whilst bathing with my stones and watching the flickering of my candles around the bath, I thought how wonderful it would be to have gemstones floating in the wax and emitting their energies into the room. From there the candles were born and then the other products followed.
We all love jewellery and enjoy Mother Nature's gemstones, and I wanted to create products with which we can embrace Mother Nature's energies in a completely different way.
How would you describe your design process and style?
The design process starts with an idea. Usually it happens in the middle of the night, then I can't stop thinking about it. From the initial concept I'll start thinking about the packaging, so that the final product works as a whole. For example, I'm working on a project called 'Guardian Angels', where a carved angel gemstone figurine is sat inside the candle, and the box is just as important as the product itself. The box has flaps that wrap around the candle box, representing wings. The types of gemstones I have used are also very important. I have used Rose Quartz to represent the love of an angel and Clear Quartz to represent communication with the divine.
I tend to sketch out the box and the product and work on the colours that best represent the idea that I’m trying to convey. I then work with our design team to bring my sketches to life and to see if they look as good as they did in my mind's eye! I also work with Gemporia Purchasing Director, Jake, and see if he can obtain exactly what I need as far as the gemstones are concerned.
My style is very creative and out-of-the-box – I often describe my ideas to people and they can't understand what I mean, and then when they see it, they finally get it!
What’s your favorite range you have created so far?
My favorite creations so far are my Chakra products and my Moonstone ritual kits. But equally, every project I create I get completely immersed in. I'm like a kid at Christmas.
Can you give us a clue as to what’s next?
So many things! I've already mentioned my Guardian Angels candle, but I can say that a very exciting, unique creation is coming soon involving animal prints. I just love them! Look out also for my roll-on perfumes, new fragrances and new reed diffusers.
Jainey regularly appears on Gemporia TV showcasing her new projects, keep an eye on our schedules for her next appearance.
Shop Jainey's collection here.
