We recently connected with Ceci Tucker and have shared our conversation below.
Ceci, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I feverishly got swept up into the non-toxic beauty world after being diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) in 2015. I wanted to clean up my beauty, cleaning & household products so as to not further disrupt my endocrine system due to the chemicals that come in traditional everyday products (especially the ones with synthetic fragrances). It started with my make up bag and tossing out any “toxic” make up, and switching to an alternative “clean” brand instead. That then led into swapping out skincare products, and eventually my household products as well. In 2017 I moved into a new home, and wanted to toss out all my candles (that always gave me headaches) and transition to a more natural option. Plus after learning about the hidden dangers of candles and the chemicals that go into everyday traditional “fragrances”, it was a no-brainer to make the change in order to help my health flourish.
At that time, Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) for Essential Oils seemed to be at its peak. So I snagged an essential oil kit from an influencer/MLM rep, and I eventually ended up drinking the MLM Kool-Aide and becoming a rep myself. While that MLM life didn’t last too long for me, I did learn A LOT from that community thanks to their workshops & online classes they were putting on to try and secure new clients & reps for the brand.
As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t stay in the MLM field for too long, for many reasons, but I found I absolutely loved creating my own potions with these essential oils. Whether it was a dreamy lavender-based blend for sleep, or even an immune-boosting blend made with cloves and citrus, I loved sitting at my desk and crafting these formulations with my hands.
As my time with the MLM company faded, I then became interested in herbalism & mysticism, thanks to a little show called Outlander. I loved the concept that certain natural ingredients had stories rooted in folklore & symbolic properties. Naturally, I wanted to learn more and signed up for an online natural perfumery course with Herbal Academy. Here I learned all about the chemical structure of a perfume. How every good perfume should have base, middle & top notes, and why those notes are important for every formulation. And while I already had a basic understanding of essential oils thanks to my previous MLM job, I learned a lot more about essential oil safety, such as proper essential oil dilution…something that wasn’t necessarily taught in those MLM workshops!
To add fuel to the fire, I signed up for a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training course around 2018 which led me deeper into not only aromatherapy, but the symbolism behind specific crystals & gemstones. This then led me into learning and becoming a Level 1 Reiki Healer. So as you can see, the world of mysticism was deeply alluring. I couldn’t find any other online classes that combined the world of herbalism, and mysticism so I turned to the trusty internet and bought some books that satisfied this witchy indulgence.
Over the next few years I was constantly reading about crystals, botanical magic, chakras, herbalism & perfumery. In 2019, I took things a step further and created a crystal infused perfume for my wedding day that was the perfect amount of sexy & grounding. The two things I wanted to feel for my big day.
It wasn’t until 2020 that I realized I could take aromatherapy and turn it into something sensual and magical for all those sensitive girlies like myself. When I was diagnosed with PCOS, I stopped wearing perfume due to the toxic ingredients. I always wanted to wear perfume, but it wasn’t worth the headaches I would immediately get after application. And that my friends, is how Wilde Folk got its start. Named after my love of wild crafting & folklore, I created a variety of plant-based perfumes, made with zero synthetic fragrances and only the best organic, and sustainably sourced ingredients.
When I look back at my learning journey, I don’t think there is much I would change. However, if someone else was wanting to learn about perfumery & essential oils I would say do your own research outside of MLM groups when it comes to essential oil safety. There is a whole big world of essential oils, and while MLMs are a great way to get your foot in the door, the way that they are structured and run means that you aren’t necessarily learning from a professional herbalist or aromatherapist. There is a lot of misinformation, so it’s always wise to double check your research!
As for the speed of my learning journey, all of this was over a span of 5 years. This mystical education didn’t start as a business opportunity, but rather from a place of curiosity and passion. So I took my time, and did the research while also juggling other life things, such as work, a home renovation, and a pandemic!
The biggest speedbump I had in this learning journey of mine was finding classes, or mentorships, within the natural perfumery realm. Synthetic Fragrances are so widely used and accepted in traditional perfumes that it was almost impossible to find resources regarding plant-based formulations. Even within the “natural” perfumery world, there is a genre of “safe-synthetics” that are deemed “safe” and “natural”; however, I didn’t want to mess with synthetics of any kind. I wanted pure, plant-based magic. However, only using essential oils also comes with its limitations. The scents don’t last as long as traditional fragrances, making it more of an aromatherapy blend versus your traditional perfume fragrance. So that is usually my number one topic of education is with my customers. Yes, our blends are beautifully complex when it comes to fragrance notes (especially for essential oils), but they won’t last for hours on end like your traditional perfumes out there. However there are lots of tips and tricks to extend its fragrance lifespan; by applying it on your body’s pulse points, or even using it as a hair oil for maximum scent throw. This being said, I know Wilde Folk isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It’s for a specific niche of customers who want to feel sexy and put together, but not at the sake of disrupting their hormones or endocrine system.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Ceci Tucker, and I’m an intentional interior designer and plant-based perfumer based in Austin, Texas. I got into the clean beauty world after being diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome shortly after college. On top of being a hormone-sensitive girlie, I am also just a sensitive girlie. I couldn’t ever really wear perfumes of any kind due to immediately getting a headache after application. Same with candles, I couldn’t keep them lit for hours on end as they would leave me with raging headaches that would then turn into migraines. Turns out those headaches were triggered by synthetic fragrances. Synthetic fragrances are essentially a chemical cocktail made to mimic natural, plant-based ingredients such as vanilla or lavender. Unfortunately, these synthetic fragrances are derived from ingredients such as phthalates, carcinogens, and even petroleum.
In a recent study conducted by the EPA, it showed that 75% of products that contain fragrance, also contain a chemical compound called Phthalates. Phthalates, also known as phthalate esters or plasticizers (That should be a red flag right there… PLASTICIZERS?!), are a category of chemicals commonly used to make plastic flexible and harder to break. They also act as a solvent or a binding agent. Which is why they are so often used in perfumes…to make the scent last longer. I know…horrifying, right?! What’s even more wild is that phthalates are linked to cancer, weight gain, hormone disruption, allergic reactions, asthma, headaches and other serious health issues.
So naturally, pun intended, I decided to take my passion for herbalism & folklore and create a variety of plant-based perfumes that I could not only wear to feel sexy in, but also have aromatherapeutic properties to support me in everyday life. I pride myself in truly only using ingredients that are organic, and ethically sourced. No synthetic fragrances of any kind. Not even those “safe synthetics” that are becoming more and more popular each day. Just pure organic, and ethically sourced, plant magic.
Whatever your signature fragrance may be, whether it’s earthy, floral or even a unisex blend, there is a Wilde Folk option for you, as we have up to TWELVE different perfume blends to choose from. On top of that, we infuse every Wilde Folk perfume with crystals to amp up its natural magic. If you’re in a chapter of life where you feel like you’re being inundated with bad luck – we have a perfume with Shungite to help deflect you from soaking up those bad vibes. If you are in a season where you’re re-learning to love yourself, we have a perfume infused with rose quartz to help support you with compassion, & emotional healing. Which is not something every perfume on the market has these days! We like to think this formulation of plant-based ingredients and crystals is what makes our perfumery one-of-a-kind.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I am constantly learning and unlearning lessons in life & in business. And I’m sure my answer won’t fit everyone’s business model – Don’t let your ego run the show. Let your business evolve and change with you. Don’t be so stuck in your version of how things should look in your business, that you miss an opportunity to expand both personally and as a business owner.
I remember around 2021 my sales started to slow down significantly. So much so that I actually had to apply for a retail job to help pay the bills. While I definitely beat myself up that my business wasn’t “successful” and I was a “failure”, this change up in work is exactly what I needed. Due to juggling 2 jobs, it made me streamline Wilde Folk and focus on what things were actually working for the business versus offering a million products in hopes that it would lead to a sale. It also made me refine my sales avenues and prioritize Wilde Folk opportunities that brought me joy. By getting this retail job, it made me not solely dependent on Wilde Folk financially. Which meant that as a creative, I was able to take more risks with coming out with more products that I knew not everyone would love, but I loved it. Hence my licensing deal with A Court of Thorns and Roses!! Because I wasn’t stressed out working 24/7, I had time to read again and fell in love with the fantasy genre. So much so that when I started reading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas I knew I had to get in touch with her team and pitch a series of perfumes based on her characters. And while not all of my customers are fantasy book nerds, this opportunity filled up my metaphorical cup so much that I was able to let my creative freak flag fly a little higher and take a business risk that aligned to my values and interests versus sales alone.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, it’s the fact that creativity has been there for me through every chapter of life. Whether it was a break up, an engagement, an inspiring adventure, or even a death – art has ALWAYS been there for me – for the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows.
My dad unexpectedly passed away when I was 7, and I’m so grateful that I had a cousin in my life at that time who would come over and bring my sister and I an endless amount of arts & crafts. I think because I was so young, I didn’t know how to process grief or the loss of a parent so art was my way of expressing myself. I loved the idea that I didn’t have to talk to anyone, and I could simply express my feelings through art alone. Creativity became a language that I learned to speak fluently and craved to connect with others over. And while the craft projects have changed from age 7 to now, some form of creativity has always been with me. Whether it’s photography, weaving or perfume formulation, being creative has been with me for all seasons of life, and I look forward to walking hand-in-hand with her for the many seasons yet to come.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shopwildefolk.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilde.folk/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildefolk.austin
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@wilde.folk
Image Credits
Photos by Ceci Tucker