We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Monique Hercules a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Monique , thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

The Remontant means “a flower that blooms more than once in a single season,” and that meaning perfectly reflects our brand story. I built The Remontant while battling a chronic illness that often left me bedbound. Creating scents became both my escape and my form of healing—an artscape where I could transform pain into beauty. When I was first diagnosed, I was told there was no cure, only lifestyle changes that might improve my quality of life. At the time, it felt like all of my big, beautiful dreams—including becoming a business owner—were over. My body struggled with even basic survival, let alone chasing the future I had once envisioned. Scent gave me a way to bloom again. From my bed, I began creating fragrances in my imagination, each one born from a need, a memory, or a dream. Every scent in our collection carries a story and a purpose, rooted in resilience, healing, and the belief that we can bloom more than once in this life—even in the face of hardship. Which brings me to my mission- I pray that every dreamer can take on the mantle of the remontant and bloom more than once in a single season. Being the remontant has made me realize that my dreams did not and will not die with my diagnoses. I just needed to change my perspective and dream a new dream, reevaluate the current, and go on the journey of how you can still make it happen- bloom more than once in a single season in your own way

Monique , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The Remontant is where eco-conscious elegance meets the warmth of hand-poured craftsmanship. We pride ourselves on creating a sensory experience that transcends the ordinary. Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do: from the soothing crackle of our wooden wick candles to our custom paraben- and phthalate-free fragrances, each product is crafted to leave a minimal ecological footprint while elevating your daily rituals.

At The Remontant, we treat scent as an artscape, curating unique and distinctive fragrance experiences. Our diverse portfolio touches on every fragrance family—from floral and woodsy to oriental and fresh—with new limited-edition scents released seasonally. We understand the calming power of nostalgia, with creations like Cereal Muse (a foodie’s dream) and Lavender Linen (a familiar, fresh, and relaxing escape). For those craving exploration, we offer bold scents like Dark Academia, our best-selling candle inspired by an enchanted library filled with cedarwood bookshelves, leather-bound classics, and creamy cardamom tea. Our signature Gift Me Candle is one of our most memorable products—a 7 oz masterpiece housed in a beautifully curated, gift-ready box that makes every moment a celebration.

The name remontant means a flower that blooms more than once in a season, and that symbolism is woven into our story. I founded The Remontant while navigating a debilitating chronic illness called dysautonomia. For two years, I was largely bed-bound, and it felt like my dreams had died. But I discovered that life offers us second blooms, and I was able to still pursue my dreams—just in a different way. From that realization grew The Remontant—a Black woman-owned business rooted in resilience, sustainability, and the beauty of blooming again.

What I am most proud of is opening our flagship store in downtown Kirkland, Washington. To not only have a space where we can sell our signature products, but also support other incredible PNW women-owned businesses, has been a dream come true. And more than that, our store became home to our candle-making classes—something I created so that people could go on their own artscape adventure through fragrance. These classes are about connection, creativity, and self-care. They allow friends and families to make a candle truly custom to them—a memory they get to take home. And in a very personal way, it means everything to me, because this is the same avenue and outlet I once had to lean on for self-expression during one of the darkest times of my life.

What sets The Remontant apart is the heart and story behind everything we create. From seasonal scents to hands-on classes, we remind our community that fragrance is more than a product—it’s an experience, a memory, and a way to bloom again in every season of life.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I wish I could say this lesson is completely unlearned, but if I’m being real, it’s still something I have to check myself on constantly. What I’ve learned is that deeply ingrained habits rarely ever fully uproot themselves. For me, that habit is perfectionism.

I tend to lean toward perfectionist tendencies, and while it can sound like a strength, it can actually be really toxic—especially when it starts to hold your business back. For me, it often shows up in presentation and in feeling like I can’t be fully proud of something unless it looks or feels “perfect.” But the truth I’ve had to face is that perfectionism stifles growth in every area of your life—personal and business. Nothing will ever be perfect, and even if it somehow is, you can’t sustain it for the long haul. It’s just not realistic.

A perfect example: perfumes. I’ve held off on launching perfumes for so long—even though we are literally a fragrance brand and it’s the number one thing everyone asks us for. I made every excuse under the sun: the formulations weren’t ready enough, the packaging wasn’t cute enough, not aesthetic enough, not on-brand enough. So instead of just doing it, I launched body mists. And what happened? The demand for perfumes only got louder.

Now, I’m finally prepping to launch perfumes and I’ve had to let go of all of those excuses. I’m embracing a new mindset: better every time instead of perfect once and for all. It’s been freeing, and honestly, I think it’s the only way you can keep blooming—by choosing growth over perfection.

How’d you meet your business partner?

Our cofounder is my husband, Stéphane Charité, who also happens to be my best friend. He is the main reason The Remontant is not only a business but also a brick-and-mortar storefront today. From the very beginning, Stéphane has been my unwavering support system. As I navigated the challenges of being a chronically ill business owner, he fought tirelessly alongside me—physically helping to build our shop, lifting boxes, setting up shelves, and making sure the behind-the-scenes work was taken care of so I could focus on bringing our vision to life.

He’s also in the trenches with me every single week—working our farmers markets and events, showing up as the face of The Remontant right alongside me. And truth be told, he’s our official guinea pig too—every new fragrance or product gets tested on him first. Beyond that, he’s our tech guy, my biggest morale supporter, and the steady force that keeps everything moving forward.

What makes me the proudest is how selflessly he sacrifices his free time to help me run this business, all while working a full-time job. The Remontant would not be what it is today without him. He is the heartbeat behind the scenes, the quiet strength that allows this business to bloom again and again.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theremontant.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theremontant/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theremontant
• Other: Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@theremontant