Some businesses are launched after noticing a gap in the market, others are started after a sudden event takes people’s lives in another direction.
After Melbourne-based Janelle Palibrk’s father passed away in 2018, she made a candle for her mother to help her with her grief.
The candle smelt exactly as her family home smelt in the days leading up to the funeral. It also had crystals to help her mum move through her grief.
“She was really struggling when the flowers died after his funeral, so I created a candle that smells like flowers,” she explains.
“It’s very floral and it reminds her of him, he is never gone, he is still always here. The infused crystals help with projecting emotions and bringing new beginnings when you’re ready.”
This candle was the start of Myles Gray and all its products feature crystal infused home fragrances, so every single product has a meaning and a purpose, Palibrk adds.
“We officially launched in 2019 and we bring our collections as they are needed. We don’t have launch dates or anything like that, we just work on something as it feels natural.
“Our newest collection is called fiere which includes the candle of pride. It’s aligned with the LGBTQIA+ community and it features all the colours of the rainbow and of course it is infused with crystals.”
Palibrk previously worked at beauty retail giant, Mecca, where she was a fragrance specialist and she says she learned from some of the world’s best perfumists.
“I was always naturally drawn to crystals and I did a lot of research before we launched Myles Gray. We also stock room sprays, diffusers, essential oils and bath salts, which all have a different purpose.”
She adds that Covid has significantly increased demand for Myles Gray’s products with people spending more time at home.
“They need to surround themselves with good energy and that’s what our products do. They are designed for people that love crystals as well as experts, but also people who have never used crystals before.
“It’s really easy, everything is on the box, so our products are suitable for anyone and everyone.”
While Palibrk says they are quite selective when it comes to choosing stores for their products—they are stocked in high end boutiques, Pillowtalk and about 150 smaller retailers around Australia—she was amazed that at the fair she still met so many other Melbourne businesses that had never heard of Myles Gray.
“There was a mix of online and bricks and mortar retailers at the show. We also noticed a lot of gifting hamper businesses.”
She adds they are many more exciting things in the pipeline for 2022, so watch this space.
