welcome to your sanctuary

I started Iris of the Moon at the lowest point in my life.

I had just gotten out of a failed business venture, tanked my savings, and left a narcissistic relationship.

All while limping back to my childhood home after what I thought would be an epic adventure in Sedona.

It was my inner child’s worst nightmare because I didn’t just fail. I was in hell. Literally.

Everything I had created shattered, and I was left with only myself and a bunch of "I-told-you-so's" from my parents.

When I moved back home, I took a break. I spent time with nature, and on a whim, I signed up for a perfume class.

My first business had been scented body scrubs. I didn’t want that idea to completely die, but I didn’t want to copy it either.

The original idea belonged to my ex-business partner, and I wanted to one-up them. So I decided to do scented body oils, the very idea that was constantly shot down by them.

At my first perfume workshop, I made a scent called Atlantis. I created it because I loved the mystery of the lost city.

When the master perfumers smelled it, they loved it. They said it felt relaxing and refreshing, like they were classy explorers sailing the Atlantic. In that moment, I realized there might be something here.

So I kept going. I kept studying. I kept mixing. I even went to the Grasse Institute of Perfumery to learn about the science and psychology of scent.

And what I learned was fascinating.

Iris of the Moon has two meanings:

1) My mother was originally going to name me Iris, but she decided to put my name up for a vote with her colleagues at the library. They chose "Emily" instead.

27 years later, I decided to use Iris because it felt like I was emerging into a second identity. A new character development arc.

I also liked that in Greek mythology, Iris was a messenger for the gods and the personification of rainbows. And in the language of flowers, irises represent faith, which I needed a lot of.

2) I'm a Cancer, which is ruled by the Moon. In astrology, the moon represents our connection to our emotions, maternal lineage, and intuition.

Together, they represent the power of trusting your inner wisdom to build deeper connections with yourself and others. A name that translates to "a message from your intuition."

And I thought that was cool and very necessary. Especially in today's age where technology and materialism have overridden so many people's natural ability to tap into their intuition.

While my time in Sedona sucked, I wanted to take the best parts of it and turn it from a tragic story into one of empowerment.

A true hero's journey. Like the ones Greek heroes went on, emerging victorious and sometimes ascending to godhood.

Sedona was home to many spiritual practitioners, channelers, mediums, and healers. Many of them found healing and empowerment from various mythological deities.

From Hekate to Guanyin, there were a plethora of powerful gods and goddesses and spirits that those who lived in Sedona (allegedly) channeled.

While I am no medium or spiritual healer, I was fascinated by the power of faith. How faith in something higher than yourself can become a powerful tool that helps you rise from the ashes. And how ancient temples relied on the power of scent to help worshippers connect with their chosen gods.

I found a lot of resonance with Persephone. One night, it was like I was possessed by her, I created her scent. When I introduced her to the world, she became my bestseller.

I have so much gratitude for Persephone. It was thanks to her, and later Hekate, that Iris of the Moon was put on the map.

Today, Iris of the Moon is here to bring back the lost stories and legends that inspired paintings and temples.

Every fragrance we create is an offering. A scent that honors the hero and god within you. With Iris of the Moon, we seek to reclaim that spirit, inviting you to enter a sacred space where every detail is thoughtfully designed as an act of empowerment.

Our oils are handcrafted and offered as bridges to the gods within us. This is an invitation to step beyond the role of reader, and instead, to become the main character of the story you've always wanted to experience.

To be a patron of Iris of the Moon is to choose yourself, to walk the hero's journey, and to help shape a world where your story is not just a footnote, but a legend worth retelling over and over.