Before she began harvesting petals in her backyard to create Lunairia, her handcrafted line of botanical remedy sprays, Amber Scinto was an art director, digital editor and creative vision behind many pages of this and other Moffly Media publications.
After a mindful career pivot five years ago, the talented graphic designer planted her professional roots at home in Fairfield. She launched Mariposa Creative Co., her design business, became a certified master of Reiki energy healing and began spending more time on her lush, tranquil property in the woodsy Greenfield Hill section.
That’s how the seeds of Lunairia took root. Amber’s earthy sprays are now available online and selling well at the Hush wellness studio in Greenwich, Elements 50 in Fairfield and Pious Bird in Bridgeport’s Black Rock.
We visited the budding entrepreneur at home to talk about Lunairia’s exciting year of growth.
GM: We’re sitting here with this wonderful view of your flower garden. Was this the inspiration for Lunairia?
Amber Scinto: In some ways, it was. Everything in the line is made with flower essences grown right here on the property. They can be from the garden, or something wild I discovered that just took root on its own.
GM: How did you realize the flowers could become the basis of healing?
AS: It began while I was starting my graphic design business. I wanted to find something creative. I had spent fifteen years behind the computer, and as much as I love my work—and I do love it—I wanted to do something that was creative and got me away from my desk.
I actually had experience with flower essences. I first started to do this with my grandmother when I was a little girl. She used to have these small antique perfume bottles. She would say ‘Let’s get some flowers, put these in the bottles and put them in the sun.’ I didn’t realize it, but we were making flower essences then.
I started making and bottling them and had this whole apothecary going. But it wasn’t until I became a Reiki master that I realized this was something I could use in my practice and share with others.
GM: For those who are unfamiliar, can you explain how botanical remedies are used?
AS: Floral essences have been recognized and widely used by healers going back to the 1930s. There was a traditional doctor [British Physician and homeopath] Dr. Edmund Bach, who developed a line of floral essences to treat his patients, and he had a lot of success with it. But there’s evidence of their use in medicine and healing going back to the 12th century. In this country, we’re a little more conservative, but in other parts of the world they’ve been used in hospitals and trauma wards. They have even been used to treat injured soldiers in Ukraine.
ABOVE: A few of the beauties in Amber’s garden: Calendula, Echinacea, Angelica, Dahlia
GM: And the creative process. What goes into that?
AS: It’s all kind of intuitive. I’m one of those people who’s always talking to my flowers. I go near plants sometimes and just feel they are not ready. But when I do think they are ready, I pick a few flowers, just a few petals, I put them in pure spring water. And I bottle them up. Then there’s a distillation process that takes some time. I have a whole apothecary. I add crystals that correspond with certain chakras and the essential oil, which is where a lot of the fragrance of the essence comes from. The flower essence itself is the energetic imprint. That’s where the energy and potency come from and what we’re tapping into when we use them. The power really comes more from the plant energy than the scent.
GM: They do smell great. Are these something you can spritz on your pulse points like perfume?
AS: You could if you want to, but that’s not really the intention. I have had people tell me I should make the scents even stronger, because they love how they smell and want to wear them, but the idea behind a floral essence is not really to scent your body. It’s to help you set intentions and connect to your well-being.
GM: So how do you hope your customers will use them?
AS: I tell people to just spray them in the air around them, breathe them in and try to set an intention for the moment or the day. They can be great when you’re setting aside some time to de-stress and relax, like you might with a cup of tea. It’s not something that works the way a Tylenol does when you have a headache. You can’t just spray and feel better or make something happen. I describe it more like a tap on the shoulder. It’s subtle, but effective. The essence is offering us some energy to help us achieve something we’re striving for. We’re all kind of stuck on the hamster wheel of life, and these give us permission to say: “This is what I’m going to focus on today.”
GM: And how do you choose a spray?
AS: It can be based on what you need in the moment and what you’re looking for to help you accomplish it. For example, Rooted is a spray that’s created to support focus. So, if you need energy and motivation, that can be a good one for you. But I also tell people that if you are drawn to a certain spray, it may be what you need, sometimes even if you don’t realize it.
GM: With your graphic design background, did you create the whole look of the brand?
AS: I did everything. I created the labels, the boxes, the website. It was a solo endeavor. When I started, all I did was post on my Instagram, and the next week, I got calls from the people at Element 50 and Pious Bird asking to have them in their stores. And they are selling really well. I’m restocking every few weeks.
And then I got into Hush with the help of a friend. She brought them into an appointment and was spraying them, and the owner said, “What is that? We have to have them here.” And then we were there, too!
The people who come into the studio buy them, but a lot of the practitioners are also buying them to use with their clients. And I love that they are doing wellness work and find them helpful in their practice. It’s wonderful validation for what I’m doing. A lot of work went into it, but then it’s taken off organically
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Fresh Picks
Amber Scinto chooses petals to distill for her Lunairia botanical remedy sprays by pairing the energetic qualities associated with specific plants and flowers and the seven chakras (or energy centers) in our bodies.
Joyful
Infused with buds of Pink Yarrow, Marshmallow, Nicotiana and Wild Rose, this botanical infusion is used to open the heart chakra. While it’s probably not going to make an online date go any better (or worse), Amber says the essence can help soften the heart and encourage more loving kindness toward others. “It’s not just about romantic love,” she explains. “I like to use it for people who are working on self-love and acceptance.”
Rooted
This popular scent (one of our favorites during a spritz-and-sniff session with Amber) is focused on harnessing positive energy. It’s brimming with Red Clover, Dandelion, the aptly named Self Heal (yes, a plant) and Lady’s Mantle. “It’s great to help with motivation and just setting that intention to get something done,” says Amber. “It’s telling us to stay present and be in the moment.”
If your goal is to be a better listener, give it a try.
Radiant
This nurturing spritz combines the healing energies of St. John’s Wort, Lemon Balm, Blackberry, Chamomile and Nasturtium to spark confidence and let your solar plexus chakra shine a little brighter. The light but perky citrus blend can even help folks struggling with imposter syndrome, decision-making and the challenge of breaking bad habits, says Amber.
“It’s great for anyone trying to step out of their comfort zone.”
You can also buy the whole garden. The Chakra Mist sampler includes all seven handcrafted sprays along with chakra cards explaining their purpose. The giftable set comes boxed with a selenite wand for aura cleansing and a stick of palo santo, a sacred wood that can be lit to invite positivity into any space.
For more information or to buy the products online, visit lunairia.com.