Meet the Maker: Rowan Beg

Rowan Beg takes its name from the family farm where Nicola McGuiness grew up and is now raising her own children. Her first candle was created at the kitchen table in homage to her Grandfather, Mikey Coyne, who Nicola declares to be the first love of her life. Her more modern take on this, Tobacco & Black Pepper, is still among her best selling scents. 

Like many of our suppliers, having lived away and worked in the corporate world for many years Nicola moved home and started a business that’s taken the experience gained abroad and combined it with her roots, to develop a sustainable base that gives her the opportunity to raise her children close to her family and give something back to her local community. This is reflected in the two ranges of Rowan Beg products - Urban and Connemara. 

The New Connemara range really speaks to her love of home and her surroundings by the wild Atlantic. In what’s referred to as the ‘Proust effect’, scent is known to trigger memory but even without smelling them with names like Ancient Forest, Summer Meadow, Atlantic Storm & Mountain Heather Nicola has evoked the land of her childhood. The shape of the diffuser pot is reminiscent of the brown salt glazed vases you’d traditionally find in most Irish homes, and the addition of beautiful and very sustainable tapioca flowers adds a delicateness to the overall effect of the diffuser that is an absolute delight. 

In honouring this land she’s also taken into consideration the impact she has on it, ensuring all her products are as environmentally sound as possible. Each element is recyclable or reusable, there are no single use plastics in her products, and they are sourced and made as locally as possible. 

This commitment to sustainability is also carried through to her Urban range of scents. A far more modern palate of fragrances, they add an air of sophistication to any room with intriguing combinations like Honey & Bergamot, Pineapple & Ginger, Tobacco & Black Pepper and Lemongrass & Coconut, that evokes travel and adventure. The scents themselves are contained in the same sustainable glass jars and displayed in a very architectural, minimalist concrete stand. 

The choice of similar materials over the two ranges, while nodding to both aspects of her life, really give a sense of cohesion to her collection. We’re delighted to have a selection from both irish diffuser ranges in the shop. 

Here is a little video all about Nicola and Rowan Beg.