We recently had the chance to connect with Lacey Walker and have shared our conversation below.
Lacey, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
My family. Remembering to stay present in the moment. Not let the awful things happening in the world rob me from taking a deep breath, and appreciating what I have, and truly experiencing it. Not letting the ugliness of humans stop me from being a good person.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello! My name is Lacey Walker, and I am the creator of Seance Perfumes.
I have always had an obsession with scent. It started in my late teens, when I would go to Venice Beach in Los Angeles (a known beach trail with lots of small vendors, and a hippy vagabond vibe.) I discovered perfumes oils one day while shopping for incense.
Once experiencing perfume oils, as opposed to tradition sprays, I was converted and hooked. The levels of a scent were completely elevated, and lasted longer. I was also so prone to migraines that traditional spray perfumes were being harder to wear.
And even harder to find unique or dark scents.
From my teens on, I started collecting perfume oils from everywhere and storing them in a tub. I would mix and match – layering different scents on each other to make one that felt right for me.
It dawned on me years later that I may have a natural instinct just from my love of scent.
It was near impossible to find anything unique, or dark. Most scents focused on fruits and sweet florals. I wanted dark and mysterious. I want incense and resin scents.
I also loved the link between the brains memories and scent. I loved how powerful it could be. Taking you back to a time in your life. So then I thought…. I want to create a story in a bottle. So when you smell it, you can see the environment and picture I am capturing with scents.
I would ask myself… What would a fresh grave smell like? I could close my eyes and see the wooden coffin, the upturned earth, the florals around it. So Dearly Departed was born. Fresh Floral Bouquet, Dirt, Grass, Roses.
Or What would an elegant ghost that haunts a Parlor smell like?
Or, let’s make a spray that transports you to a Victorian Haunted House.
Each perfume I make comes with its own unique story, Written beautifully, and meant to add to that Story in a bottle. I didn’t just want to make an amazing perfume… I wanted to create a story based on history, ghosts, lore in a bottle… This is one of my favorite parts of the line, and truly what makes it so unique.
Being a history buff, I always incorporate history and macabre facts or lore into each theme.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
When I was in my late teens and early 20’s I lived a life of a lot of destruction. I rebelled against anything I could. The system, the way the world worked, the hatred in people, beauty standards… you name it. I was a goth/punk who wanted to stand up to what I knew the world projected onto me.
I was covered in tattoos (I am about 75% tattooed.) And I knew I was going to be judged. So I leaned into that rebellion- painting myself more colorful. This was a combination of wanting to do the opposite of what was ‘expected’ or ‘normal’ and show the world that a person could look like me but break the mold of their judgements.
I had a traumatic childhood, and before I was an adult and developed the right tools – I used my anger and hurt to propel me, to fuel positive changes in the world.
If you saw me, many would/did assume I served time in prison, or was a complete waste to society (or at least 20 some years ago you would.)
I wanted to use the things that made me so different to create something that was unique in itself. In whatever I did. I wanted something the underdogs, misfits, weirdos, and ANY person could connect to in new ways.
I used the very things that made me so weird to create things I loved, and many others loved but never got their representation.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
At the time, being Alternative, tattooed, and defying beauty standards as a woman was not common.
Being the stubborn and ambitious person I am- I wanted to use that to do something different. To prove to people they were wrong about me. And maybe to prove to myself…
I bought my first business at 23. I was young and dumb, and had no idea what I was doing. But I knew I could.
I was a hairstylist, and then a new salon owner. Even then, I wanted to create something alternative that challenged the social norms. So my salon was very alternative. We were known as the ‘tattooed’ ladies in the salon world.
My salon quickly became successful.
This poured more fuel on the fire that I could do the whole ‘business’ thing. And I could do it differently and represent others like me.
in 2020 an awful pandemic hit the world. I was one of the unlucky (and lucky) ones who got incredibly ill. I survived, when many didn’t. But it left me permanently disabled. Very extremely so.
So I had to sell my Salon after 20 years. This gave me the chance to funnel all my energy into seance, instead of splitting its needs with the many other hats and businesses I was juggling.
perfumes were no different than most things where its so hard to find something unique. Something that isn’t owned by a massive company just using Alt culture because it’s trending. It was also so rare to find scents that told a story. Captured an essence.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
The Brain! After my salon, I started a business working as a psychic/medium. I had always had very strong intuition. I started to tap into that, trying to understand and strengthen my strange ‘gift.’ I quickly became known as ‘The Psychic Hairdresser.’
This was a struggle for me because I am very logically thinking- as well as very science minded. Nothing of what I could do made sense.
The fact that I knew things about strangers that were personal things there was no way I could know… Or even being able to connect with someone who passed… It sounded outlandish. It sounded like I was mentally unwell when I said it out loud.
But as time went on, and I practiced, I got really good. So I stopped questioning it all.
I have my theories based on science as to why these things can happen, or why I can do it, but in the end– it’s all so unknown.
This obviously became a huge influence for the line Seance. Based all on the fascination of the paranormal, the unexplained, and the lore. And what better era than the Victorian one for that?
The brains Link of scent and memory also played into this.
It made sense to combine these passions I had.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I think I have a truly deep understanding for compassion. Being on each end of the spectrum at times in my life. Poor, wealthy. Sick, healthy. Happy, depressed. I can related to anyone, or at least find a way to connect with anyone.
I guess being intuitive comes hand in hand with being empathetic. And Empathy is something I have way too much of.
I realized at a young age that so many people just wanted to feel seen in life.
I realized kindness was the greatest superpower every person has… and the more you use it, the better an impact you leave– on EVERYTHING you do.
No matter how much my salon grew… and now Seance… It would always be run with kindness. I would always respond to people as an actual person… not some pull string business response. Being genuinely authentic (even as a weirdo) was important to me.
Dont take life or yourself too seriously.
And no matter who you are.. A Billionaire… Johnny Depp… The Pope… everyone shits. Meaning, we are all just human experiencing this thing called life.
I think this has always separated my businesses from the start. Not just the passion and talent… But the idea that human connection was so important. Not taking life or myself so seriously. Always being available as an authentic person. I wont pretend. I wont play the game.
I will build on whatever I do with knowing I’m doing it as a good person, with transparency and passion.
And much like the victorians reflected on, my line reflects on, my youth, and my dance with death in 2020 that morphed me into a completely different person… Memento Mori. Remember you will die. So make what you have the best you can.
And if you can come back as a ghost… That would be pretty cool. If you know, youre not throwing cups and plates out of cupboards, maybe you can be haunting a luxurious victorian parlor room.
Whatever you do.. Do it with passion, authenticity, and kindness.
And when you get thrown off the horse… always get back on.
