We opened Beardsgaard in September of 2014 with but a few product lines on our shelves. We grew our offerings organically, ordering up at every opportunity, but from the early days, we had a burning desire to create products that fit our exact specifications.
And so, in September of 2015, River Peak Apothecary was born, with a litter of five beard oils. Now, what was a good-smelling lump of raw ore has been polished until it shines.
See the new face of the Apothecary.
When we began our product line, we wanted to first create beard oils that lasted for the long haul, made for the sort of beastly beards we specialize in. We wanted them to have scents that spoke to nature and the seasons, that evoked a memory, a place in time and in the world instead of simply smelling good. Although our oils do that too.
We have since added other products to the River Peak ranks (with loads more to come this year), but when we first made the beard oils, the packaging was very DIY. While we liked the basic look, and especially Brian Busch’s artwork for the packaging, our original labels weren’t as polished as we wanted, and, on a personal note, were ridiculously floppy to apply.
While the clear frosted bottles we use are a unique and beautiful choice, we wanted to do a better job of protecting the precious essential oils inside for those who don’t go through their oils at the same clip the heavy users do. Also to protect the bottles in shipping, because we do a heck of a lot of that lately.
Our new design marks the first time Blademaiden made conscious design choices instead of simply, “oh, that looks good!” She is not a designer or artist in any way, but she does have a deep and abiding love of the Adobe CC suite and makes do.
On first blush, the design is sparse, with just a touch of color in the logo on the front and tops of the boxes. But as you pick it up and begin turning it to peek at the sides and bottom, the colorful worlds of Dragonsea and Hearthstone and Frostwood open up before you.
Open the box. And what’s this? Inside the flap is a quote from the mythology behind each of the products, because we don’t know when enough is enough, apparently. And as you unfold the inner flaps, you unfold more of the story until the world inside the box reveals itself.
We were also meticulous in choosing the material of the boxes themselves. The paper is the suede of papers, rich and luxurious as the oils inside. The labels on the bottles are simple and clean for an overall look that is both spare and full of life, depending on how you look at it.
Because of the extra protection in the form of boxes, the price of our oils has now increased slightly, but we do still have a few bottles left with the previous labels.
We want those bottles to find good homes, and because:
- The majority of those bottles are the springier-smelling oils (Fjordmist and Spiritbrook)
- The season is seemingly upon us:
- You can get your original bottles in shop or online for a mere $20 ($6 off!) with the secret codes found in this post on the RPA Blog.
Hurry, we don’t have many left, and this offer is only while supplies last.
Spring Sample Party