What does it mean to be present?
To truly appreciate the here and now, and find moments of stillness amid the humdrum of day-to-day normality?
For Jess Carle, savouring the present has led to an altogether simpler way of life, which saw her give up living in the city in favour of a more sedate pace in an Aberdeenshire village.
Swapping Friday night drinks for matcha tea and early rises has enabled Jess, 32, to carve out a life she loves.
A more relaxed approach hasn’t meant saying goodbye to success, and Jess actually balances working in recruitment with running her own hugely successful skincare business, Solasta Skin.
Indeed you’ll probably know Jess as the face behind the popular brand, which has evolved from offering vegan body scrubs to luscious body oils – beloved by makeup artists to help create a glowing bridal look.
She’s also teaching yoga in Kemnay, where she now lives with her husband and collection of animals, including Sheriff the boxer and a gaggle of eccentric chickens.
We caught up with Jess and found out how wellness is at the heart of everything she does.
Deciding to slow down
“I think there has been a huge shift that came about as a result of the pandemic, especially with people working remotely,” said Jess.
“Without all the commuting, people found they could have a slower lifestyle.
“I have always been passionate about self-care and wellbeing, I am a big believer in taking time for yourself.”
Jess first started to make changes to her lifestyle during a stint living in Abu Dhabi, where she gained a following as one of the few vegan skincare bloggers.
“It was a bit of a crazy time, Lush flew me to London which was brilliant,” said Jess.
But after sampling many a natural skincare product, she realised she could make just as good, if not better products herself.
“I got my diploma in organic skincare formulation, and started making vegan versions of products such as coffee scrubs and face oils,” said Jess.
Solasta Skin stocked at home and abroad
Her own skincare brand, Solasta Skin, went on to be featured in the likes of Tattler and Glamour magazine, and Jess now has roughly 30 stockists UK-wide, and is also stocked in a health shop in Florida.
“I still find it amazing that something made right here in Kemany is getting sold in Florida,” said Jess.
“It’s terrifying when you put your craft out there into the world, but I went into this with no expectations.”
Outside of business, Jess first got into yoga as a means to improve her mental health.
“I was still living in Abu Dhabi when I went to my first yoga class, at the time I had pretty bad anxiety and a friend suggested I try it,” she said.
“I’m not very flexible and I can’t do handstands, but the calm I felt was like nothing I have ever experienced.
“I think I was crying and I remember thinking to myself, I don’t know what this is but I want to feel it again.”
Jess then spent time in Thailand and completed her 200 hours of yoga, before returning to Aberdeen just before the pandemic hit.
Making lifestyle changes
“It was a time in my life when I had a lot of decisions to make, and I needed clarity,” she said.
“When I look back, it was this time which was transitional.
“I was living in the city centre at the time, but I’ve always loved nature having grown up in Deeside.
“When I met my now husband, we just aligned and decided to move out to the countryside.
“Nature is good for the soul, this is a quiet place where I can cultivate stillness.”
Jess makes sure to get outside most days, made easier by the need to tend her flock of chickens, which include Henneth Paltrow, and burn off some
energy with Sheriff the boxer.
“We say he is the sheriff of our ranch,” said Jess.
“I always wake up naturally and get up quite early with the sun. I have a glass of water then feed the animals, before having a matcha latte.
“I try to take 30 minutes to an hour for meditating and journaling.
“It’s a very slow but powerful start, which sets the tone for the day.
“Being present means I can experience more, and find beauty in the small things that we normally take for granted.
“Instead of rushing around, taking the time to mindfully enjoy my matcha in the morning means to feel the warmth in my hands and savour every sip.
Mindfulness matters
“There’s this quote, ‘I am too busy for meditation, well that’s why you need to meditate’.
“The people who are the busiest need the stillness the most, even if you can take three minutes just to breathe deeply.
“Shower meditation is a beautiful practice, it’s about stealing little moments.”
Jess now runs various classes, including detox and meditation for beginners, alongside self-love yoga and manifesting.
“My life has done a complete 360, and I’ve never felt such peace,” she said.
“I used to go out a lot, I was out every weekend. But deep down, I probably wasn’t very happy.
“The life I have created here has a lot more substance and a lot more peace, fun looks a little bit different these days.”
Find out more about Solasta Skincare on their website or Instagram.
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