Jamie Sabot, Owner & Founder of Grounded Sage (formerly known as Batty’s Bath), reached out to us via Instagram a few weeks ago to introduce herself and her brand. Since then we’ve been smitten with both her and her clean and Leaping Bunny Certified cruelty-free skincare & cosmetics line.
Aside from being a beauty curator and brand owner, Jamie is an avid animal lover. Her caring heart and beautiful product line left us wanting to know more about Grounded Sage, a small women-run company out of Ontario, Canada.
Below you’ll find an interview we’ve conducted recently with Jamie.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hello! My name is Jamie, and I live in rural southwestern Ontario, Canada, surrounded by farm fields and wide-open skies. I’m an autumn soul, an animal lover, feel most at home surrounded by nature (whether that’s walking in the woods, working in the garden, or counting shooting stars). For the astrology lovers in the crowd, I’m a Taurus moon and sun, and my rising sign is Pisces.
I’m a bit of a book nerd, and a sponge for knowledge – continuing education (whether in a classroom or the school of life) is my jam. I’ve completed several rounds of traditional post-secondary education, including the Veterinary Medical Office Administration program at Ridgetown College and received a Bachelor Degree in Psychology from Brescia University.
How did the idea for your business come about?
Interestingly, several of my products came before the leap into becoming a business owner ever did. I developed my first products to care for my skin in a way that put wellness and nourishment at the forefront. I was struggling with chronic acne and had become thoroughly disenchanted with the beauty industry after so many broken promises. You can read the full story about my transformation from feeling defeated to a place where I was empowered and thriving here.
How did you choose your brand name?
This is a fun question for me to answer because just this year, after ten years in business, I changed the name of my brand! The old name had been picked simply to be a “placeholder” when I realized I needed something to call my Etsy shop (the first place I ever sold my products). That placeholder name was still around ten years later, so it was time to finally let the brand “grow up” into a name that suited it.
The name “Grounded Sage” came about for a couple of reasons. The first part, Grounded, speaks to our down-to-earth, gimmick-free, comfy-cozy approach. The second part, Sage, represents the natural, apothecary rooted, herbal foundation of our products as well as the “sage wisdom” and educational component to the brand. The combination of the two parts, Grounded + Sage, encompasses the comfortable, approachable, judgment-free, education-rich community that is at the core of Grounded Sage. Our clients find kinship with each other, learn from each other’s skin stories, move towards greater health and wellbeing together.
What type of products do you create?
We handcraft gentle, peace of mind skincare products for earthy, heart-centered individuals who want to contribute to a kinder world.
The primary focus of our core line of products is facial skincare (cleansers, toners, moisturizers, masks, mineral makeup, scrubs, serums), with a smaller body care line, a signature soap bar line, and just recently, our hair care line has made a come back (it was one of our most popular product lines, but we had put it on the back burner to focus on the facial care needs of our clients). Now, the hair care, as well as a special two-in-one body hydrator & after sun care product are back to raise money for Lily’s Place Animal Sanctuary.
How do you select which ingredients to use? Is there anything in particular you avoid?
Ingredients that “make the cut” go through a lot of filters before I formulate with them. For example, they need to be cruelty-free, nature-based, effective and provide at least one benefit to the skin. This means that “filler” and “bulking” ingredients don’t end up in Grounded Sage products because I want every ingredient to be “pulling it’s weight” so to speak – I don’t need fluff or filler in my skincare – I meet the “fluff” quota in my life by indulging in guilty-pleasure nonfiction books. 🙂
How do you select the colors and packaging for your products? Do you pull inspiration from anywhere?
When it came to the visual of the brand, I wanted to convey that we’re down-to-earth, deep and rooted in nature. We’re a brand that focuses on the hearty essentials, and not the next fad. I also wanted the brand visuals to feel cozy, comforting, and feel like a place you could sit, relax, and rest.
To me, all the feelings, visuals, and emotions I wanted the brand to convey are instinctively tied to autumn. During the fall, we’re invited to embrace harvest time, homebody hobbies, a delicious cup of creamy coffee, watch as the leaves begin to change to beautiful golds, yellows, and reds. We also get a break from the summer heat as crisp breezes fill the air along with the earthy, spicy smells of the season.
My “autumn-soul” definitely took the lead in providing direction for the visuals of Grounded Sage Skincare, while still remembering that the brand needed to convey its message year-round.
What was the first product you created? Are you currently still making it?
To be honest, I was dabbling with all sorts of skincare products and soap making as a hobby before the business, so I can’t say for sure what the first product I created was – likely cold press soap bars. But there are a few products that have been in the lineup since the beginning, that I’m still making today (and continue to be best sellers). They include:
– Patchouli Facial Moisturizer
– Buttercream Body Butter
– Patchouli & Grapefruit Facial Soap
– Hydra Healing Skin Rescue Gel
– Activated Charcoal Soap
– Mineral Makeup Foundation
Do you have a favorite product?
That’s a tough question – it’s like asking me which one of the dogs in our pack of rescues is my favorite haha. So instead of singling out one, I’ll tell you that right now, my daily morning skincare routine consists of :
– Green Tea & Pineapple Facial Cleanser
– Vitamin C Serum with Probiotics
– Cucumber Refresh Facial Moisturizer
– Natural mineral-based sunscreen
Why is being cruelty-free (not testing on animals) important to you?
I’m a huge animal lover and actively look for ways to make this world kinder and safer for the animals in it. I spent several years working for an animal charity and welfare organization. During that time, I saw first hand how devastating, and scary the world can be for our furry, feathered, and “hooved” friends. As an INFJ (otherwise known as the “Advocate” personality), it’s in my make-up to stand up for causes I believe in and take an active role in speaking for those who can’t speak for themselves. Being a cruelty-free brand is just one small way to do that.
Do you offer any vegan-friendly products?
Absolutely! Of the 88 products that are currently in our lineup, all but 83 are vegan (which means over 97% of our product line up is vegan-friendly).
The five products in our line up that aren’t vegan have beeswax or honey in them. Beeswax and honey are the only “animal byproducts” you’ll find on Grounded Sage Products. I didn’t decide to include beeswax and honey lightly. While they are fantastic for the skin, these ingredients “made the cut” to be included in a few select products because they support long-term environmental sustainability and ethical ingredient sourcing.
Does your brand use sustainable/eco-friendly packaging?
Absolutely! We’re always committed to improve and “do better” by working towards greater sustainability, a lighter footprint, and a kinder world.
Currently, we have a lot of initiatives in place for greater sustainability and a lighter footprint, as well as initiatives for working towards a kinder world.
We have a lot going on when it comes to sustainability and eco-friendly packaging (perhaps too much to describe fully here). Feel free to see our list of eco-friendly packaging, sustainable practices, and kindness initiatives in the “our impact” section of our about page here.
Do you have any new products or exciting updates in the pipeline?
Oh yes! There’s always something exciting happening. Right now, the most noteworthy things are:
– The comeback of our best selling natural hair care line.
– The founding of the animal sanctuary.
– The release of a new lightweight facial moisturizer called Cucumber Refresh.
– The release of “Aloe-ver” – an after sun care product (that doubles as a body hydrator which will be pure bliss during the winter months too).
– We’ve started hosting online workshops again (as requested by our community). So far, our workshop lineup includes “Piecing Together Your Skincare Puzzle: Skincare Routine Building Workshop” and “The Green Makeup Bag: A guided workshop on finding cosmetics that align with your skincare goals”.
– We recently launched the Grounded Sage Podcast where we have great conversations about skincare, self-care, and wellness.
Grounded Sage Discount
Save $5 off your first order of $30 USD or more using our referral link.
Read our Grounded Sage Reviews
We will have full reviews of the Grounded Sage products we’ve tried soon! Stay tuned!
Disclaimer: May contain affiliate links. This post is not sponsored. Nothing stated above should be used in lieu of professional medical advice. All images are the property of Jamie Sabot.
