Living With Philosophical Direction - About The 7 Virtues

“Your character is your destiny, and it costs nothing to build your character.” - Barb Stegemann

In 2010 on International Women’s Day, founder Barb Stegemann launched her perfume company, The 7 Virtues, out of her garage on her Visa card. With perseverance and hard work, these ethically-sourced perfumes would become very successful — we are now one of the top-selling clean perfumes in Sephora U.S. and Canada. 

Anyone who has met Barb knows she is an inspirational figure in the beauty industry — her authenticity and ambition is unmatched. Her secret: She follows the philosophies in her self-published book, “The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen.”

The thesis in the inspirational book is what brought our company to life. The seven virtues – Wonder, Balance, Truth, Courage, Justice, Wisdom, and Beauty – act as an everyday guiding compass for our Canadian indie brand. They’re embedded in our brand’s DNA, and act as supportive pillars as we continue to grow.

Some of these virtues have been used by notable historical world leaders, while others were added specifically because “The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen” was written for women. As a whole, this group of virtues will help you live with philosophical direction, achieving what the stoics referred to as “the good life.” Discover them, below.

• WONDER: The virtue that relates to new beginnings. It’s crucial to wonder, rather than to doubt or judge.
• BALANCE: A Philosopher Queen is rational under any circumstance. Rational thinking is the key to keeping everything — from money matters to work/life harmony — in check.
• TRUTH: Powerful self questioning will transform you into a true leader; someone who can easily take action and also inspire others.
• COURAGE: Alongside wonder, courage is the driving force for all Philosopher Queens. Life is pretty dull unless we step out of our comfort zones, and it leads us to achieve greatness.
• JUSTICE: Justice builds on courage, and is all about taking action in your community to impact social justice and stand up for what is right. We have more power than we realize to reverse the ills of society.
• WISDOM: Learning is the greatest gift. A Philosopher Queen understands they need to overcome their ego so that they never lose their desire to master new skills.
• BEAUTY: For the Philosopher Queen, beauty is about valuing your authentic, internal self. Renaissance artist Michelangelo believed that you should never place form over expression.

The idea is that in recognizing her power and natural leadership, the Philosopher Queen will advance herself personally and professionally. She will also have a profound impact on society as she uses her gifts for good.

For Barb, abiding by the thesis of her book made it possible to create a brand that values ethical sourcing and conscious consumerism. Our social enterprise sources natural, organic, and fair-trade essential oils from countries affected by war or strife. In doing so, we support farmers in these regions, promote peace, and empower women.

Just as in a proven scientific formula, the seven virtues that make up our brand DNA share universal properties that can be captured and lived by each one of us, no matter where we are on our own journeys.