NEW ORLEANS – The concept of a crystal-charged water bottle came to Sharon Leslie during a dream several years ago. But today it serves as the bedrock of a national business now offering early holiday shoppers a new, equally avant-garde item.
“I started obsessing over how to make that product a reality,” said Leslie, a native New Orleanian who currently lives on the West Coast.
In 2015 she co-founded Glacce, a “luxury-spiritual” lifestyle brand, with her childhood best friend – fellow New Orleanian, Julia Schoen. The company is best known for its alluring, Instagram-worthy water bottles. Each vessel is made of glass and stainless steel, and contains a glistening, removable quartz crystal.
According to Schoen, placing a quartz crystal into water creates a crystal elixir.
“A crystal elixir is basically the best way to absorb the crystal’s energy,” said Schoen, adding how water has “a consciousness,” which can be influenced by “kind affirmations” and crystals. “If you set an intention into your crystal, you will program your water, and then you absorb it by drinking from your water bottle.”
Because the water bottle is “durable but fragile,” it brings “you into the present while you’re drinking water, which is a really magical experience,” said Schoen.
Their product has been featured by numerous national health and wellness media outlets, and also endorsed by Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand, Goop.
Building on their recent success, Glacce is now launching an at-home mixology kit, developed through a partnership with Mezcal Creyente, and “designed to harness the energy of crystals in the cocktail-making experience.”
The limited-edition set, which is available for pre-order at glacce.com, contains two hand-blown drinking glasses, one mixing glass, and one stir rod. Each piece is carefully infused with clear quartz crystals and crafted by Ben Dombey, a local artist known as Glassblower Ben.
“We wanted to create a product that allowed you to easily charge your cocktails with crystal energy and be very intentional about your drinking process, and then also honor the craft and traditions of mezcal,” said Schoen.
“I love that we’ve been learning through this project the rituals that go into mezcal, because I’m such a ritual person. We both are,” said Leslie. “I’m not drinking to get wasted; I’m drinking to have a really beautiful experience with my friends and my family.”
Although pretty, the mixology kit is pricey at $499.
“It’s intended to be a holiday gift product,” said Schoen, acknowledging the cost. “We wanted to maintain that high quality aspect of everything, so we just went with the best of the best on this.”
Aside from launching the at-home mixology kit, Glacce is developing a few different projects, which include collaborations with other companies.
“When we partner with other brands, it’s because we really resonate with the brands that we’re working with, and we share similar values and similar missions,” said Schoen. “We love working together with people because it allows us to do what we do best and share that with new markets.”
The Glacce co-founders bounce between New Orleans and Los Angeles, but they say the Big Easy has beget an enduring influence on their brand.
“Growing up in New Orleans, we had a slightly alternative upbringing and were introduced to the world of mysticism and crystals, very early on, by my dad. The city itself is full of magic, energy and spirit. And so, we grew up in this really magical world,” said Schoen, recalling how she and Leslie dressed up as witches and concocted “potions” in their tree house. “That has stuck with us through our adulthood, and through all of the subsequent cities that we’ve lived in.”
