About
Contrary to popular belief, Urban Venus hasn’t always been serving up spa treats to celebrity clients! From the humble beginnings of a small Calgary kitchen, Urban Venus products have grown to become a staple in the makeup bags of celebrities such as Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette, and Avril Lavigne. Before they had a production warehouse and international clients, Rachel and Mark were just your average couple with a very big dream.
Urban Venus has its roots in the kitchen of Rachel. Rachel, an entrepreneur by nature, had the vision of launching an exciting line of bath products. Recruiting the help of her husband, the duo with a mission began experimenting with their now signature first product - the Bath Bomb [link]. Their home quickly turned into a production facility, with the kitchen acting as a laboratory, and the bathtub a testing ground. Determined to create the best bath bomb on the market, the pair perfected the tiny ball of salts and oils that would catapult them to success.
Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty, is the namesake of the Urban Venus line. Determined to redefine the beauty market, Urban Venus Giftware Inc. was born in 1996, quickly becoming a well-known name at local trade shows and festivals. With steadfast determination, Rachel landed Urban Venus’ first retail client - Nordstrom’s. The US-based retail giant created a demand which could not be met by Rachel’s kitchen, prompting Urban Venus to move to a full sized warehouse. Shortly afterwards, the company received exposure in magazines such as Mademoiselle, Chatelaine, Wedding Bells, and Bon Appetite.
“I was thrilled with out product line and with the success of Venus Giftware,” says Rachel. “But after realizing how much people enjoyed using Urban Venus products at home, I thought it would be great to create a more immersive experience. And, since our products are unique to the market, I knew we needed a PLACE that was unique in itself - a place where friends and individuals alike could come and indulge in incredible spa services, but with a little less “herbal tea” and a lot more “martini”!
And so came the second rebirth of the Urban Venus brand! The first Urban Venus Beauty Bar opened its doors in the summer of 2003, promising to be Calgary’s ‘hippest’ nail salon. Urban Venus’ Beauty Bars are a place where you can drop your yoga gear on the spot, or make a party booking for a fabulously fancy get together. No matter your purpose, we have the most fantastic spa experience with treatments to help you discover your inner Venus.
Philosophy
We create an extraordinary spa experience for all our guests – one that is incredibly comfortable, surprisingly memorable and exceeds the expectations of today’s cosmopolitan woman.
Community
Urban Venus supports TELUS Spark, The New Science. In the past, Urban Venus organized a yearly run called the "Urban Venus Deliciously Sweet Run" where all of the donations raised at the event will go toward TELUS Spark’s Community Connections Program. Through this program, TELUS Spark gave Lending Membership to vital non-profit, charitable organizations and agencies in Calgary, who most need a subsidized access option. Sponsors and participants in the Deliciously Sweet Run helped to support families who lacked the opportunity to experience TELUS Spark, thereby giving these families the chance to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math in an exciting and diverse environment.
“The Lending Pass allowed me and my four children and my husband to go to TELUS Spark for the first time. The girls begged me to go back the following day, which we gladly did.”
- Community Connections Program Participant