When Barb Stegemann’s best friend was wounded in Afghanistan, she made a promise—to carry on his mission of peace. Her path didn’t lead through politics or the military, but through an unexpected vehicle: perfume. With that, The 7 Virtues was born, a clean fragrance brand that sources ethically from post-conflict zones and turns everyday purchases into acts of peacebuilding.

For Stegemann, fragrance isn’t just about smelling good—it’s about shifting power. “Women hold 80% of household buying power,” she says. “That’s not a stat, it’s a force.” And with bestselling scents like Vanilla Woods and Clementine Dream now at Sephora stores worldwide, her message is clear: beauty can be a form of activism.

In this conversation, Barb shares how each fragrance tells a deeper story, how she’s using business as a tool for change, and why peace smells a lot like purpose.

Living Well with Barb Stegemannk, Founder of The 7 Virtues

You began by asking, “What if we could use perfume to rebuild nations?”—a radical idea at the time. How has your understanding of what it means to “build peace through beauty” evolved since then? I promised my best friend in the hospital I would carry on his mission of peace. He was severely wounded serving in Afghanistan. I realized as a woman I didn’t have a way to touch peace. By that I mean that due to the patriarchy we are not in the numbers we deserve to be in leadership, as world leaders. I felt like we as women needed to harness our power in a new way by owning our buying power (80 per cent of household decisions are made by women – that’s a lot of power). We own the voting power, if we held hands and voted in the same direction, entire governments would rise or fall because of our collective vote.  I wanted to shift away from the old way of thinking and empower women to harness our voting and buying power to “touch peace” in new ways. 

At a speech in Vancouver, the Dalai Lama said in that it will be North American women who will bring world peace. That has always stuck with me –  peaceful women would create peace. To me that meant that we don’t need to do it the old way. and that absolutely every single woman can touch peace by choosing brands that are changing the world. By choosing socially responsible, B Corp, social enterprise focused, sustainably sourced brands that are funding ways to empower women. And simply by voting. NOW we take our power back. That’s why we are a movement more than a brand. 

So I wrote the book The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen—a woman’s guide to living and leading in an illogical world (and it’s a very illogical world these days). I wrote it so women here in North America would run for office, launch companies, and end bullying.

Then I brought the thesis to life and began sourcing sustainable orange blossom and rose from farmers in Afghanistan so they wouldn’t have to grow the illegal poppy crop. When the Taliban took back over and we could no longer purchase those oils—after investing hundreds of thousands of dollars—I was frustrated. That’s when I discovered the next path to building peace.

We began funding Days for Girls because the way to end war is through women. When a girl is not locked in a shed in Afghanistan, or Nepal, or any country simply because she’s on her period—and she can go to school, become literate, decide how many babies she wants—then she can run for office, launch a social enterprise, and end bullying in her own community. That is how we build lasting peace. And perfume? That’s just our way in.

The 7 Virtues isn’t just a name—it’s a code. How do those virtues show up in your leadership today? I always stay in a state of wonder. That’s where all great decisions come from—there are no barriers to wonder. It’s a daily practice, like a muscle. You have to work it, even rip it, to build something new. That’s how I stay open to what can be. It’s how we innovate, how we challenge ourselves and each other with kindness. The virtues—Wonder, Balance, Truth, Courage, Justice, Wisdom, and Beauty—create a culture rooted in ethics. And beauty is really our power and our dignity. Never hand them over. Never allow anyone to take them from you. Even when there’s disagreement, the virtues keep you and your world in check. They allow for tough conversations where everyone still feels respected. That’s leadership. And that’s how you stay on track to live your destiny—with purpose and joy.

You were the first female Honorary Colonel at your base and have broken barriers across industries. How has your view of leadership evolved through those titles and experiences? Honorary Colonel remains the greatest honour of my life. I wanted to join the military with my best friend, but I was born with a hereditary hearing impairment and wouldn’t have passed the entrance test. Trevor told me, “Use the power of the pen—change the world that way.” So I earned my Bachelor of Journalism degree and followed that path.

Historically, Honorary Colonels were wealthy white men in business who would support the military. I am not a wealthy white man—I come from humble roots, and I still get excited when the water is free at an event. So to be appointed the first female Honorary Colonel in the history of our RCAF Greenwood base after giving a talk on the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day—that meant everything.

When women soldiers came up to me and said they admired my way of building peace—my approach—that’s when I felt it: this is where I belong. Leadership comes in many packages. We need to keep breaking the old stereotypes and finding new ways to build peace together.

We can’t ask our brave military to do all the heavy lifting. Where are we as citizens in coming up with ways to build peace? That’s where we belong—together.

What do you hope The 7 Virtues teaches consumers about the unseen cost of fragrance—and how their choices can be a form of activism? We want people to know that fragrance isn’t just about smelling beautiful—it can be a force for good. We care deeply about our clients and their health. That’s why our perfumes are hypoallergenic, clean, and free of phthalates, parabens, and hormone disruptors. Our ingredients are sustainably sourced, and we support Days for Girls to help end period poverty. When a girl has dignity, she has freedom. When she can go to school, become literate, and decide how many children she wants—she can change her world. So yes, your perfume can be activism. Every time you choose a fragrance that empowers rather than exploits, you’re creating a ripple effect.

What’s one sustainability practice you’ve implemented behind the scenes that most people wouldn’t know—but you’re proud of? Our atelier in Halifax is zero-waste. Every perfume made is designed to be worn and kept. Nothing gets poured down the sink. We designed it so you can’t fail—everything blends. That’s not just sustainable, it’s empowering. You leave with a scent and a story you created yourself.

We’re also the first and only B Corp certified perfume brand at Sephora. That means we meet the highest verified standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. It’s not a marketing label—it’s a rigorous process that measures how we treat people and the planet. We did the work, and we’ll keep doing it.

Let’s talk about Vanilla Woods—your signature scent and best-seller. What was the story behind creating it, and why do you think it has struck such a chord with so many people? I designed Vanilla Woods while I was in the Sephora Accelerate program, rebuilding my brand from the ground up. It was a pivotal moment. The VP of Fragrance at Sephora—who became a mentor to us all—personally worked with me and our perfumers to redesign it. Together, we created what became our number one hero perfume.

I wanted something grounding—comforting, but with strength. It’s got pear, rose, vanilla, and a little caramel. It’s soft and sensual but never disappears. And it’s hypoallergenic—people who couldn’t wear perfume for years now tell me they can spray it on their skin or their scarf and breathe it in all day. It’s developed a real cult following. It makes people feel beautiful and safe—and you get loads of compliments when you wear it.

Is there a particular fragrance in the line that surprised you—either in how it came together or how it was received by your community? Clementine Dream. We knew there was white space in the market—no one was really filling it for citrus. Citrus is a top note and usually blows off quickly, so we spent a year and a half and went through many versions to design the longest-lasting citrus perfume. We just launched it this spring, and it’s already as big as Vanilla Woods.

I’ve been blown away by the love for Clementine Dream. I’m so glad we took the time to get it right—to build a multi-layered citrus that truly stays with you.

If someone is just discovering The 7 Virtues for the first time, which scent would you recommend as a starting point? Vanilla Woods, for sure—it’s our bestseller and it wears beautifully on everyone. If you’re feeling bold, try Cherry Ambition. If you love beachy notes, Coconut Sun is sunshine in a bottle. And if you really want to understand the heart of our brand? Come make your own at the atelier. You can’t mess it up. We made it so every blend works.

And after the atelier—or if you’re not near one—pick up our new sampler set. It has all eight perfumes in it so you can play and design your own signature scent no matter where you are.

You often describe your perfumes as tools for peace. Which fragrance, for you personally, has brought the most peace into your life—whether emotionally or spiritually? Amber Vanilla. It’s so calming. It’s in the second skin category of perfumery—it wears like an extension of you. It’s you, magnified. It’s a pheromone perfume, so when I wear it, I feel more centred, more myself. I reach for it before giving a talk, or when I need to feel grounded in the middle of a busy schedule or city. It really helps me on airplanes too—I give it to the flight attendants. It brings peace with just one spritz.

You lead a mission-driven brand, speak globally, and have lived through intense personal and professional chapters. What grounds you on a day-to-day level? Swimming. I swim every day—it’s where I think clearly. Where I process. Where I come back to myself. And I ask one question that keeps me steady: What does life require of me right now? That’s the compass.

How do you refill your creative well when you’re running on empty? Are there certain places, books, podcasts, or people that you return to when you need to remember your “why”? Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz. I found that book when I was trying to rebuild my life—after growing up with very little, after struggling with body image, after being abandoned. It helped me understand how powerful our self-image is—and how we can shape it. I’ve transformed my life many times. As Simone de Beauvoir said, “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.” There is a becoming throughout our lifetimes—we get as many chances as we like to visualize and transform. We have the power to become what we want in our lives. And as Mary Wollstonecraft said, “The beginning is always today.”

I re-read Psycho-Cybernetics every year. Travel also inspires me—London, Grasse, Miami. But mostly, it’s the people I’ve met along the way who remind me why I keep going.

You’ve said before that “business is the new way of making peace.” When you look at your journey so far, what impact are you most proud of? I’m proud that we are the first and only Canadian perfume brand in Sephora, now in 19 countries. That we’ve helped farmers in places like Haiti, Rwanda, and Afghanistan grow something that brings dignity and income. That we found a new way to build peace by supporting Days for Girls to help end period poverty. And that we’re expanding our ateliers to touch more lives here at home—so more people can create their own scent story and be part of something meaningful.