Meet the Founder

Hiya! My name is Tina and I am the founder of Temple13. 

I live in Arnprior - a gorgeous town nestled 'Where the Rivers Meet' in the Ottawa Valley in Ontario, Canada. I moved to Arnprior with my husband, teenage kids, a Huskie-mix rescue pup, a Golden Doodle who eats everything he shouldn't, and two rescue cats in the Summer of 2022. 

I grew up in the Western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. 

I was a bit of a scent-hound in my teen years, venturing (every chance I got) into Myer - a department store in my hometown- and spritzing Georgio Beverly Hills on my wrists, longing for a time where I could afford my own bottle of the fragrant liquid gold. 

Then, one day in the early 90's, I stumbled upon a little store called The Body Shop, in a laneway store in Melbourne's CBD. You may have heard of it. 

I was drawn, in my early teens, to skincare/bodycare and fragrances that were as close to natural as I could get my grubby little mitts on. Even back then, as a 12-13 year old, I was passionate about researching every single ingredient in personal skincare and fragrances that my mum and I were using. 

When I found myself in The Body Shop (back when it was still all Anita Roddick), I walked around the store all giddy, instantly wanting to buy the entire store's contents with my Austudy allowance. 

I settled with their strawberry perfume oil to start with. A 13 year old's budget only stretched so far. 

Thus began my lifelong love affair with beautiful scents.