The Journey to Sanctuary & WrenWell: An Interview with Summer Luman

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If you’re looking for a wonderful Mother’s Day gift in Fort Collins, both Sanctuary Spa and WrenWell offer exceptional options for mom’s that deserve the very best! I’ve always loved Sanctuary spa and after a recent treatment there I discovered that the owner of Sanctuary had opened a retail boutique, WrenWell, on Oak street downtown. I went in to chat with her about it and learned so much about both businesses & Summer herself. Summer is a very genuine, kind, compassionate, intentional, and passionate business owner. You can read our chat below and learn about all her offerings.

Table of Contents

1. What Got You into Skincare?
2. What Inspired You to Open Sanctuary?
3. Overcoming Doubts About Taking the Leap
4. Creating a Cozy & Relaxing Environment
5. The Inspiration Behind WrenWell
6. Core Products of WrenWell
7. Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

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What Got You into Skincare?

Summer: I was looking for a career change. I worked for Estée Lauder doing makeup, and I absolutely loved helping people feel better about themselves, but I hated selling. So I went to school for esthetics because I knew giving facials would make people feel good. That was over 22 years ago, and I’ve been in skincare ever since.

SSP: From the interactions I’ve had with you and your staff at Sanctuary, it seems like you care deeply about skincare products, more than the average esthetician. You really seem to care about what you’re using and selling.

Summer: I do. I’m very well-researched in the products we use and sell. What I’m most passionate about is helping people feel comfortable with aging and being in their own skin. We get so many messages in our society that it is not ok to age, but that’s absolutely untrue. It is a blessing to be able to age.

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What Inspired You to Open Sanctuary?

Summer: I actually worked for the original Sanctuary after returning to Colorado. In 2020, I took it over. At the time, I was looking for a brick-and-mortar space, and right when I was about to sign a lease, the original owner of Sanctuary asked if I would like to take it over.

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Overcoming Doubts About Taking the Leap

SSP: How did you fight doubts about taking the leap to open Sanctuary? You know what I mean, we always have these grand ideas and then immediately have self defeating thoughts like “I can’t do that. Who do I think I am?”. Or did you not have any doubts?

Summer: Oh no, I had doubts, that’s typical, right? But honestly my husband is a huge cheerleader for me, he just thinks my ideas are so great.

SSP: Mine too.

Summer: And I think the passion behind what I do, people see that I’m authentic about it. 

SSP: Right. You had faith, that it (the passion) would come through.

Summer: You know, honestly, even with this shop (WrenWell, opened Dec.15, 2024), I don’t know if people are understanding what I’m trying to get at, it’s just one of those things, I really, honestly put on blinders and I’m just gonna keep going as if it is going to succeed.

SSP: I’m the same way with my photography. I think it’s not exactly what people are used to, in terms of the studio portraits, especially with kids. I’m the same way though, with plugging away and thinking what I’m creating is amazing and people will want my offerings. 

Summer: Yes! That was the scariest thing about Sanctuary, I tried to be very strategic about purchasing it and then incorporating my vision without just completely swiping away everything that I hated about it. And with Sanctuary, I don’t know if you know, but our Sanctuary Signature facial… it is all apothecary plant based. We are mixing every ingredient into your treatment and I do feel like I was going to be a fish out of water in the spa industry because I am different, I’m bringing something new. But I think it’s just being passionate and knowing why am I doing this and educating people and letting them know more is not more for your skin, or for your health, or for anything. Being gentle, and nurturing and caring that is the best skin care routine.

SSP: That’s so interesting because again there’s that similarity, when you said “more isn’t more”, it’s the same with my photography, people think they need 100 digital files because it’s what they’ve become accustomed to. But I’m like, “do you? Or do you need 5 exceptional ones? What are you going to do with the 70 that are pretty similar?”.

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Summer: Less but better.

SSP: Yeah! Exactly. Quality over quantity, and real ingredients over chemicals.

Summer: I definitely am more of a minimalist, I want quality, I want less. 

SSP: And it’s something that people, probably when it comes to skincare, aren’t thinking in terms of this concept of less is more….

Summer: Well I talk to them about this a lot. Know the why of what you’re using. Don’t use it just because you think you need it, or because your friend said this is amazing. Know the why, with anything you’re doing.

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Creating a Cozy & Relaxing Environment

SSP: Tell me about that cozy foot soak room…I feel like you’re always improving Sanctuary. I love how Sanctuary always feels fresh and evolving. Every time I visit, I find something new.

Summer: Sanctuary has all these different sections, and I always knew that I didn’t want it to feel “hoity-toity.” I wanted it to feel like you’re at a friend’s house, getting a spa service.

SSP: But a friend’s house that’s beautiful, well-put-together, and thoughtfully curated, with every little detail thought out.

Summer: Exactly! I’m an over-thinker and highly sensitive to details—lighting, sounds, and smells all matter to me. So I take all of things into consideration because I notice these things. I want my guests to feel cared for and completely relaxed.

SSP: It is very relaxing right when you walk in. It’s a vibe. 

Back to the foot soak room… it seemed like a small alcove and you made something out of it. What was it before?

Summer: It was a pedicure station, because that part of Sanctuary used to be an old salon. Sanctuary has gone through so many different changes. When we purchased it we relocated it. It was originally across the hall and it was one room. Thankfully my husband is very handy, I’m the dreamer.

SSP: Did you find it challenging to take the blank slate and visualize it?

Summer: Yeah, because I need drawings, I need to see stuff, whereas my husband can envision it and make it happen. I know how I want it to feel and he brings it to life.

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The Inspiration Behind WrenWell

SSP: What inspired you to open WrenWell?

Summer: This is a little bit more of an emotional story. Wren is my maiden name and I came from a very dysfunctional family. My dad passed away from a heroin overdose, my sister passed away from an overdose as well. My mom, we no longer speak. So I feel like you either go in that direction or you go in the opposite direction in life and I feel like that’s how I ended up in the wellness space. That’s why the spa and the skincare is not just about skincare, it’s not just about the physical. WrenWell is about all of the things that just kind of fuel you to live a healthier, more well balanced life. It’s not just one avenue or just one aspect that you need to treat. That’s why I have things for the internal but also for mental health and journals and things to inspire.

SSP: Yeah, and it’s like reclaiming your name and taking into the wellness direction, in a way.

Summer: Yeah.

SSP: Hmm, that’s really powerful.

Summer: WrenWell, yup. Yeah, my dad was such an amazing human. 

SSP: Yeah and addiction, you know, there’s a lot of shame around that too, but it’s like, it can happen to the best of us.

Summer: Oh gosh, yeah. That’s one thing, at Sanctuary, I always call the treatment room the No Bullshit zone because I let people talk about all the things because there should be no shame in any of it. Because I don’t know, there’s all these not talked about things, but it should be talked about. I think when you talk through it you can release some of that, I don’t know, judgement.

SSP: Yeah, when you can talk about it with someone and not be judged, that’s really freeing.

Wow that is not the answer I was expecting, at all. It didn’t occur to me that a shop could have such a deeper meaning.

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Core Products of WrenWell

SSP: What are WrenWell’s core products? What can people expect to find in WrenWell?

Summer: So I have another certification through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. That coursework talked about how we all have 2 plates in life… and why I even took this course is because I felt like I was always talking to my clients about how to make their skin better and that begins with the food on their plate so I took this course to learn more about this. But what I got out of the course is we all have 2 plates in life, one is the plate that we’re physically putting our food on. And it could be overflowing with all the superfoods but you could still be the most unhealthy and unwell person if your other plate is not in balance. And what that plate consists of is your creativity, your joy level, your connection with humans, your connection with self, your home environment, the home cooking that you’re doing, just all of those pieces. So I wanted to fill this shop with little components of all those different plates.

SSP: So it’s about aiding overall well-being.

Summer: Exactly. And just joy. I like to think of this place as the place I go to create my perfect Sunday. I have my cups and my drinks, and give me a real book and give me my comfy clothes and good skin care and a good piece of chocolate.

SSP: Yeah, “treat yo’ self”, to a really healing time. Speaking of chocolate, I saw some exquisite handmade chocolates in the shop.

Summer: Yes! We carry floral-infused chocolate made by a chocolatier who’s also a florist. We also have date-sweetened chocolate, handmade pottery, apothecary skincare, and beautiful self-care items. There’s a trend of romanticizing your life, and I feel like you have too! It’s so important.

SSP: (pointing to hand made, wavy dishes): What are these? 

Summer: That’s actually my favorite thing in the whole shop. They’re called “Girl Dinner Plates” and they’re basically like mini charcuteries. 

SSP: Love it.

Summer: Yeah, because basically the minute that I’m by myself, like tonight I’ll be by myself, and that’s what my dinner is going to consist of. It’s gonna be like…

SSP: …the perfect bites.

Summer: Yes! The maker is making more right now. I want three more in my house because I think it makes a really cute display for when people are over.

SSP: So these are handmade?

Summer: Yes, you can see her little finger prints in them, I love them. 

SSP: (I proceed to wander around the shop, picking things up and asking about them. There’s candles, one with the name “Plague Doctor” (so metal!), handmade olive oil bottles, acupressure mats, salt with edible flowers, handmade soap, books, clothes, shoes, so many fun and beautiful things.)

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Marie Veronique Skin Care

WrenWell carries an exquisite skin care line with a cult following all it’s own, Marie Veronique, that Summer feels will specifically benefit Coloradoans with our dry climate.

Summer: I am a minimalist even when it comes to my skincare, gives me what’s effective and what’s necessary. I had to apply for this line twice, it’s grown on a small farm in Berkeley California and is very science heavy.

Going through some of the Marie Veronique products and why they benefit folks here in Colorado:

The Cleanser: A cleanser that is not going to strip your skin, because Colorado is so dry. An oil cleanser effectively cleanses the pores though because like attracts like, so it’s going to break down any oil in the skin that’s excessive but it does not do anything to make your skin dry. 

Balancing HypoTonic (The Toner): Think of it like an electrolyte solution for your skin, it deeply saturates the cells when you press it in. The thing about skin is when you don’t have a water component on it what happens is inside the cells it communicates to your body that your skins dry so it pushes water from the inside of your body out to rehydrate your skin. When you put a toner on or something thats hydrating then your body knows that it does not need water pushed out but then it will draw your products into your skin. This toner in particular has a lower PH and what happens is basically as we’re aging our cells are dying off, their energy production is slowing, and this actually slows the rate at which they age. 

SSP: Oh how interesting

Summer: It’s fascinating to me, I get really nerdy about it. There’s only two things that I feel are imperative if you really are trying to preserve your skin and combat the aging process and that’s a vitamin C and a retinol, so find those two things that will work for your skin and not cause irritation.

Multi-Retinol Night Emulsion: Usually retinol is very harsh on your skin and they basically wreck your skin but this one is formulated in a way (you didn’t finish this sentence so feel free to add on the end of the sentence here) I like to think of retinol as working from the inside of the skin communicating to where your cells are being formed and aiding healthy cell production. It’s the only thing shown to repair damaged cells. 

Barrier Restore Serum: Probably my number one favorite thing right now. A barrier is there to protect us from good things going out and bad things coming in and being in Colorado it’s very harsh on our skin, this basically protects your skins barrier and makes it very hydrated and healthy. 

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

SSP: What are some great Mother’s Day gift ideas from WrenWell?

Summer: Beautiful chocolate, beautiful skin care, Girl Dinner Plates… if Mom is creative we have floral paper making kits and cyanotype kits. You know everyone talks about meditation and I have a hard time sitting and so I feel you can have the benefits of meditation in other ways and doing anything creative is kind of my way of getting in that flow state.

SSP: and what would be a good Mother’s Day gift inside Sanctuary Spa?

Summer: A spa day with wine, chocolate, or a curated charcuterie board. Nothing beats full relaxation and indulgence.

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Final Thoughts

Summer’s journey with Sanctuary and WrenWell is deeply personal and filled with passion. Her approach to skincare and wellness is refreshing—less is more, quality over quantity, and nurturing both the body and mind. Whether you’re looking for a transformative spa experience or carefully curated self-care products, both Sanctuary and WrenWell offer something truly special.

Visit Sanctuary for a one-of-a-kind spa experience and explore WrenWell for beautifully curated wellness products.