Our First Stop: A Medieval Castle with Vast Gardens

Upon arriving in Toulouse, a regional city in southern France, our first destination was the family home of Gilles Berthoumieux, our partner in developing the "uka Nail Oil." About a 40-to-50-minute drive from the city center, the scenery gradually became more rural, and then, a striking building appeared.

It turned out Gilles's family home was a castle! A medieval castle stood beautifully on a corner of tens of thousands of hectares of vast gardens. It was truly moving. After all, this was our hotel for the trip. And we were even hosted by the lord of the manor (laughs).



The "lord of the manor" was Gilles's mother. She is a very friendly, cheerful, and charming woman who single-handedly maintains this vast estate and castle. She is also an excellent cook and treated us to many homemade meals during our stay.



Inside the castle, there was a library and a game room, and it was simply enormous. There were a considerable number of guest rooms alone. Among them, the room I was given was a pink one. Apparently, I was treated as a VIP this time, as I was offered the best guest room. The room, comparable to a high-class hotel, was, of course, very comfortable.

Seeing the Lavender Grow Strong with Nature's Blessings Filled Me with Warmth

Gilles, who has traveled to over 100 countries in search of high-quality oils, has collaborators among organic plant growers in various countries and regions. This means our nail aroma oil, "uka Nail Oil," is made from carefully selected ingredients from around the world. For lavender, there was a farm within a short drive of the castle, so we immediately went to visit.

It was magnificent. Lavender fields stretched out as far as the eye could see. The lavender, growing strong with abundant blessings from nature, felt powerful yet delicate, and incredibly gentle. The thought that this lavender would become our nail aroma oil was deeply moving. It filled my heart with a warm feeling.



The couple cultivating this organic lavender also had a shop in a part of their home. All the lavender-related products they offered were original. They even extract their own essential oils. At 8 euros, it's just over 1,000 yen in Japanese currency. As expected from direct sales, it was very affordable!



The floral water (the water obtained during steam distillation of essential oils) was also wonderful. I used it as a facial mask soaked into sheets throughout my stay, and my skin, which had been feeling tired, became incredibly revitalized. I was astonished by its effectiveness. Truly, it was the organic lavender recommended by Gilles.

In this place, where the air is fresh, the atmosphere is tranquil, and time flows slowly, the lavender is grown with care and safety. I was once again convinced that this would allow us to create the finest nail aroma oil.

Everyone Involved with "uka Nail Oil" is a Source of Great Strength

This trip to the south of France was undertaken by four women. The group included Akiko Sato from Swiss Line, who handles the import of the nail aroma oil; Yuka Ikeda, the coordinator who has supported the development since the conceptual stage; and Chiaki Yoshikawa, a beauty expert and organic coordinator.

While Yuka Ikeda and I have a long history, my encounters with Akiko Sato and Chiaki Yoshikawa were directly due to this nail aroma oil.

When I was searching for an importer, an acquaintance suggested, "You should consult with Ms. Yoshikawa." I arranged to meet her earlier this year. As she is very well-known, I was looking forward to meeting her. Above all, she is a fragrance professional, and I was eager for her to try the nail aroma oil.

When I presented it to her, she immediately gave it her stamp of approval, saying, "This oil is truly wonderful!" She then introduced me to Akiko Sato of Swiss Line as a potential importer. Her words, "Akiko handles products with great care, so you can trust her completely," made my decision immediate.

Until now, while I trusted that "Gilles is making it, so it must be fine," I hadn't fully committed to my own intuition. To have my work recognized by someone with such extensive knowledge and experience in fragrances as Ms. Yoshikawa was, honestly, more of a relief than a joy (laughs). With such a strong ally, I am now full of confidence.


Gilles Berthoumieux
Representative of Sirius, a company dealing in essential oils from around the world, and a Tropical Agronomy Agricultural Scientist. He is passionate about natural therapies and advocates for care using natural materials (such as essential oils) for everyone from children to the elderly. He is renowned for his expertise in handling high-quality oils, constantly traveling to over 100 countries in search of high-quality and novel ingredients. His advanced techniques and superior quality have led him to receive numerous product development requests from major French brands.