Interview with Alex Wilson

There is something undeniably transformative about Alex’s story. In this conversation, Alex shares the thread between her childhood immersed in nature and her family’s legacy in Australian sandalwood, and the more recent chapter that reshaped everything: a profound health journey that redefined her relationship to her body, her work, and what truly matters.

What unfolds is a reflection on healing, intention, and the beauty of bringing something ancient into a modern, sensory ritual - a philosophy that sits so closely to the heart of Naturel Haus.

Can you tell us a little about your childhood and the environment you grew up in - what shaped your earliest sense of the world?

I grew up surrounded by nature and a very close-knit family (my mum is Italian!). Both of my parents are from the country, and I was lucky enough to spend much of my childhood between our beach house in the South West and my grandparents’ country home. It gave me a deep appreciation for simplicity, community, rhythm, and the natural world from a young age.

Equally important was the sense of connection to family and friends. I made some of my closest friends at the age of four, which has given me a strong sense of grounding and continuity. That combination of nature, tradition, and deep relationships really shaped how I see the world.

Your family has a deep connection to sandalwood - what did that look like growing up, and how did it influence you, even subtly?

As a child the scent of sandalwood filled our home, a backdrop to evenings spent with remarkable guests from around the world, each connected by this rare and ancient tree.
My family’s legacy in sandalwood inspired me to bring its benefits to life in a contemporary way with the creation of Heartwood. 

When did you begin to see sandalwood not just as something familiar, but as something meaningful or symbolic in your life?

In my late twenties after working and travelling overseas, I began to understand the depth of sandalwood’s history and its relevance. What I love most about sandalwood is that science has now proven what the ancients knew intuitively thousands of years ago when they started using sandalwood for skincare, fragrance, medicine and worship. 
That realisation made sandalwood feel like more than just something I had grown up around, it became something I felt a responsibility to carry forward in a meaningful, contemporary way.

Before your diagnosis, what path were you on - and what were you building or envisioning for your life at that time? Did it change everything?

Before my diagnosis, I was already in the process of building Heartwood and thinking about how to bring sandalwood into a more modern, accessible context. I had signed the lease to our space, was developing the product line, I had a clear vision, but I was moving with a mindset that, in hindsight, was quite different and probably a lot more ambitious.
The diagnosis didn’t necessarily change the direction, but it absolutely reinforced to me what does and doesn’t matter and I think I approach my job with a lightness and joy that perhaps I would not have otherwise had. 

How did your experience reshape your perspective on what truly matters, both in life and in the way you live day to day?

Being diagnosed with Pseudomyxoma Peritonei and spending a long time in hospital gave me a very clear benchmark for what is and isn’t worth worrying about.
Personally after being very unwell, everything feels easy by comparison and I treat my job and my ability to move through the world with good health as a privilege. 
We have been able to maintain an incredible reputation for service and quality at Heartwood because we lean into the privilege of running this place. I always put an emphasis on having fun at work, and treating work as a privilege and an opportunity to connect with people, otherwise what is the point!

Through your health journey, what did “healing” come to mean to you, beyond just the physical? What would you say helped most in the darkest times? 

Anyone who has had a big health set-back would probably back me up on the fact that healing is much broader than just physical recovery. The biggest challenge for me was to be patient, and surrender to some extent, accepting that I was exactly where I needed to be and despite everything, life offers moments of joy. 

In the darker moments, what helped most was focusing on little joys. When I was on the verge of giving up, a friend would sit with me make me laugh about how I’d seen better days, or my favourite nurse would appear, or I would find the energy to read a page of a book, or focus on the beautiful Heartwood scents, and I found hope and resilience. I wanted to emulate that feeling at Heartwood and I know that we offer joy on a daily basis.

How has your relationship with your body evolved over time, particularly after everything it has carried you through?

I am much better at listening to my body. In retrospect, I probably had symptoms that I had ignored for a long time before going to the GP to get things checked out when a lump presented itself on my abdomen. I didn’t even have a GP at the time, and now my GP is a close friend, and her dedication to ensuring that I stay well is truly a gift.

Did this chapter of your life influence the way you think about what you put on and around your body - and how do you approach non-toxic living today?

Absolutely. It made me far more considered about what I put on and around my body. Not in an extreme or rigid way, but in a more intentional one.

Non-toxic living, for me, is about awareness and quality - choosing ingredients and products that are effective, safe, and feel aligned with the body. And smell good - most importantly - scent is everything!

How did your personal journey shape the creation of Heartwood, and what intention sits at the heart of what you’ve built?

Heartwood is really the intersection of my family’s legacy in sandalwood and my lived experience. It’s about taking something that has deep cultural and historical roots - sandalwood - and translating it into something relevant and beneficial for modern life.
At its core, the intention is to create products and experiences that genuinely support people whether that’s through skincare, ritual, or simply creating a moment of calm in their day. 

What does “coming home to yourself” look and feel like for you now?

Coming home to myself is often found in small moments. I feel most at peace when I am having a good chat, swimming in the ocean, listening to good music, and of course inhaling the scent of Heartwood incense.

Alex has kindly offered an exclusive discount for our community with code NATURELHAUS10 at checkout - available for the month of May!

My hands-down favourite is the Sandalwood Incense, it is superior in every way. Happy Shopping!