Rei of Light Jewelry in Encinitas, CA: Intentional Crystal Jewelry

Last updated July 29, 2026

On South Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas, California, Rei of Light Jewelry offers something genuinely different from the typical retail jewelry experience. Founded by designer Brenda McDermott, the shop specializes in handcrafted pieces built around crystals and gemstones chosen for their specific healing properties. Customers come looking for beauty and often leave feeling they've found something more personal than an accessory. The business has earned a 5.0-star rating across 284 reviews, a figure that reflects years of one-on-one relationships between Brenda and the people who wear her work.

Rei of Light sits at the intersection of fine handcraft and intentional wellness. Each piece is designed with a purpose in mind, whether that's supporting someone through a health challenge, marking a personal milestone, or simply carrying a daily reminder of strength. That combination of artistry and intention has driven the shop's reach well beyond Southern California, with customers in Europe, the Middle East, Canada, and Australia.

For anyone unfamiliar with crystal-based jewelry as a category, the premise is straightforward: specific stones are selected for their traditional associations with healing, clarity, protection, or energy, and the designer builds the piece around those properties rather than treating the stone as purely decorative. Brenda's work takes that concept seriously, and her customers notice the difference.

History and Founding Story of Rei of Light Jewelry

Rei of Light Jewelry was established in 2009. The origin story behind it is one that Brenda has shared openly: she had built a career in corporate finance, a path that looked successful by conventional measures but left her feeling, in her own words, like she was literally drowning in the life she had created. That moment of recognition pushed her toward a significant change, away from finance and toward health, wellness, and the healing arts.

The pivot wasn't arbitrary. Brenda's interest in crystals and gemstones grew from a personal experience that reshaped how she thought about healing and energy. She brought that perspective into her jewelry design from the beginning, which is why the pieces carry a different quality than decorative jewelry made purely for aesthetics. The name Rei of Light reflects that orientation toward light, energy, and intention.

Since 2009, the brand has moved from a local studio operation to a presence in retail stores and commercial projects, and it has attracted an international customer base. Brenda's art studio is based in Carlsbad, where she designs the pieces, while the Encinitas retail location on South Coast Highway 101 serves as the storefront where customers can discover the work in person.

Rei of Light Jewelry Services and Specialties

The core of what Rei of Light offers is handcrafted jewelry built around intentionally selected crystals and gemstones. But within that frame, the work covers a wide range of applications and customer needs.

Crystal and Gemstone Jewelry for Healing Support

A significant portion of Rei of Light's custom work is designed specifically for people navigating a cancer diagnosis. Brenda selects crystals and gemstones known for their traditional associations with healing support and crafts pieces tailored to the individual's journey. This isn't a generic product line; it's a custom process that takes the customer's specific situation into account. For people looking for ways to ease a difficult path back to health, the jewelry serves as both a physical object and a daily source of comfort and intention.

Custom and Signature Pieces

Beyond the healing-focused work, Rei of Light produces signature pieces that reflect Brenda's broader artistic vision. These are designed with the same attention to intention and craftsmanship, and customers frequently describe them as pieces they return to again and again. Custom orders are a meaningful part of the business; Brenda works directly with clients to understand what they're looking for and builds pieces that match both aesthetic preferences and personal meaning.

Rush and Personalized Orders

Brenda is known for her responsiveness when customers are working against a deadline. She has accommodated rush requests for customers who needed a piece completed before beginning a medical treatment, which speaks to how seriously she takes the personal circumstances behind each order. That kind of flexibility and attentiveness is not something most jewelry retailers offer.

Team and Leadership

Rei of Light Jewelry is Brenda McDermott's operation, and her presence defines the customer experience at every level. She designs the pieces, handles custom consultations, manages orders, and maintains direct relationships with her clients. Reviews consistently name her by name, which is relatively rare in retail and reflects how personally invested she is in the work.

Brenda's background spans corporate finance and the healing arts, and that combination shows up in how she runs the business: with structure and reliability on the operational side, and with genuine care and creativity on the design side. Customers who reach out to her report receiving prompt, thoughtful responses, and many describe feeling that she understands what they're going through before they've fully explained it.

Her art studio in Carlsbad is where the creative process happens, drawing on the natural light and environment of the Southern California coast. The Encinitas retail location on South Coast Highway 101 is where that work reaches customers face to face.

In the Press

• Brenda was featured in Cancer Wellness Magazine in August 2021, in a piece titled Good Vibrations: Crystals for Cancer Healing, which highlighted her work using gemstones to support people through cancer treatment.
• Rei of Light Jewelry has been featured in CanvasRebel Magazine, covering Brenda's creative path and the philosophy behind the brand.
• The brand has appeared in commercials and retail stores, extending its reach beyond the Encinitas storefront to broader audiences.
• Rei of Light has built an international retail presence, with customers and distribution reaching Europe, the Middle East, Canada, and Australia since the business launched in 2009.

What Customers Say About Rei of Light Jewelry

With 284 reviews and a 5.0-star rating, the feedback on Rei of Light is consistent in a way that's hard to fake. Customers describe their pieces with language that goes beyond typical jewelry reviews, reaching for words like healing, energy, and love. Two themes come up repeatedly: the quality and artistry of the jewelry itself, and the personal experience of working with Brenda directly.

On the craftsmanship side, reviewers point to the visible care in every piece. Jennifer W. described the experience this way:

You can see the time, thoughtfulness, and creative process that she puts into her signature pieces!! They are just stunning and will become my absolute favorites to wear!!

- Jennifer W

That attention to quality extends to how the pieces hold up over time. Simon Clark wrote:

Brenda's work is absolutely impeccable... Not only is she kind and talented but stands behind everything she makes.

- simon clark

Customers dealing with health challenges describe a different dimension of the experience. Lori Rush shared how Brenda handled a time-sensitive request:

Brenda was amazing at rushing to get my bracelet done before I started the process.

- Lori Rush

The emotional and spiritual dimension of the jewelry comes through in reviews from people who describe feeling a shift when they put a piece on. One customer wrote that she could feel healing energy as soon as she put the bracelet on her wrist. Another described feeling love radiating from the jewelry itself, attributing that quality to Brenda's presence in the work. These are personal responses that Brenda's design philosophy seems to invite intentionally.

And the customer relationship itself draws praise. Nathan Jackson left a message directed at Brenda personally: keep up the amazing work... your kindness speaks volumes and will keep me coming back. Tatyana Barsukova put it simply: Brenda is a true artist. I absolutely LOVE IT!

Location and Community in Encinitas, CA

Rei of Light Jewelry is located at 1144 S Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, CA 92024. South Coast Highway 101 runs through one of the most recognizable stretches of the North County San Diego coastline, and Encinitas has long been associated with a culture that blends outdoor living, wellness, and independent retail. That environment suits a jewelry brand built around healing and intention.

Brenda's commitment to community extends beyond the storefront. She donates a percentage of all sales to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, a choice that aligns with her focus on healing and her work with customers facing cancer diagnoses. For a business built around supporting people through health challenges, that giving practice is a direct extension of the brand's values rather than a separate initiative.

Encinitas sits within a broader real estate market that has seen strong long-term appreciation, with historical home price growth averaging around 8.5% annually. Projected growth of approximately 4.2% annually suggests the area continues to attract people who are planting roots here, which means the community around South Coast Highway 101 is one with staying power. For a local business like Rei of Light, that kind of neighborhood stability matters.

Why Choose Rei of Light Jewelry in Encinitas

Most jewelry stores sell aesthetics. Rei of Light sells intention alongside craft, and Brenda McDermott backs both with a level of personal attention that customers remember. She works with people going through some of the hardest moments of their lives and delivers pieces that feel like they were made specifically for that person, because they were. The 5.0-star rating across 284 reviews isn't a marketing claim; it's the result of fifteen-plus years of one customer at a time.

For anyone in Encinitas or the broader North County San Diego area looking for jewelry that carries meaning, or for someone navigating a health challenge who wants a tangible source of support and beauty, Rei of Light is worth a visit to 1144 S Coast Hwy 101. The international reach of the brand is a signal of quality, but the experience of working with Brenda directly is what keeps customers coming back.

Customer quotes shown above are from public Google reviews.