Three entrepreneurs who were shocked at how many fillers and alcohol were used in perfume decided to create their own luxurious line of fragrance products.
Jarryd Burns, co-founder of Thankyou Group, Nicole Short, ex head of innovation at Thankyou Group and Joel Whittaker, founder of chocolate start up The Cocoa Alliance and ex general manager at Thankyou Group, created Narrative Lab, an innovative, plant-based perfume business.
“The most toxic ingredient in perfumes, colognes, and aftershaves tends to be ethanol or isopropyl alcohol,” Jarryd explained.
“The scented ingredients in perfume are infused into these alcohols as a way of preserving and stabilising the product’s desired scent. That musk-like fragrance in your perfume may be something else entirely, concocted from any number of the fragrance industry’s 3,100 stock chemical ingredients; the blend of which is almost always kept hidden from the consumer.”
Jarryd said this was why consumers often got headaches from a fragrance or ended up with a sneezing fit.
“This is usually your body reacting to the toxins and heavy chemicals in the perfume,” he said.
“We were driven by this eye-opening reality to create luxurious fragrances that are non-nasty and good for your skin.”
Nicole said she had switched out all her beauty products for natural alternatives, apart from her fragrance.
“A few years ago I switched out all my body care beauty products for natural alternatives, without the nasties,” she said.
“It wasn’t until one day it occurred to me that I was still using an alcohol-based spray perfume liberally every morning. It was time for a positive change.”
Narrative Lab launched in 2019 with a range of innovative solid fragrances for men and women, that are customisable.
Each comes in a metal vessel that swivels open to reveal a palette of solid wax containing three versions of the same base fragrance and can be refilled utilising the clever magnet system.
The brand has now expanded its parfum oil collection, adding new 25ml Parfum Oil Droppers.
These black glass bottles are an ‘at home’ parfum and can also be used as a refill for their travel friendly and on-the-go Parfum Oil Rollerballs.
The parfum oil range contains a nourishing blend of plant-based oils including jojoba, grapeseed and safflower oils and are vegan and nut oil free.
“We’ve used a plant-oil base so it’s nourishing without the oiliness and extra friendly for all skin types,” Nicole said.
“It develops on your skin throughout the day, releasing the fragrance gradually.”
Narrative Lab Parfum Oils are available in four fragrances including: Renew, Awaken, Rose Above and The Calling.