Jason Lee of Scent by SIX — an artisanal fragrance label — is not interested in trends or developing bottles of be-all-end-alls. Instead, he’s thinking about the true power of fragrances and how it can improve your life. If you smell good, you feel good. It should be able to trigger a fond memory that puts a smile on your face. And if need be, it should lower your heart rate to a pleasant 60 beats per minute.
Here, he takes us through exactly what Scent by SIX endeavours to do and you’d be surprised at how three of them might be scents that’ll take you somewhere you’ve been to before.
Hi Jason, what I usually like to do with people I interview for the first time would be to get them to elevator pitch their brand…in under 10 words. So please indulge me!
We all about soothing, healing and delighting one’s mental wellness.
The Scent by SIX bar at JEM stocks a collection titled Sleep, Returns: a scent infused with fragrance intelligence that promotes deeper sleep.
To me, the sixth sense I unlock for fragrances would be a memory. Or perhaps, an aspiration I desire. What do you think this particular sixth sense is?
Our sense of smell is probably our strongest sensory organ and the impact on our memory and emotion can be very powerful and lasting.
We all have five senses. With Scent by SIX, we want to offer more. Here’s my SIXth sense:
To me, it is about being mindful, and being in touch with your subconscious. Deep dive into your inner self. Do some soul-searching.
Trust in your gut feelings, and sixth sense.
When you are in sync with your sixth sense, you love yourself as a person. Because you, as a person, are way above the rest (self care).
How did you come about the name and descriptions for the fragrances? It feels very poetic, sort of like you’re story telling through a fragrance.
Our first three scents were inspired by destinations – 123 Tribeca (the downtown subway line in Manhattan), 27°F Biei (the snowy white town of Biei in Hokkaido), 1724 Puka (the time of the sunset at Puka beach in Boracay). These were travel destinations that I had been to with my then girlfriend (now wife), and I wanted to encapsulate the memories in my scents.
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One of our more recent scent, Hikaru, which means ‘to shine’ in Japanese, was launched in November last year, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. The uplifting yuzu-based scent, infused with fragrance inteligence, was created to encourage others to ‘be the light’, to be a beacon of hope to another.
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And our latest scent, Sleep, Returns, similarly infused with fragrance intelligence, is a calming scent that has been proven to improve sleep quality and duration. Sleep is a fundamental human need and a good night’s rest is essential to maintaining our mental health. With Sleep, Returns, we bring our customers hope for better sleep.
Yes you are right, I love to use fragrances to tell stories, to connect with people and build relationships.
How do you curate the perfumers for the brand? Do you look at their track records? Or is it a more emotional feeling? Perhaps, a connection to them.
Having that emotional connection and alignment is certainly imperative to any working relationship. I must say that could only be established with time. I am grateful to have met great talents in the industry over the years, who are ever so willing to support a young brand.
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What about the Scent by SIX diffusers then? Sometimes, one might get tired of a scent but do you think yours has “lasting appeal?”
We have a segment of supporters who only buys our signature scent, 27°F Biei. In their words, it is more than a lasting appeal, it is an affection that grows with time.
Is it hard to choose a favourite scent then? Especially for Scent by SIX.
When I was younger, I always find it difficult to choose a scent when I did not have promoters who were knowledgeable and able to articulate the inspiration of the scents. As a consumer myself, I am buying with emotions, aspirations and imaginations.
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As such, at Scent by SIX, we strive to ensure that our customers are presented with a wholesome experience when they visit to try out our scents.
What then, is next for the brand in 2022?
We are actively looking for more charitable organizations to collaborate with and empower. We are ready to take the brand abroad, to tell Singapore’s fragrance story to the world.
Once you’re done with this story about Scent by SIX, click here to catch up with our October 2021 issue!
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