pH fragrances: "Towards a premium and clean perfumery"

"We are positioning ourselves as the first Luxury and Clean perfume brand in France," explains Camille Le Feuvre, founder and President of pH fragrances, a young niche brand created in December 2018.

The brand currently proposes a line of eight fragrances developed exclusively with Givaudan and available as eaux de parfum (15ml and 100ml and boxes), candles and detergents. A range of products for the body (deodorants, shower gels, body creams) is in preparation. "What we had in mind was to offer a complete universe made of exceptional fragrances which could be found in every day to day products," says Camille Le Feuvre.

Clean formulas and labelling

To state its difference regarding its societal and ecological approach, pH fragrances adopted ultra-restrictive specifications in terms of formulation, which the brand has imposed to all its suppliers across all product categories. "We have banned all ingredients regarded as toxic, harmful, controversial, both in the personal care and home care lines," confirms Camille Le Feuvre.

Overall, the brand has selected “the finest qualities of naturals and perfume ingredients, as respectful as possible to the environment and human health.” However, because natural substances were favoured, not all allergens could be removed from the products, while remaining of course within the regulatory framework.

For each application (fragrances, candles, detergents, deodorants, creams, shower gels) specific requirements, more stringent than the regulations in force, were also defined.

Thus, phenoxyethanol, SLS, SLES, BHT, BHA, formaldehyde ... have been banned from the personal care formulas.

Finally, for candles and detergents, the aim was to present "clean labels", that is to say: with no warnings or risk pictograms such as: "environment hazard", "health hazard"; no labelling such as: "may lead or cause long-term adverse effects", or "toxic to aquatic life". Warnings, which are actually not found on cosmetic packagings, which fall under another regulation, but whose total elimination is a first for home care products.

"Of course, with respect to this level of innovation, it was impossible to use catalogue formulas. We had to start from scratch. More than two years of Research and Development were required to reach this level of innovation," explains Camille Le Feuvre. Especially since the brand only wanted to use a single formula for each of the eight fragrances in the range, regardless of the medium for which it was intended. "Only choosing to rely on a single and unique scented oil for each fragrance in the personal care range and one oil for the home care range was a real technical feat and a major environmental plus". This innovative approach will also be used as part of the future concept store.

Local and ecological

In addition to its policy in terms of drastic selection of ingredients, the brand is also very committed at the environmental and societal level. "The ingredients in each of our eight fragrances were also selected according to their level of sustainability. We focused more particularly on Givaudan’s Orpur® ingredients, the finest of ingredients collected in an ethical and responsible way".

On the manufacturing side, pH fragrances chose local sourcing by working with 20 industrial partners based in the Paris region and in the south of France. "Everything is "Made in France", including the packagings," insists the founder. "We refuse to use plastic for our cases and packagings, because there is already too much plastic scattered everywhere on the planet and we want to place the emphasis on the products".

The tinted glass bottles pay tribute to the bottles traditionally used in perfumery, while protecting formulas that do not contain UV filters. The range has a very sleek design, in keeping with the apothecary trend, which reflects the care taken in the selection of ingredients.

Concept stores

The brand, which is already sold in concept stores, in particular at Nous (previously Colette), in Paris, Geneva, Saint-Tropez, and soon Miami and Dubai, was also introduced to Parisian customers in the pop-up store La Fabrique, in the Paris Marais district, where it was met with great success, according to the designer. "The customer feedback is excellent, 95% of people who smell our perfumes buy them. The Givaudan teams have managed to overcome these highly restrictive specifications, and achieve an outstanding technical and olfactory feat. The eight fragrances with eight different olfactory directions are of exceptional quality," she concludes.

The brand now aims to develop itself in the United States, where the clean trend is very strong and, well beyond beauty, extends to the entire lifestyle; hence the brand intends to open its own concept store, where customers will be able to create, on the spot, their own products. Our architects have already drawn up the plans, now we need to find the right location... and investors!