Mixing perfume with considerate design, Feigrance BN is a homegrown way of life model creating merchandise that encourage individuals to decelerate, reconnect with themselves and embrace small moments of self-care.
Via its signature heart-shaped strong fragrance keychains, the model combines scent, performance and storytelling, remodeling an on a regular basis important into one thing each sensible and private.
Based by Nyau Zhi Fei, higher referred to as Fei, Feigrance BN displays her perception that perfume ought to do greater than merely odor nice. As an alternative, it ought to evoke emotion, present consolation and change into a mild reminder to pause amid the calls for of every day life.
“I’ve at all times believed that one thing so simple as a scent can change how we really feel,” stated Fei.
“A well-known perfume can convey consolation, enhance our temper or assist us unwind after an extended day,” she added.
That easy philosophy ultimately grew into Feigrance BN, though its beginnings have been much more modest.
Whereas pursuing her diploma in Design and Artistic Industries at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Fei developed the idea as her ultimate 12 months challenge, by no means anticipating it to proceed past commencement.
Nevertheless, after launching the gathering throughout Spectrum: Stellar 2025 and promoting out 100 fragrance keychains, she realised there was real curiosity within the concept and determined to pursue it as a enterprise.
“It made me realise Feigrance had the potential to develop past the classroom,” she shared.
A ardour formed by creativity and emotion
Lengthy earlier than Feigrance grew to become a enterprise, Fei had at all times been fascinated by the emotional connection individuals have with scent. As she explored the fragrance trade throughout her research, she observed that many manufacturers centered on luxurious, look and exclusivity, with little emphasis on emotional well-being.
Wanting to supply one thing completely different, she started creating a product that mixed perfume with considerate design, creating an expertise that folks may carry with them wherever they went.
The concept ultimately advanced into Feigrance’s signature heart-shaped strong fragrance keychain, permitting customers to refresh their scent with out carrying a fragrance bottle.
Greater than a sensible accent, every keychain features a hidden mirror and an uplifting message, remodeling an atypical touch-up right into a small act of self-care. Each element was deliberately designed to encourage individuals to pause, breathe and take a second for themselves, even on the busiest days.
“I wished to create one thing that was extra than simply one other fragrance,” she defined. “Since bag charms have change into more and more widespread, I assumed, ‘What if it may do greater than merely enhance a bag?’”
The center form was equally intentional. Slightly than selecting it purely for its look, Fei wished it to signify love, consolation and the issues individuals maintain closest to them. It additionally displays the model’s tagline, “Carry your coronary heart, carry your scent“, reinforcing the concept that perfume can provide reassurance as a lot because it affords freshness.
Impressed by nature and custom
Along with the perfume itself, Feigrance’s visible id is closely influenced by Chinese language tradition and the tranquillity of conventional Chinese language gardens. Drawn to vibrant, expressive designs, Fei wished each facet of the model, from its pastel color palette to its illustrations and packaging, to evoke a way of calm and stability.
She believes Chinese language gardens are rigorously designed to encourage individuals to decelerate, reconnect with nature and discover interior peace, qualities she hopes prospects expertise each time they work together with Feigrance. These influences prolong into the fragrances themselves, with every scent impressed by nature, Chinese language philosophy and the emotional qualities related to completely different important oils.
The present assortment options 5 fragrances, Flourish Bloom, Cloud Hug, Serene Aura, Sundown Increase and Begin Anew, every created to evoke a special feeling slightly than merely providing a nice aroma.
Whether or not impressed by calmness, confidence, pleasure or recent beginnings, each scent is accompanied by its personal story, permitting prospects to attach with the perfume on a extra private stage.
Among the many assortment, Cloud Hug has change into Feigrance’s signature scent. Impressed by the mild stream of Qi, or life vitality, it blends chamomile, jasmine and sandalwood to create what Fei describes as “a heat embrace after an extended day”.
“I feel individuals naturally gravitate in the direction of heat, comforting scent. Even the identify ‘Cloud Hug’ evokes a sense of heat, consolation and rest earlier than prospects expertise the perfume itself,” she shared.
Creating perfume with care
Feigrance’s merchandise are additionally formed by Fei’s personal experiences. Having lived with eczema, she usually discovered typical alcohol-based perfumes irritating to her pores and skin, prompting her to search for a gentler various that was each nourishing and sensible for on a regular basis use.
That non-public problem impressed her to develop an alcohol-free strong fragrance utilizing important oils, shea butter and coconut oil, making a components that’s moisturising whereas remaining appropriate for delicate pores and skin.
Growing the ultimate product took round six months of analysis, testing and refinement as Fei labored to attain the best stability between scent efficiency, texture and pores and skin consolation. Whereas pure strong perfumes don’t final so long as alcohol-based fragrances, she believes being clear with prospects is much extra essential than making unrealistic guarantees.
“Slightly than making unrealistic guarantees, I choose to be clear with my prospects,” she shared. “For the reason that fragrance is at all times hooked up to your bag, reapplying all through the day is fast and handy. To me, honesty builds a lot stronger belief than exaggerating a product’s efficiency.”
Constructing connections by storytelling
Though Feigrance continues to be a comparatively younger model, it has steadily constructed a loyal following by pop-up occasions, exhibitions and phrase of mouth. Introducing strong fragrance to the Bruneian market has not been with out its challenges, as many purchasers are unfamiliar with the idea. Slightly than viewing that as a setback, Fei embraces each interplay as a possibility to introduce individuals to a special perfume expertise.
“The most important problem has been training,” she defined.
“Since strong fragrance continues to be comparatively unfamiliar in Brunei, I spend numerous time explaining the way it works and what makes it completely different from conventional perfumes. It’s positively a slower journey than promoting one thing individuals already recognise, however seeing prospects perceive the idea after which come again for refills makes each dialog worthwhile.”
Her background in design has additionally formed the best way she approaches branding, believing that prospects join with tales as a lot as they do with merchandise.
From the pastel color palette and punctiliously designed shows to the perfume names and scent playing cards, each element has been thoughtfully thought-about to create a constant expertise. Even the present packing containers are hand-tied with ribbon, reflecting her need to make each buy really feel like receiving a heartfelt present.
“Individuals don’t simply keep in mind merchandise, they keep in mind how a model makes them really feel,” she stated. “Each perfume comes with its personal scent card so prospects can uncover the inspiration behind it and join with it on a deeper stage.”
Among the many many conversations she has shared with prospects, it’s usually the best moments that go away the best impression.
One buyer with delicate pores and skin informed Fei she had at all times sprayed fragrance solely on her garments as a result of typical fragrances irritated her pores and skin, however after making an attempt Feigrance she was lastly in a position to put on fragrance immediately on her neck with out discomfort. For Fei, tales like these reaffirm the aim behind every thing she creates.
She is equally inspired by returning prospects who proudly present her their rising assortment of Feigrance keychains or cease by for refills months after their first buy. To her, these acquainted faces are a reminder that the model has change into a part of individuals’s every day routines, one thing she values excess of gross sales alone.
Sustainability is one other worth that continues to form the enterprise. Clients are inspired to refill their present fragrance keychains as a substitute of buying new ones, and each time attainable, the keychains are cleaned and restored earlier than being returned. Whereas easy, the initiative displays Feigrance’s dedication to creating merchandise which can be made to final slightly than be simply changed.
Though Feigrance continues to be a home-based enterprise, Fei hopes to develop it into a life-style model centred round scent and emotional well-being. Past strong perfumes, she envisions increasing into dwelling fragrances, automotive diffusers and different on a regular basis necessities, all designed to convey a way of calm into individuals’s every day lives whereas remaining true to the values that impressed the model from the start.
Her longer-term dream is to open a devoted studio the place prospects can totally immerse themselves on the planet of Feigrance. Greater than a retail house, she imagines it as a quiet retreat the place guests can uncover fragrances at their very own tempo, be taught the tales behind every assortment and revel in a quick escape from the tempo of on a regular basis life.
Wanting again on her entrepreneurial journey, Fei hopes aspiring creatives could have the boldness to pursue concepts they genuinely consider in, even when the trail forward appears unsure. She believes each problem affords a possibility to be taught, and that authenticity stays probably the most priceless qualities a enterprise can possess.
“Don’t look ahead to the proper time as a result of it hardly ever comes,” she suggested. “Begin with what you’ve got, even when it isn’t good. Each mistake teaches you one thing, and each problem helps you develop. Most significantly, create one thing you genuinely consider in.”
As Feigrance continues to evolve, Fei hopes the model will encourage individuals to see perfume in another way, not merely as one thing that smells nice, however as a supply of consolation, a considerate present or a mild reminder to pause and look after themselves. For her, success is measured not solely by the variety of merchandise bought, however by understanding that one thing she created has change into a part of somebody’s on a regular basis life.
“My hope is that extra individuals uncover that perfume may be extra than simply one thing that smells good,” she concluded.
“It could actually change into a small supply of consolation, a significant present, or just a mild reminder to pause, breathe and maintain your self.”
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
