Simoy ng Haraya staff Race Cuneta, Lala de Leon, Angela Mislang, and Gemmalyn Albarido
MANILA — Working from dwelling was a dream come true for many. But after a yr into the pandemic, many discovered themselves extra confused after the setup erased the boundary between their work hours and private life.
To assist chill out, re-energize, and address the unprecedented circumstance, a rising variety of shoppers turned to self-care merchandise comparable to scented candles. In Asia, the curiosity within the merchandise typically used for aromatherapy soared by 236 % in the course of the lockdown interval, e-commerce aggregator iPrice reported.
Among the business-minded Filipinos who took benefit of the rising pattern to maintain afloat was perfume company Simoy Ng Haraya. The native enterprise managed to considerably enhance its gross sales amid the worldwide disaster after remodeling a few of its best-selling perfumes into soy candles.
“We used to promote candles approach again in 2015 however had only a few customers,” Lala de Leon, founding father of the artisanal model, recalled.
She continued: “During the pandemic, we relaunched it as we seen extra of our consumers had been asking for candle codecs of their favourite Simoy ng Haraya scent. To be trustworthy, we didn’t anticipate that a lot clamor for candles, we acquired extra orders than anticipated.”
This candle is made with 100% pure soy wax, perfume oil mix, and cotton wick for 40 hours of burn time.
Like most companies, the company reeled when the stringent quarantine shut down all non-essential brick and mortar shops — forcing the model to go digital.
“We promote in malls by way of Common Room, Frankie and Friends, DTI’s Go Lokal, and Kultura Filipino shops so the beginning of the pandemic was robust,” she shared.
“We had been in a position to bounce again once I was invited by DTI to participate of their mentorship program for 10 weeks. I utilized the learnings straight away and slowly constructed my on-line presence. More folks had been open to purchase on-line which led to our web site as our important gross sales channel,” De Leon added.
Since the merchandise’ promoting level was closely reliant on a way that can not be perceived within the digital panorama, pivoting to a digital channel was robust.
De Leon, nevertheless, got here up with an answer that allowed the enterprise to profit from the latest e-commerce growth
“Since testing the product is a prerequisite for getting a fragrance product, it was difficult promoting on-line as a result of our consumers can’t odor the merchandise, they’ll should depend on the descriptions. So we determined to promote 5 ml fragrance sampler bottles — and this turned our best-selling merchandise all through the pandemic,” De Leon shared.
The artisanal model’s current assortment flaunts 20 completely different novel scents made with pure soy wax.
Like most aromatherapy merchandise, Simoy ng Hiraya formulated its merchandise with potent elements related to stress aid like lavender, ylang-ylang, and eucalyptus.
Refreshing scent formulated with a mix of pine, lemongrass, orange, lavender, and patchouli.
But apart from using soothing and calming brokers, the Simoy Ng Haraya additionally makes an attempt to fight stress by sparking nostalgia and triggering fond reminiscences that evoke constructive emotions.
“Simoy ng Haraya is about offering distinctive experiences via high-quality scents that seize the essence of Pinoy tradition, traditions, values, and way of life,” she defined.
She went on: “Initially the fragrances had been impressed by scents that enchantment to me, however over time, I created merchandise that got here out of buyer requests. Some of our best-sellers happened as a result of a buyer requested for it.”
It is not any fantasy {that a} whiff of a well-recognized odor can result in a rush of highly effective feelings and flood the senses with a vivid reminiscence — even these seemingly lengthy forgotten.
Compared to the opposite senses, the flexibility to odor has the strongest hyperlink to reminiscences, research counsel. According to scientists, scents ship alerts to the olfactory bulb often known as the mind’s odor heart, which is instantly linked to elements of the mind that management emotion, reminiscence, temper, and habits.
“A typical suggestions we get from prospects is that our merchandise convey again childhood reminiscences,” De Leon mentioned.
The Tsoknut soy candle, for instance, was a recollection of De Leon’s personal early days.
“I by chance put extra peanut notes. It smelled like Chocnut, a childhood and current favourite native chocolate model. I used to be fairly certain loads would relate,” she recalled.
Relax to the aroma of yearly anticipated really feel good meals to place us in a merry temper.
On the opposite hand, Putu bumbong, Bibingka, and Buko Pandan variants hope to ease customers by reminding them of moments they cherish in the course of the merriest time of the yr.
With the nation recognized to have the world’s longest Christmas celebration, little question, Filipinos have numerous emotional recollections linked with the aroma of the holiday-themed candles.
“I did a brief survey on our IG web page and requested our followers what scent involves thoughts after they consider Filipino Christmas. Puto Bumbong and Bibingka had been the highest solutions,” De Leon defined.
“I needed to associate these with one thing else so I considered Buko Pandan,” she added.
Another candle that captures native tradition via a well-loved Pinoy taste is Panenderia. The mix of freshly baked bread, caraway, and butter will immediate beloved sentiments intertwined with the ever present deal with or just give off a comfy breakfast morning vibe Filipinos are accustomed to.
Apart from the normal fixtures impressed by the Filipino palate, the model additionally has aromas that may assist customers chill out by taking them on a “sensorial trip” within the nation’s prided pure heritage.
Isla, a mix of lily of the valley, water lotus, rosewater, star jasmine, violet petals, white musk, valuable woods, and sea moss goals to move customers to the nation’s prized azure waters and pristine white sand seashores.
Meanwhile, different Simoy Ng Haraya blends like Muli, Irog, Alaala, Irog, Unang Halik, Sulyap, amongst others, aren’t anchored on a particular occasion, place, or season. Instead, the variants impressed by the sensations a person will get from intimate moments, hope to set a heat, comfortable, and nice temper.
Relax to the aroma of yearly anticipated really feel good meals to place us in a merry temper.
“The scent identify is an enormous a part of our essence, we use all Pinoy phrases, generally a literal translation of the scent, generally figurative,” De Leon famous.
The businesswoman attested their candles’ tendency to jog distinctive Filipino experiences to at least one’s reminiscence made it common amongst OFWs and emigrants.
“We had a number of consumers who gifted our merchandise to their family overseas to share with them a chunk of dwelling… I acquired a number of feedback that my merchandise remind them of reminiscences of dwelling,” she shared.
Each 150g candle retails for P799 and boasts a burn time of about 30-40 hours.
The model can even customise candles by putting the wax into private teacups, espresso mugs, ceramic bowls, correctly handled pots, well-sealed metallic tins, and different containers made with thick glasses that may face up to warmth.
“We can pour our soy into it along with your chosen scent. We cost a minimal of P599 for a 4 oz candle, and a further of P129 per ounce,” she defined.
To keep away from unintentional fires, Simoy Ng Haray warned its prospects to gentle the candles nearby and to maintain them away from flammable objects, youngsters, and pets.
Aside from scented candles and physique scents, Simoy ng Haraya additionally sells room and linen sprays, reed diffusers, perfume oils, rollerballs, and soaps.
