Paul Austin was well into his career as a senior fragrance executive when he realized he wanted something different.

“I was getting burnt out by the industry; I wanted to look for something else and be inspired again,” said Austin at the 2025 WWD Beauty Inc Catalysts conference.

He ended up embarking on a research sabbatical in southern India, during which he encountered a familiar aroma — jasmine sambac, commonly used as a fragrance note by brands all over the globe — in a new way.

“Walking to class, I would see these elegant southern Indian ladies with [jasmine sambac] flowers in their hair. It suddenly dawned on me that I had gone all around the world to take a break from the fragrance world, only to be at its absolute epicenter,” said Austin.

His time in India ignited a fresh spark

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