Late last year, Aera, the home fragrance diffuser, launched Aera Go, a clean scent diffuser for the car. Wanting to know more about the company's history and foothold within the home care/ambient scent space, Perfumer & Flavorist+ managing editor, Jenna Troyli, connected with the VP of Fragrance at Prolitec/Aera, Sandra Barvaux.
Related: Skylar Clean Beauty x Aera Launch 3 Home Scents
During a one-on-one interview, Barvaux to shared insight into the brand's evolution, collaborations, current exciting trends in home care and more.
Sandra Barvaux, VP of Fragrance at Prolitec/Aera.
Jenna Troyli [JT]: Let’s begin with Aera’s parent company Prolitec. Can you touch on the evolution of the company and some of the key partnerships? I’m thinking of Abercrombie & Fitch in particular but I’m sure you could also speak to a few more.
Sandra Barvaux [SB]: The origins of Prolitec are surprising. The company was established in Montpellier, France, in 1996 as a research and development firm specializing in fluid mechanics. It was working on a needle-free vaccination device that needed to convert liquid vaccine into a vapor which under pressure would travel through the skin into the body without altering the chemistry of the liquid. Prolitec’s first CEO, Guillaume Besse, imagined that the ability to instantly convert liquid to vapor without heat and altering the liquid’s chemistry might be important to the fragrance industry. He went on to develop fragrance diffusers that could take a liquid fragrance and continuously change it into a perfect copy vapor and blend scent molecules into the ambient air. Fast forwarding through several more years of technology and market development, a 2005 move from France to the U.S, the award of about 150 scent diffusion patents to today, Prolitec’s ambient scenting technology has been adopted over all other methods by major brands in the United States and 80 countries touching more than 100 million people every day.
Prolitec's first fully global brand breakthrough in the commercial scenting market was Abercrombie & Fitch’s 2008 adoption of Prolitec's services in all its stores globally. A&F was truly the start of global brand adoption. A&F continued in-store scenting until their big remake in 2023.
JT: Could you share a little bit about your fragrance journey? What led you to fragrance and what does your position look like today?
SB: Growing up with parents who loved gardening and had a soft spot for roses, I was introduced at an early stage to fragrance. However, it was my professional career choice that led me to work in the scent industry. First, I worked in marketing and managed brands such as Airwick, where fragrance played an essential role. Later, I joined Firmenich working on scenting programs for some of Unilever’s laundry and hair care brands. About 10 years ago, while relocating to Seattle, I was fortunate to cross paths with Prolitec and decided to join their team as VP of Fragrances. Today, I lead the fragrance strategy for our company with the goal of providing superior fragrance experiences to our customers.
JT: What was the catalyst for Prolitec launching Aera? What differentiates Aera’s offerings/tech on the market?
SB: Aera is very different. Aera uses the Prolitec technology to release the whole fragrance all the time. Unlike evaporative devices, the scent effect does not change from volatile top notes to the bottom or base notes. In addition, Aera uses Prolitec technology to give the user control of scent strength and allow the user to schedule operation and optionally do these controls with a smartphone. Our goal with Aera is to make the joy of fragrance a more enjoyable and regular part of daily life. Aera offers three diffusers:
1. Aera: Ideal for medium to large spaces such as living rooms and kitchens.
2. Aera Mini: Perfect for small to medium-sized rooms like hallways, entrances, bathrooms, and bedrooms.
3. Aera Go: Designed specifically for use in cars.
In September 2023, Aera launched Aera Go, a clean scent diffuser for the car.courtesy of Aera
JT: With a fragrance partner like dsm-firmenich, what does that mean for formulation/ingredient selection for launches?
SB: dsm-firmenich enables us to create fragrances for our Aera collections and commercial customers, leveraging their talented perfumers, high-quality ingredients, fragrance expertise, and category know-how. Our partnership grants us access to their market insights, cutting-edge fragrance technologies, and leadership in providing sustainably sourced ingredients, all woven together with inspiring storytelling that guides our fragrance launches.
Our goal is to offer Aera consumers beautiful fragrances that resonate with the ambiance they desire to create in their homes. Whether it’s a wellness boost they seek, a delightful fragrance, or a curated scent to combat malodors, we strive to deliver. A prime example of our collaboration with DSM-Firmenich is our use of their EmotiBoosta fragrance technology. This innovation is infused into a range of beautifully crafted wellness fragrances, evoking feelings of happiness, joy, well-being, energy, and comfort.
JT: Can you touch on some of Aera’s brand partnerships? What was one of the more intricate or elaborate formulations?
SB: We have partnered with like-minded brands to provide a platform for exquisite scent experiences and, ultimately, to spread the Aera love. These brands offer delightful fragrances, high-quality products, and a commitment to clean and sustainable solutions. Our most recent launch, the L’Avant Collective Blushed Bergamot, perfectly illustrates the spirit of these partnerships. L’Avant specializes in plant-based cleaning products. Their elevated aesthetics, high-performance formulas, and delightful fragrances align seamlessly with Aera’s superior scenting method, clean and safe approach, and differentiated way of delivering beloved scents. Blushed Bergamot is perfect for consumers looking for a fresh and clean scent with a little extra zest and elegance. Bright citrus notes with an earthy edge come through with essential oils of bergamot, orange blossom, vetiver and cedarwood. A little sunshine for your home.
Sandra Barvaux explains, "We observe that the wellness platform within the home care market will continue to evolve, leveraging further advances in neuroscience and emotion-based fragrance technologies to support consumers’ ever-growing emotional needs."courtesy of Aera
JT: What are some of the evolving trends Aera is seeing in the home care market? What are the key drivers for innovation?
SB: Consumers seek new offerings that address their needs – something completely new or a product that improves an existing experience. We anticipate the wider adoption of scenting technologies that contribute to a safer, cleaner, and more delightful customizable fragrance experience. We observe that the wellness platform within the home care market will continue to evolve, leveraging further advances in neuroscience and emotion-based fragrance technologies to support consumers’ ever-growing emotional needs. Lastly, we continue to see the need to bring happiness, joy and comfort in people’s lives. We will seek to deliver fragrances that support their search for a brighter outlook.
Footnote
aEmotiBoost is a registered trademark of dsm-firmenich
