Feel-good vibes in fragrant form are at the heart of Vyrao, going beyond merely smelling wonderful to asserting their belief that ‘Vyrao is the world’s first wellbeing brand to fuse energetic healing with master perfumery. We make good feelings…’
Yasmin Sewell worked for years in the high-powered, fast-moving fashion industry, first as a buyer and then creative director, guiding such names as Browns, Chloe, Mulberry, Farfetch and Liberty. Yasmin also took young designers under her wing – now world-famous names like Acne, The Row, Christopher Kane, Roksanda, and J. W Anderson. Quite frankly, she was at the top of her game and one of the most respected women in the fashion industry; so what caused this seismic shift to scent? Well, in 2019, Yasmin had what she describes as ‘an aha moment.’ It was a realisation that she needed to create her own space, to focus on the creative ideas that had been bubbling beneath for so long, and most importantly, that ‘energy needed to be the source of my brand.’ A long-time believer in therapeutic and energetic medicine, Yasmin explains that with the concept of energy as her main mantra for creating the brand, it quickly became obvious as to how this energy could be shared. Says Yasmin, ‘Channelling it came first, what it’s channelled into came second. So we started with fragrance.’
For Vyrao, it’s all about wearable good vibes, and anyone who’s had a sluggish day or simply felt dull, blah and down in the dumps can attest – spritzing a scent can be an instantaneous remedy and our sense of smell is a potent way to make us feel brighter, more confident, and ready to face the world. With such potential power at our pulse points, Yasmin sought a way to harness this energy so it could be at our fingertips whenever we need it. Having been ‘a lifelong advocate for personal self-care, wellbeing and energetic connection,’ Yasmin’s also trained in Integrative Quantum Medicine™ and Reiki, and so was well placed to reach out to Louise Mita, President and CEO of The Art Of Energy, Inc., and creator of Integrative Quantum Medicine™, who’s studied metaphysical alchemy, healing, and martial arts since 1968.
Together, they took a deep dive into researching specific ingredients they could use in the fragrances to help the wearer feel better. Explains Yasmin: ‘Science has shown that positive emotions and feelings can contribute to better health. I believe that in the future more of us will come to understand and accept the influence of energy as part of our overall well-being. We’ll know how to channel it, clear it, raise and work with it, and Vyrao is at the heart of that purpose. Vyrao helps us connect to ourselves.’
Sustainability was another key factor for Vyrao, so 88-89% of the formulae are natural ingredients, with 80% certified organic, raw ingredients sourced from Robertet. The remaining 11-12% synthetics were chosen because they’re far more sustainable than natural counterparts, the bases are 100% organic sugarcane alcohol, grown without pesticides and fertilizers, and all the Vyrao range is vegan, cruelty free and ethically sourced. Of course, it takes more than simply using an ingredient – the fragrance must smell great for it to truly resonate with us, and so Yasmin got brilliant perfumer Lyn Harris on board to compose the fragrances. The nose behind Miller Harris, before leaving to crate her own house of Perfumer H, Harris excels at creating immaculately balanced and beautifully blended fragrances, and her skills are evident in Vyrao’s olfactive offerings. Raving about the scents in her so-influential column, journalist India Knight described them thusly:
‘I Am Verdant, which smells like it sounds: super-green, full of hope, like waiting for spring, before the greenness goes slightly mossy and orange blossom and citrus kick in. Georgette is a very woody and peppery rose that is also powdery, and even though I don’t really like rose scents I found it soft and oddly comforting. Witchy Woo, by contrast, is full of orris, spices, patchouli and musk and is woody, ambery and — hard to explain why I think this but I do — slightly magical. Vyrao says to wear it to encourage courage and creativity. Free 00 is a much airier affair that smells of summer holidays, in a good and even original way, or maybe of driving somewhere sunny in a convertible with the roof down and your hair streaming behind you. Lemon, jasmine and vanilla, to be crude and reductive, but done in a way that is both airy and exhilarating (this one promotes “liberation and sensuality”, in case you’re wondering, and I totally get why they’d say that). Also, Magnetic 70, which smells of vetiver — God, how I love vetiver — cedarwood and frankincense, among other things… here I could mostly smell incense and intense woodsiness, like being in a quite special church that you have stumbled on by accident.’
Since then, The Sixth encourages ‘mindfulness and intuition’ via an herbaceous breeze of crisp apple, green basil, reflective rosemary, fronds of fennel and soothing cypress, all grounded with earthy patchouli and freshened with juniper and mint for an instant clarity of purpose. With the excellent Discovery Set you can dive in to discover which you need most right now, but as Yasmin says, mostly we need to reconnect with ourselves again, don’t we? ‘I believe we are moving into an Age of Consciousness,’ she enthuses. ‘As a result, our awareness of the physical, emotional and the spiritual will grow and define the choices we make, the lives we live, and the brands we love.’
And we just know you’re going to love Vyrao…
