June 06, (THEWILL) – In this interview with Ivory Ukonu, perfume manufacturer and owner of Lael Art of Perfumery, Sandra Igho Eze, talks about how she grew her craft over time and why she believes Nigeria has a big potential in perfumery. Excerpts:
Perfume factories are not common in Nigeria, yet you own and run one, producing from the scratch. How were you able to pull this off?
Honestly, I’ll say it hasn’t been easy, considering the challenges and difficulty in accessing materials. Sometimes, it feels like everything is working against our field in this country, but my passion has been my drive.
What inspired you to go into perfume production?
My love for perfumes did. Growing up watching my mum collect fragrances, I grew in that path. Finding out I could impact lives with that knowledge further inspired me.
How cheap or expensive is it to run a perfume factory?
It is absolutely expensive, especially in our region.
Where did you acquire the requisite skills to go into perfume production?
In France. I have attended and I still attend some of the most prestigious perfume schools in France. The likes of Cinquieme sens and Isipca. I have also been under the keen tutelage of some of perfumery’s biggest names, such as master perfumers Christophe Laudamiel and Viktoria Minyai.
How long have you been at this and what is the scale of Lael Art of Perfumery?
I have been in the perfumery field for seven years and it is quite sizable.
What kind of perfumes do you produce? EDTs, EDPs, Oil perfumes?
All types of perfumes from Eau De Toilettes to Eau De Parfums and perfume oil, including solid and traditional perfumes.
How would you describe your first attempt to make perfume?
My first attempt at creating a fragrance, I tried to make it as unique as possible. I called the collection ‘The Recree’ (In English The Recreate). Under this collection, I had to replicate the personalities of people very dear to me. Capturing each unique trait and putting it in a bottle was like magic. Fragrances under this collection were AIDAN, MIKAYLA, ELSA, ONOME,OKE. I moved to create another limited edition called ORGASM, where I got to capture the essence of femininity and the captivating scents of a woman. All these creations are under the sister brand, EL’OLOR by Crystal. My recent creation was for the new fragrance house, Charles de jeu, where I got to create AFFLUENTIAL, a fragrance telling a story about Charles Okpaleke, the owner of Charles of Play. Affluential depicts an affluent image of the brand owner, what he stands for and captures his character traits, one of which is having the fragrance diffuse and project better at night than during the day, just as Charles who is known to be the king of night life.
What are some of the unique attributes that distinguishes your brand from others?
Originality is the most unique attribute of my brand. Lael is here to promote originality and making the impossible possible in perfumery.
Where do you source the raw materials for your perfumes?
Sadly, all materials are sourced from France and majority of packing from China. We are yet to grow big enough to start producing our own raw materials even though plans are already in the works..
Are the perfumes only locally marketed?
For now, all our perfumes are sold locally, except for ‘Affluent’ which obtained a licence to sell worldwide
Nigerians are generally known to prefer foreign goods. How are you able to convince them to buy your products?
As I always say, I’m here to change the narrative. Based on my opinion, many Nigerians don’t buy made-in Nigeria goods because of poor presentation. They always feel that goods produced in the country are mediocre. So far, I haven’t had any problem marking my products as homemade.
How do you deal with production challenges?
Nothing is easy in Nigeria. Everything is difficult and with the ongoing inflation, it is becoming almost unbearable. From the exchange rates to shipping and clearing trauma, it hasn’t been easy, I must say.
Do you run a perfumery school to train those who are interested in going into your kind of business?
Yes, LAEL has a perfume academy and we are focused mainly on teaching others about perfumery. In our region, as we are aware, a lot of misinformation about perfumery has taken over our field. Lael is a vision on a mission to promote originality for a healthy competition in the global market.
What was it about your growing up years that made you think producing perfumes is what you want to do in life?
Well, truthfully, I never thought that I would one day be in the perfumery industry. I didn’t think it was possible, especially in Nigeria, but one thing I remember about growing up was seeing my mum collecting scents, mixing them just so she smells mysterious. I started using fragrances at a very young age and over time, I started investing in it. I didn’t start off as a perfumer. I started as a connoisseur. Later, I started yearning for in-depth knowledge in perfumery. I searched for schools in perfumery, but all I could find online was in France. So I promised myself that I would acquire this knowledge by all means and make it accessible in my home country. Here I am today.
If you weren’t a perfumer, what other kind of business do you think you would have excelled in?
Well if I wasn’t a perfumer, I probably would have been an interior designer. I have an eye for that kind of thing.
Do you wear other brands or do you just stick to your own brand?
I am a collector. I wear other brands to explore. It is also a learning process for me and a way to appreciate the craftsmanship of other perfumers.
What would you say must have significantly shaped you to be who you are?
Challenges. Each time I encountered challenges, I came back 10 times stronger than before. I’m glad that I had some challenges along the line. If it wasn’t for the challenges, Lael would probably not be existing today.
What would you say has been your greatest achievement since you started out as a perfume manufacturer?
Training the visually impaired, empowering women in need and raising young perfumers by starting classes for children. I’m glad to be among the few that have successfully achieved this worldwide.
Do you think Nigeria has the potential to be a major business hub as it concerns perfumery?
I can say for sure that Nigeria has a very big potential in perfumery. With an estimate of $75 billion generated per annum, Nigerians are known to be among the biggest consumers of perfumes in the world. Imagine what it would look like if we invested more in growing, extracting, processing and manufacturing our own raw materials. For example, Nigerian ginger is currently the best and most sought-after in perfumery. Imagine if we did the extraction back home and exported it, not having to buy it back at an outrageous amount. There is a future in perfumery in Nigeria.
What are your projections for the business in five years time?
In five years, all things being equal, we should have our own standard factory and raw material plant, a regulatory body and a strong presence in the global market.
What else do you do besides producing perfumes?
I am a full time perfumer.
What were you doing before venturing into this business?
I worked in the private sector.
How do you let off steam when you are not working?
I travel. I love to travel as it helps me see a lot differently and gives me the inspiration I need.
How would you describe yourself?
Free spirited, disciplined, passionate about the things I love. I am an optimist.
Give a brief description of what Lael Art of Perfumery is all about?
Lael is a vision on a mission, established for the purpose of training and educating Nigerians and Africans in general on the beauty and art of perfumery. Lael has been working to raise world class perfumers that can compete in the global market. Lael is also particular about empowering youths, women and children with the skill of fragrance making. Lael also does above just fragrances but also masters the art of candle making, diffuser (home fragrances), cosmetics etc.
About the Author
