Based in Australia, Loess is an emerging lifestyle and beauty brand that formulates fragrances from natural, sustainably sourced, and high-quality materials from around the world.

Founded by Amy Louise and Nick Morley in late-2021, the brand has devoted its creativity to producing timeless scents that honor both the environment and those who wear it. Amy—who has a background in branding and marketing as well as a boundless love for fragrances—and Nick, who comes from a finance background, complement each other well in terms of creating a community. “From the scents we create, to the impact we have on our land and the environment, we care about the consequences of our choices and actions, and believe in creating positive change for a better future,” they share.

Loess’ first collection of fragrances is largely divided into two two signature scents, which both arrive in 50ml and 100ml sizes. Largely inspired by nature, “Ceder” captures the essence of the forest’s scent as midday rays beam on untouched plains. It boasts notes of bergamot, bay leaf, fig, cedarwood, vetiver, musk, tobacco, and hay. On the other hand, “Dark Paha” is comprised of juniper berries, pepper, pine needle, frankincense, vanilla, sandalwood, and amber amongst several other rich components.

We had the pleasure of chatting with Loess founders Amy and Nick in regards to creating new scents, environmental impact, and the future of fragrance. Read below!

In what ways has Sydney, your hometown, inspired the concept of your fragrance?

Our inspiration is drawn from vast, raw landscapes that exist all over the world and the beauty in natural creations. We feel extremely lucky to live in such a special part of the world and to have some of these incredible landscapes across Australia. Sydney, especially, is home to such rich coastlines that constantly inspire us.

Can you share with us what your creative process is like when you decide to produce a new scent?

Our creative process always begins by determining the feeling that we want each scent to evoke. Once this has been established, we move into fragrance testing. We sample a range of different scents and select the notes that we feel carry qualities that will inherently convey the desired feeling of the fragrance.

Once we’ve landed on these initial scent notes, we hand over to our fragrance house (the experts) to build out the first range of completed samples. This process is a collaborative approach and we work together to find not only a scent that smells incredible, but that sparks the initial feeling we were hoping to achieve.

It’s also important to us that our final fragrance is long-lasting so we arrange user testing, which allows us to test the fragrance on different skin types and make any necessary adjustments. Once the final fragrance formulation is approved and in production, we then explore all product touch-points to get it ready for market.

Your fragrances often tap into diverse influences. What was the inspiration behind “Dark Paha” and “Céder”?

Our brand is inspired by nature and the imperfect beauty of our raw and vast landscape, which carries through to each scent we create. When creating Céder we were inspired by the concept of ‘self-surrender’ and giving into the intense, intoxicating, and all-consuming nature of some of Earth’s most extreme environments.

Our inspiration for Dark Paha was to capture the transitory moments between night and day – where the intensity of the day begins to fade and the growth of native flora starts its nightly rebirth.

What’s your advice for choosing the right scent when it comes to finding quality fragrances that don’t break the bank?

Choosing the right scent is extremely personal and a completely different experience for everyone. While some expensive brands may draw you in by their advertising, it may not necessarily mean they have the right scent for you. We recommend sampling as many fragrances as possible to make sure you’re happy with how it settles on your skin and most importantly how it makes you feel when wearing it.

As Loess has launched initially online, we are aware of this barrier and are in the process of introducing a 10ml sample option so our customers can be completely satisfied with their choice.

LOESS is clearly aware of how products can not only impact people but the planet as well. How can we be more conscious in terms of beauty consumerism?

In the past couple of years, we’ve seen a huge shift in consumer expectations towards the fashion industry which has resulted in brands becoming more aware of their impact and the need to improve their sustainable and ethical practices. This trend has started to flow through to the beauty industry with more brands becoming socially conscious and offering positive solutions.

Consumers can make a huge difference by showing support to these brands that have opted to use their platform for good. We suggest researching before you buy and making sure these sustainable practices are being followed. It’s small things like companies using recyclable packaging, offering re-usable or re-fillable solutions, or that go that step further by donating their profits to charities. If you’re unsure where to find these brands that are in business for positive change, we recommend heading to one of our Charity Partners, I=Change or even platforms such as Riise World, who promote brands that are doing right by the planet.

What is your vision of the perfume industry’s future?

Our vision for the fragrance industry is encapsulated within our brand’s vision. From the scents we create to the impact we have on our land and the environment, we care about the consequences of our choices and actions, and believe in creating positive change for a better future.

We hope that all brands are in business for positive change and this attitude is at the forefront of every decision made.

Priced at $149 and $205 USD respectively, shop Loess’ latest perfumes via the brand’s website.

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