On a quest to develop the perfect perfume for mothers, natural fragrance house Abel Odor and organic childrenswear brand Gray Label combined forces. The result? ‘Nurture’, a grounding fragrance that has unexpectedly garnered popularity beyond mothers.
Originally produced four and a half years ago, the fragrance has today been re-released in a new 100ml bottle alongside the existing range, perfect for expectant individuals, mothers, and others.
We talk to Abel Odor founder Frances Shoemack about the creation of Nurture and what exactly it is that makes the scent so special.
Why are natural perfumes essential for expectant mothers or those with young children?
Both expecting mums and newborns are hypersensitive to smells, allergens and other sensitivities. This is why expecting mums are warned off using perfume, and most infant products are fragrance-free. In Nurture, we used only ingredients known to be good for you while expecting and made sure there were no potential allergens. For example, many people are hypersensitive to pigmentation while pregnant, and bergaptene found naturally in Bergamot essential oil increases pigmentation, so we use a special Bergamot oil with the bergaptene removed.
What are the benefits of the ingredients chosen for Nurture?
While you need to be careful of using essential oils in high dosage while pregnant (and never use essential oils directly on the skin), we can harness some of the therapeutic values of these oils with our low volume dosage.
Orange blossom is uplifting, rose is calming, ginger has anti-nausea properties, and sandalwood is grounding. More than anything, though, Nurture is a reminder to take care of yourself while caring for your little one.
Why did you include ginger for its anti-nausea properties?
Many smells made me feel completely nauseous during pregnancy, including some of my favourites (freshly ground coffee!). Ginger with its anti-nausea properties felt like an innate way to offset the fact that so many other smells may make you feel sick, but your beautiful new perfume won’t!
How have your customers responded to the perfume?
We launched Nurture four and a half years ago, and it’s taken on a life of its own. The scent profile has shown to be universally loved (it’s one of our scents that sells well in both Europe and Asia, where their fragrance tastes tend to be very different). All genders love it — and at all different stages of their lives. I think everyone needs a little nurturing at the moment!
Discover Nurture at abelodor.com.
