1 yr into their handcrafted fragrance biz, these M’sian sisters made it into Tsutaya Books

One thing I’ve noticed people are keen on purchasing these days is fragrance. Not just perfume, but aromatherapy home products like candles and diffusers.

With such a growing interest, it’s not surprising that many brands have mushroomed to meet this demand. Rokuscent is one such local name.

Scrolling through their products, you might dismiss it as another company selling OEM products. But after learning that it actually has a counter at Tsutaya Books in Pavilion Bukit Jalil, I was intrigued.

After all, it’s not just any brand that can set up shop at the Japanese bookstore. Every brand there is handpicked and curated to cultivate a specific culture and lifestyle.

So why was Rokuscent one of them?

Seizing the opportunities that come

Started by sisters Adeline and Charlotte, Rokuscent isn’t a brand that just sells good smells. Their goal is to actually evoke emotions and fond memories through scents.

Elaborating on this, the sisters shared that they drew inspiration from the concept of the sixth sense. Which is why they named the brand Rokuscent as “roku” refers to the number six in Japanese.

“This name encapsulates the very essence of our mission and the unique experience we aim to offer—a multisensory journey,” they stated.

With this in mind, it’s probably no wonder that Tsutaya Books was drawn to them.

Initially, the bookstore reached out to the sisters for a pop-up event. But seeing how good the reception was led Tsutaya Books to offer them a permanent spot since September 2023.

Not bad for a passion project that started with RM5,000.

Turning powder into usable ornaments

But apart from that, it’s also due to the handmade value of Rokuscent’s products. Specifically, its aroma stones and crystal domes.

At first glance, Rokuscent’s aroma stone might look like a factory-made block of white stone. But each piece is handmade using ornamental plaster powder by the sisters themselves to ensure its quality. 

Shaped like a squared coaster with curved edges, the aroma stone comes with a detachable ribbon so you have the option of hanging it.

It acts as a diffuser, so all you have to do is put a few drops of the brand’s aroma oil onto the stone.

Made using plaster powder and water, each stone is handpoured into custom moulds featuring the brand’s logo. Once dried, each stone is sanded and soaked in water to get rid of rough textures before drying again.

The aroma oils, however, are actually imported from Korea due to their diverse palette and quality. They can be purchased separately (RM19.90 for 5ml) and come in a variety of scents like Lime Basil & Mandarin and Pomelo & Rose.

Originally, the idea for Rokuscent was to create more fashionable car diffusers and home fragrances. But it’s since expanded to include other aromatherapy products like its crystal dome diffuser.

The sisters introduced this a few months after the aroma stones.

Shaped like a trinket dish, its crystal dome diffuser houses Himalaya salt crystals that serve as a medium to diffuse the aroma oils. 

In terms of pricing, the aroma stone is priced at RM59, whereas the crystal dome diffuser is priced at RM149. Both of them come in sets with an aroma oil of your choice.

Keeping sustainability in mind

To increase their offerings, Adeline and Charlotte decided to outsource some products, such as the marble stones and reed diffusers.

These aren’t made in-house but still sport its signature minimalist look. It’s also a more sustainable practice of consuming aromatherapy products. 

For context, all of the brand’s items (except for the reed diffusers) are reusable and only require periodical aroma oil top-ups. Hence, there’s less wastage compared to a regular car diffuser and scented candle.

Not to mention, none of them require the use of electricity nor the use of open flames.

With sustainability in mind and to increase its long-term use, the duo provides customisation services. You can choose to have it in your preferred colour, add a name or date stamping, and even a logo for corporate clients. 

On average, they create and supply between 200 to 300 aroma stones every month. 

Giving their scents a fighting chance

Speaking openly, Adeline and Charlotte said that this collaboration with Tsutaya Books has significantly expanded the brand’s public visibility.

Seeing the results, the sisters are planning to open their own physical store soon. By doing this, it would allow them to showcase Rokuscent’s fragrances and provide customers the chance to explore their products in a tangible way. 

Other than that, it could open the brand’s market opportunities to a larger audience, particularly those that aren’t online. 

It’s a rather challenging market with many brands in Malaysia offering similar products, some at perhaps more affordable price points too.

But Adeline and Charlotte aren’t too worried about the competition. Taking it one step at a time, their focus now is to refine and expand Rokuscent’s catalogue to attract bigger crowds.

Featured Image Credit: Rokuscent