Kajal Gujar
Kajal Gujar arrived at perfumery through an unexpected door: pharmacy. Born in Mumbai, she initially pursued pharmaceutical sciences before her fascination with scent led her to ISIPCA in Paris, the legendary fragrance school tucked into the gardens of Versailles. That leap from chemistry to creativity proved decisive. After completing her dual masters in European Fragrance and Cosmetic Management alongside an MBA, she joined dsm-firmenich, where she now crafts fragrances from their Singapore studio. Her early work with indie brands like SugarBomb and Kundaroma revealed a talent for accessible, modern scents that feel effortless rather than overwrought. She spent formative months training directly in Paris, absorbing the house traditions of French perfumery while bringing an outsider's fresh perspective. Now a key voice within one of the world's largest fragrance suppliers, Gujar represents a new generation of perfumers reshaping how clean beauty thinks about scent.
The hits
Notable creations
The signature
How Kajal composes
Gujar's signature leans toward fruity-floral compositions with a musky warmth that feels contemporary and gender-fluid. Reviewers consistently describe her work as easy-going, describing at least one creation as an 'easy grab and go fragrance.' She favors bright opening notes that transition into softer, skin-clinging drydowns. Her fruity musky constructions avoid the aggressive sweetness that often characterizes mass-market fragrances, favoring instead a natural impression that suggests rather than announces. Clean beauty constraints have only sharpened her creativity, pushing her toward innovative applications of familiar ingredient families. She demonstrates particular skill with lactonic and musky materials, using them to add creaminess and longevity without heaviness.
Philosophy
What drives Kajal
Gujar believes great fragrance should feel like a second skin, not a costume. She gravitates toward compositions that feel effortless and lived-in rather than dramatic. Her work suggests that accessibility and artistry are not opposing forces. When developing the Singapore Eco Orchid scent for Singapore's 60th anniversary, she drew inspiration from living orchids in their natural environment, translating a sensory memory into something wearable. She approaches each brief with curiosity rather than ego, asking what emotion a fragrance should evoke before considering what ingredients might achieve it. Her clean beauty collaborations demonstrate a commitment to transparency and restraint, proving that modern consumers want sophistication without complexity.
The houses