The Heritage
The Story of Chasing Scents
Chasing Scents is an independent perfume house based in Sydney, Australia. The brand has built its identity around tea as a central creative material, producing fragrances that explore tea's aromatic range through in-house extractions. Founded by a scientist with a PhD background, the house operates as a women-owned business and maintains small-batch production methods. Each fragrance begins with custom tea extracts developed by the founder herself, rather than relying on conventional perfume compounds. The line spans multiple tea varieties including green, oolong, black, and specialty preparations like matcha, with compositions ranging from floral-tea blends to more complex oriental-tea constructions. The brand has attracted a following among fragrance collectors interested in botanical authenticity and naturalistic scent profiles, particularly those seeking alternatives to mainstream perfume conventions.
Heritage
Chasing Scents emerged from the Australian niche fragrance scene as a house dedicated almost exclusively to tea as a perfume material. The founder, who holds a PhD in science, brings a research-oriented approach to fragrance development that distinguishes the house from many indie perfumers who work primarily through traditional aromatic training. She creates her own tea extracts in-house, a process that allows precise control over the botanical materials entering each composition. This scientific background informs the brand's methodical approach to ingredient sourcing and extraction, treating tea varieties as complex botanical materials worthy of rigorous study rather than simple flavour notes. The house operates as an Asian women-owned business, and this background reportedly influences the cultural perspective embedded in the fragrance concepts, which draw inspiration from tea culture and personal relationships. Multiple fragrance releases since 2021 have established the brand's range, including Tea Service, Slow World, Weeping Rose, Rain Tea, Private Teahouse, Bitter Melon Lemon Tea, and Matcha Break. The house maintains independent distribution through its own channels and selected stockists, preserving the small-batch ethos that governs its production scale.
Craftsmanship
The production process at Chasing Scents begins with tea extracts made in-house by the founder, a practice that sets the house apart from most commercial fragrance brands that purchase pre-made aromatic materials. The founder's scientific training informs extraction techniques designed to preserve the volatile aromatic compounds present in tea leaves and buds. Small-batch production limits the scale of each release while allowing quality control at every stage. The house sources whole flower buds and botanical materials alongside tea components, expanding the palette available for composition. Each fragrance undergoes development cycles that align with the availability and character of seasonal botanical extractions, rather than following rigid annual release calendars. The brand's focus on tea extracts rather than tea flavours or tea-scented chemicals represents a material commitment to naturalistic scent construction. This approach requires more time and technical skill than using conventional perfume bases but reportedly produces more distinctive aromatic results.
Design Language
The visual presentation of Chasing Scents reflects the brand's positioning as a considered, minimally-involved perfume house. Bottle designs employ clean lines and restrained colour palettes that suggest the clarity and subtlety associated with tea culture. Packaging avoids excessive ornamentation, with emphasis placed on material quality and thoughtful proportions rather than dramatic visual statements. The overall effect communicates refinement and intentionality, qualities that align with the careful extraction methods underpinning the fragrance line. Photography and social media presence maintain a consistent visual language that emphasizes natural light, organic textures, and an overall sense of calm sophistication. The brand's Australian origin influences certain aesthetic choices, though the tea-centric concept transcends specific cultural associations to create something that reads as broadly contemplative and refined.
Philosophy
The creative vision behind Chasing Scents centers on translating the sensory experience of tea into wearable fragrance form. Rather than creating perfumes that merely reference tea in name or concept, the house builds each composition around actual tea extracts produced through proprietary methods. This approach reflects a broader commitment to botanical authenticity over synthetic convenience. The founder approaches fragrance creation with scientific precision, viewing tea varieties as complex chemical matrices that require careful extraction to capture their nuanced aromatic profiles. The brand's About statement frames the perfumes as personal interpretations of conversations and bonding over tea with loved ones, suggesting that emotional connection underlies the technical work. This dual emphasis on scientific method and personal meaning characterizes the brand's identity, positioning it between laboratory precision and intimate storytelling. The tea focus provides a unifying theme across the fragrance line while allowing substantial variation in style, from the floral restraint of Weeping Rose to the more assertively aromatic Slow World.
Key Milestones
2021
First fragrances released: Tea Service, Slow World, and Weeping Rose establish the house's tea-focused identity.
2021
Brand gains recognition among niche fragrance collectors through independent stockists and online fragrance communities.
2023
Rain Tea added to the line, expanding the collection with a scent described as a new brand favourite.
2024
Private Teahouse released, continuing the series of tea-based compositions.
2025
Bitter Melon Lemon Tea introduced, demonstrating willingness to explore unconventional tea combinations.
At a Glance
Brand profile snapshot
Origin
Australia
Collection
2
Fragrances released
Avg Rating
3.7
Community sentiment
Release Rhythm