Heritage
A house, in its own words
Jennifer McKay Newton founded DefineMe in 2015 after reportedly drawing inspiration from her daughter's experiences with anxiety. The founder has spoken about recognizing how certain scents appeared to help her daughter, which motivated her to explore fragrance as a tool for emotional support. This personal motivation shaped the brand's broader mission to create fragrances intended to influence mood and well-being through scent. Early operations required Newton to manage multiple aspects of the business simultaneously. She reportedly handled product formulation decisions, packaging design, and marketing efforts without a large team. The brand's initial growth strategy centered on direct consumer contact. Newton attended local markets in the Los Angeles area, including events marketed as Younique LA, where she engaged directly with potential customers, shared the brand's story, and introduced fragrance samples. This grassroots approach to building awareness reflected both the brand's limited resources at the time and Newton's personal investment in connecting with the people using her products. By 2019, DefineMe had developed enough visibility to initiate conversations with Mattel, the multinational toy and entertainment company. Newton has described this period as a turning point that validated the brand's progress and opened new distribution channels. The Mattel connection reportedly led to collaboration opportunities that expanded DefineMe's reach beyond the independent fragrance market. DefineMe has continued releasing new fragrances regularly, with launches including Nearly Noon in 2024 and Nearly Nude in 2025, both representing what the brand describes as scent experiences crafted for specific mood profiles. The company maintains its female-founded identity and has positioned itself within the clean beauty movement, emphasizing ingredient transparency and cruelty-free practices. The DefineMe philosophy centers on the belief that fragrance does more than smell pleasant. The brand operates from the premise that scent has a functional role in supporting emotional well-being. This positioning distinguishes DefineMe from fragrance companies that focus primarily on fashion, status, or artistic perfumery as primary value propositions. Founder Jennifer McKay Newton has articulated the brand's purpose as making fragrances that people can integrate into their daily routines as a form of self-care. The company markets its products as tools for intentional moments, encouraging customers to consider how specific scents might influence their mental state throughout the day. This approach appeals to consumers who view fragrance as part of a broader wellness routine rather than merely a decorative accessory. The brand's values include accessibility, transparency, and alignment with specific ethical standards. DefineMe communicates that its fragrances are formulated to avoid certain synthetic compounds, though the specific formulation standards have not been independently audited or certified by third parties. The company maintains that its commitment to natural and vegan ingredients reflects its broader mission of creating products that support well-being without compromise. Newton has reportedly spoken about the importance of creating fragrances that feel genuine to the brand's identity rather than chasing trends. The focus on emotional resonance rather than novelty has informed naming conventions and marketing approaches that emphasize mood associations over traditional fragrance pyramid descriptions. This strategy positions DefineMe as a brand that prioritizes the experience of wearing its products over their aesthetic or status dimensions.