The Nue Co. Expands Functional Fragrance Line As Category Gains Momentum

LONDON, United Kingdom — Premium wellness brand The Nue Co. is expanding its line of functional fragrances with the launch of MIND ENERGY, a fragrance supplement designed to deliver a mental pick-me-up.

The third functional fragrance from the brand since launching its original Functional Fragrance back in 2018, demonstrates the growing demand for alternative wellness solutions that sit outside the realm of pills and powders but offer a range of similar benefits.

“Functional Fragrance was the first anti-stress supplement in the form of a fragrance, launching the concept of functional fragrances,” Jules Miller, Founder and CEO, The Nue Co. told Welltodo.

“We have now launched three functional fragrances (Functional Fragrance, Forest Lungs and Mind Energy) and it continues to be one of our most successful categories and innovation sectors,” she revealed.

According to Miller, the decision to first launch a functional fragrance came about through function alone. The brand wanted to develop an anti-stress supplement that had an immediate impact — almost like pressing a reset button. However, she and her team quickly realised that wasn’t going to be achievable using an ingestible supplement format, as capsules or powders would take too long to be broken down and metabolised by the body.

“We landed on the concept of developing a supplement in the form of a fragrance as the olfactory system is the fastest way to impact your cognitive or emotional state,” Miller told Welltodo.

“Your sense of smell is literally the highway to your brain. It’s also the only one of the five senses with a direct line to three of the most important areas of the brain: the orbitofrontal cortex, which signifies awareness; the hippocampus, which is linked to memory; and the amygdala, which helps us sort smells and is directly associated with our emotions and mood,” she added.

And despite the challenge of converting its consumer base to a new format and new concept online in a notoriously difficult category – fragrance – the brand sold out within a few weeks of launch (and just eight days for Forest Lungs in 2020).

It was only after Miller and her team spotted the brand’s customers were buying the formula based on the benefit alone, not as a traditional fragrance, they realised they’d developed something really exciting in a new category. 

For MIND ENERGY, which the brand says addresses one of the most common concerns it hears from its customers: mind fog or mental exhaustion, the company leveraged the expertise of Frank Vogel, the man credited with creating cult fragrance Santal 33 by Le Labo. 

It utilises patented olfactory technology as well as blending notes of clary sage, juniper, pink peppercorn and clove to stimulate neural pathways, working to invigorate and boost mental energy. And the brand’s consumer trials have already shown that after a 30 day period 86% of respondents reported having an increased level of focus, 6% of respondents felt more alert and 76% of respondents felt their productivity levels had improved.

For Miller, the bright, fresh and zesty fragrance has already become her “go-to for sluggish moments, like after long-haul flights or afternoons spent working from home”.

In what’s shaping up to be a busy year for the brand, the launch of MIND ENERGY follows news of a groundbreaking partnership with Sephora in which its supplements and skincare are now available to buy via the beauty and wellness retailer across the US.

Launched with the Clean at Sephora seal — an endorsement that helps the retailer’s customers to make informed decisions when it comes to purchasing products with a conscious supply chain — the hope is that by making its products more accessible to a wider audience, it can promote positive behaviour change among consumers who are looking to make more conscious purchasing decisions.

The raise of an additional $25 million in July, from investors including Pamoja Capital is also continuing to fuel the company’s growth, centred around investments into its already-defined social and sustainability focus. 

“Sustainability is woven into everything we do as a business, from product development to supplier sourcing and auditing, packaging choices and giving, to operations and logistics,” Miller told Welltodo.

“We believe that it’s through a holistic approach we can drive real change and also support in educating our customers about the interconnected ecosystem making up their health.”

As the brand continues to roll out its global expansion and add to its portfolio of innovative products, it says it will ensure that it is giving back to its community and doing its best to protect the environment around it.