Wow-Factor Home Scents with Cochine

Rooted in a passion for travel and scent memories, Cochine symbolizes sensory escapism, investing in an aromatic journey across fragrance categories.
We explore the brand's heritage, the significance of scent communities, and get a sneak peek into Cochine's upcoming festive home scent wonders with founder Kate Crofton-Atkins.

How does Cochine believe fragrance can influence the atmosphere and mood within a living space?

I have lived with fragrance in my home for so long now I can’t imagine life without it. I use fragrance to set the mood for different rooms and I also change fragrances throughout the year- for example I’ll use woody, cosier scents in winter months and lighter, brighter florals in the summer. Fragrance is often the first impression people get when they enter a house so having a beautiful diffuser in the entrance to your home can have a big impact. Studies show that 75% of emotions are triggered by smell, and we believe that enhancing your living space with different fragrances can have huge benefits in terms of how you feel. Ginger, for example, is known to enhance the mind and focus, so I have one of our Juniper & Ginger diffusers in my office.

Scentscapes, seen as a form of daily escape through home fragrances, are gaining popularity in the international fragrance market. What led Cochine to draw inspiration from landscapes and the concept of travel?

This is exactly what our fragrances are designed to do- transport us from our daily lives to that place in the sun where time stands still. The power of fragrance to do this is incredible. It was the captivating scent of Champa Jasmine I used to bicycle past each morning when I lived in Vietnam that made me first realise the power of fragrance- I would close my eyes and feel this huge sense of calm.

I started creating fragrances to transport you to different moments of living in the tropics- be it that early morning bicycle ride, barefoot, the warm sun on your back, or evenings on a sun-warmed terrace watching the sunset with the sounds of cicadas in the trees. A fragrance journalist once described our scents as “Eau de Out of Office” - with one spritz of our eau de parfum, you can be transported to that holiday feeling.

Can you tell us about the signals from consumers that are reflected in Cochine's fragrance offerings and brand ethos?

Something we are seeing from consumers is they are looking for something a bit different in their fragrances- that wow factor.

I created our latest fragrance Tuberose Absolute & Sandalwood with this in mind,
I wanted it to have an element of surprise to it. I worked with Master Perfumer Maurice Roucel on this fragrance- which was a dream come true!- and we started with the key notes tuberose and sandalwood and then added leather notes which give the scent an almost velvety richness and sense of intrigue.

Cochine offers a diverse range of luxury fragrances and home fragrance products. From a creative perspective, which home fragrance categories do you believe are emerging in response to consumer demands, and how does Cochine approach them?

While there will always be a strong demand for candles, I think consumers are increasingly looking for ways to bring fragrance into their home as a consistent background scent experience so we’re seeing more types and ways to diffuse scents, for example ceramic diffusers, electric diffusers, scented sticks- even potpourri is making a come back!

We are constantly researching different ways of bringing our fragrances into the home but we feel that the truest diffusion of our eau de parfum comes from expertly blended oils that are diffused through natural reeds, which is what we use in our diffusers.

In recent years, virtual communities of fragrance enthusiasts and the influence of social media have played a significant role in shaping consumer preferences. How does Cochine engage with these communities and leverage social media platforms to stay connected with its audience and stay attuned to emerging home fragrance trends?

We love that communities are coming together online to share fragrances and talk about them, it has helped break the glass bubble around fragrance and make fragrances more accessible. We have a very engaged consumer base who let us know their feedback and what they want from us, but we also enjoy doing IG lives with fragrance experts and listening to their interviews and podcasts- the more conversation around fragrance the better.

Sustainability is an increasingly important consideration for consumers. What specific demands have you observed, and how does Cochine incorporate sustainable practices in its home fragrance offerings?

Cochine is committed to using the highest quality ingredients, ethically and sustainably sourced. We use sustainably sourced botanical wax in our candles and eco-friendly cotton wicks (no lead). In response to customers’ concerns about excess packaging we have recently launched our eco range so customers can now choose to receive our products in a gift box (with shagreen card and tassel) or in a simple card box which is fully recyclable.

We also work with One Tree Planted to plant a tree for every product purchased on our website. Over time this ends up as a lot of trees!

The concept of seasonal or occasion-specific scents has gained traction in the home fragrance market. How does Cochine adapt to and innovate in this area?
Going back to your first question about fragrance and mood, I think this is a natural progression that consumers want fragrances for specific times of year and seasons so we often have this in mind when creating new scents. One of my favourite fragrances is our Winter candle Orange Amere & Star Anise which we wanted to capture the essence of glamorous winter evenings- it combines all the Christmas favourites such as bitter orange, clove and cinnamon but also has guaiac wood which gives the scent of fire embers and gives it a richness and warmth. We wanted it to look different to the rest of our collection so we have launched it in a limited edition red glass with hand-drawn illustrations from the British fashion illustrator, Susannah Garrod. It has an amazing glow as the candle burns!

As we approach the festive season, consumer preferences often shift towards celebratory and seasonal scents. How does Cochine anticipate and respond to market demands for fragrances that align with the holiday spirit?

I think people are looking for something a bit different at this time of year, it’s also an opportunity for us to think outside of the box and do interesting collaborations- we are very excited this year to be launching a beautiful candle with fashion brand Saloni in time for Christmas featuring one of her new 2024 designs.

Looking ahead to 2024, are there any upcoming innovations or expansions that Cochine enthusiasts can anticipate? Are there any exciting developments or new scent inspirations on the horizon?

We’ve got new fragrances, new products, new collaborations all planned for next year. The trend of ‘the bigger the better’ seems to be rising in popularity , so keep your eyes peeled for bigger candles and bigger room diffusers too!