Crash Our Date with: Scented Strangers
Welcome to the inaugural post for the Crash Our Date series, where we sit down with a designer in our community to learn about their craft and vision. Our first guest is Celine, founder of Scented Strangers, a functional jewelry brand creating bracelets with incense-infused beads. We lost track of time having the most fascinating conversation about traditional Chinese scent design philosophy and feeling like a “sweating snail” when our brains move faster than our hands.
Some words may rephrased from original conversation
So, how did Scented Strangers come about?
I have always had a strong connection to incense. Growing up, incense was always present in important moments or family gatherings. It offers blessings, grounding, protection, spiritual connection - it’s almost like a secret medium to the unknown.
I studied fashion at Parsons with a focus on the alternative global supply chain. During the pandemic, I took a gap year to visit different indigenous groups in China to learn about their arts and craft. An artisan from Inner Mongolia who made incense-infused beads stood out to me; I felt particularly drawn to her art given my personal connection to incense. I learned so much from her and was eventually inspired to develop my own brand in 2020.
My bracelets remind me of my family. When people think of incense though, they usually associate it with Buddhism or temples. One of my goals with Scented Strangers is to expand on the perspective on incense by repacking it into functional jewelry. In addition to a purely olfactory experience, incense in Chinese culture can also have great mental and physical health benefits. Wearing incense is an old traditional practice, so I’m aiming to revive that tradition.
What were some initial challenges when you first started the brand?
Initially, I found it difficult to determine where my brand fit into the jewelry market. I toyed with a few ideas, including incense sculptures as home decor, before deciding on bracelets. Each scented bead is handmade, so it can be quite labor-intensive. There was also a moment I considered infusing color into scented beads to make them more eye-catching, but that would have required chemical treatment to them which conflicts with my brand mission of making functional jewelry focused on wellness.
The financials of running a small business can be challenging. I supplement Scented Strangers by designing scents for commercial spaces and hotels. Businesses are starting to prioritize scent as part of a brand experience, so the scent design market is expanding. It’s important to remind myself to be flexible with pacing when balancing my time between commercial projects and my brand.
Are there any key philosophies that drive your decisions for Scented Strangers?
My mission with Scented Strangers is to use incense as a bridge for connection, offering protection, blessings, grounding, and a sense of nostalgia. I’m also a Buddhist, so I think a lot about karma and doing good. A question I ask myself often is “would I still stand by this decision in ten years?”
When did this feel real to you?
It doesnt (laughs), but if you must ask, it’s when I do pop-ups. This month, I’m doing an event in collaboration with Yanyan, an oil lamp designer, in Shanghai. We will be hosting a workshop teaching people how to mix incense powder and how to DIY personal incense. I feel most like a brand owner when I see people interacting with my creations in public.
On traditional Chinese scent design…
China is only more recently beginning to see domestic perfume brands, and there’s a lot of focus on marketing but not quality. Traditional Chinese scent design is based on a different structure called 君臣佐辅:
君 (Jūn) - The “Lord” or main element of the fragrance, responsible for the primary effect or core profile of the scent. This is the base, the central figure that holds the composition together, often including the “midnotes” and “base notes.” It’s the heart of the blend.
臣 (Chén) - The “Minister” or supporting element, which complements and strengthens the main scent. This ingredient helps balance and enrich the overall profile, enhancing the core fragrance while filling in any gaps. It generally works within the “middle notes.”
佐 (Zuǒ) - The “Assistant” plays a more subtle, nuanced role in balancing and coordinating the other ingredients. It corrects any imbalance and helps highlight the main scent’s qualities. This element is not only used in midnotes but sometimes plays a role in top or base notes.
辅 (Fǔ) - The “Helper,” which provides the initial impression of the fragrance. This note tends to be the top note, the first to evaporate but essential for giving the scent its opening, setting the tone, and creating a balanced initial experience. It often wears off quickly but plays a crucial role in the overall aesthetic.
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In Western terms, the structure would be roughly translated as:
• 君 (Jūn): Base and midnotes (foundational, anchoring scent)
• 臣 (Chén): Middle notes (supporting and reinforcing)
• 佐 (Zuǒ): Top, mid, and sometimes base notes (coordination, refinement)
• 辅 (Fǔ): Top notes (first impression, transient)
However, the key difference in Chinese scent philosophy is how each element—despite having its distinct role—works in harmony to create a seamless, layered scent profile, without overwhelming any one ingredient. The scent must evolve slowly, with each element guiding the others, resulting in a subtle, long-lasting complexity.
By refining and applying this structure, Chinese perfumery stays true to its tradition of using fewer, high-quality ingredients to create intricate yet balanced compositions. The essence is to let the scents unfold naturally, much like a well-composed Chinese painting or poem, where every stroke and word has its purpose but never overshadows the other.
What are some brands keeping you inspired?
I love Norlha. The founder is half Tibetan, half Greek-American, grew up in India and went to college in the United States to study photography. After graduating, she returned to her father’s hometown in the southern part of Gansu region and discovered yak khullu, which is baby yak wool. Asking nomads to give up herding when their families have done so for generations was pretty difficult, so her and her mom started a workshop inviting nomads from the area to knowledge-share and collaborate. Now, most of their production is done by former nomads who are very familiar with the animals.
Their family played a significant role in reviving the demand for this rare yak wool and started their own brand a few years ago after making fabric for Hermes and Loro Piana. They even started a wellness getaway initative as well as a basketball camp to give back to the community.
Can you share anything we can look forward to from Scented Strangers in the near future?
I’m trying to introduce different shapes to the incense beads and perhaps incense charms. I’m also keen on restarting the incense sculpture project while still working on how to best fuse the western fragrance system with the eastern one. I recently took a Chinese incense powder mixing class, but the instructor didn’t teach fundamental concepts in a digestible way. So I hope to continue doing pop ups for education purposes.
Scented Strangers will be available on Odditorium Collective soon.