Botanical Essentials builds immersive fragrance installation to launch new perfume line

Indonesian self-care label Botanical Essentials, in partnership with experience curator Haluu, has unveiled “Scentarium: A Life Journey through Scent,” an immersive exhibition that transforms part of Jakarta’s Grand Indonesia shopping mall into a multi-sensory journey of scent, memory, and mood.

This was no typical perfume launch. Instead of display shelves and fragrance strips, visitors wandered through a sequence of thematic rooms - each one dedicated to a different scent story. From the crisp stillness of Solace to the sun-warmed nostalgia of Desert Sunset, each space wove together visuals, textures, and sound to heighten the power of scent as emotional recall.

“This is a bridge between fragrance and the human soul,” said Lydia Wiranata, founder of Botanical Essentials. “We want each visitor not only to smell the aroma, but to feel their life stories through the scent.”

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The brand’s latest collection features seven Eau de Parfum variants - Where It Begins, Solace, In The Clouds, Sanctuary, Summer Fling, Desert Sunset, and After Hours - but the focus is less on the product and more on what the product unlocks: an interior journey. It’s an approach that aligns with Botanical Essentials’ core philosophy: self care that makes you feel good.

According to Wiranata, Scentarium is more than an exhibition. “It’s a multi-sensory experience that blends art, technology and fragrance in perfect harmony. We see it as a revolution in the local perfume space,” she said.

Behind the creative flourish is a clear-eyed commercial instinct. Wiranata points to a surge in self-care and wellness awareness in Indonesia over the past five years, alongside a growing demand for safer, more natural alternatives.

And here, Botanical Essentials is staking its ground. The perfumes are made using globally sourced natural ingredients, with 20% to 47% of the formulations coming from upcycled materials - think vetiver roots, patchouli leaves, rose petals, and vanilla. They’re dermatologically tested and adhere to safety standards from the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), but what sets them apart is the technology embedded in the scents themselves.

Each formula uses mood certified scent technology, developed from four decades of brain mapping research across 7,000 subjects. The science, the brand said, supports fragrances that “spark happiness and enhance emotional wellbeing.”

Norine Wibowo, CEO of Haluu, believes that this kind of brand collaboration is about more than visibility. “Together with Botanical Essentials, we created a journey that not only inspires, but also opens new perspectives on the power of scent in daily life. This is a celebration of creativity and innovation that will leave a deep imprint in every visitor’s heart.”

At IDR 359,000 (US$22), the perfumes are distributed via key eCommerce platforms as well as pop-up locations across Grand Indonesia, Eastvara Mall, Surabaya’s Tunjungan Plaza 3, Sidewalk Jimbaran Bali, and Icon Mall Bali.

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