Have you ever wondered what the word ‘fragrance’ or ‘perfume’ on your cosmetic labels really means? If so, you are not alone.
This tiny term, often found at the end of ingredient lists, can hide many sins, leaving consumers in the dark about what they’re actually applying to their skin.
In this week’s episode of Green Beauty Conversations, we dive into the murky waters of fragrance transparency with Ashlee Posner, the pioneering CEO of Lucent Labs and its founder State of Change. Ashlee is on a mission to disrupt the fragrance industry and bring full ingredient transparency to every product we use.
In this groundbreaking episode, Ashlee shares her journey from frustrated brand owner to leading fragrance transparency advocate. Her story is not only about business innovation but also a personal crusade to ensure that every consumer knows exactly what is in their products.
If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable with the vague term “fragrance” in your favorite lotion or perfume, this episode is a must-listen.
“People deserve to know what they are putting on their skin. It is not just the production of perfumes. it’s about ensuring security and transparency in every component.”
– Ashley Posner
In this episode with Ashlee Posner, you’ll hear:
- Ashlee’s background and motivation: Ashlee shares how her experiences in chemical engineering and the fragrance industry led her to found Lucent Labs and State of Change, focusing on ingredient transparency.
- The Oligopoly of the Perfume Industry: An exploration of how eight major perfume houses control the market and the challenges this poses for transparency and security.
- The meaning of “fragrance” on labels: A deep dive into what the term “fragrance” can legally encompass and why it’s often used to hide potentially harmful ingredients.
- Creating Transparent Perfumes: The innovative methods Lucent Labs uses to create safer, fully transparent fragrance formulations for modern brands.
- Consumer education and safety: How Lucent Labs is educating both brands and consumers about the importance of transparency and safety in fragrance ingredients.
Packed essentials include:
- The power of transparency: Ashlee emphasizes that full ingredient transparency not only builds consumer trust, but also leads to safety and quality improvements across the industry.
- Unscented Myths: The misconception that “fragrance free” means better or safer products and why transparency is a more effective solution.
- Industry Resistance: Despite resistance from established perfume houses, Ashlee’s approach is gaining ground with brands that prioritize safety and transparency.
- Consumer confidence and education: By openly sharing ingredient information, Lucent Labs helps consumers make informed choices and encourages better understanding of what’s in their products.
Meet our guest – Ashlee Posner, CEO of Lucent Labs and founder of State of Change
Ashlee Posner is the CEO of Lucent Labs, the only fragrance house that offers transparent, validated-safer fragrance formulations for brands creating safer, healthier products. Ashlee is also the founder of the award-winning solid fragrance brand State of Change, an innovative brand that offers skin-loving fragrances in eco-friendly, plastic-free packaging and a focus on 100% ingredient transparency.
With a background in chemical engineering, manufacturing roles at Estée Lauder and Ahava, and living in Grasse, France, Ashlee is extremely equipped and passionate about building a new protocol for security in the fragrance supply chain.
Lucent Labs supports brands of all sizes, from independent pre-launch brands to major clients at Sephora and Target, in beauty, hair and home. Ashlee and her team of experts at Lucent Labs are on a mission to prove that transparency and validation are the future of fragrance.
Learn more about Ashlee and Lucent Labs:
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Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Formula Botanica Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed listening, please share, subscribe and review this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us at Facebook and Instagram.
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Lorraine Dallmeier is a biologist, certified environmentalist, and CEO of Formula Botanica, the award-winning online organic cosmetics school. Read more about Lorraine and the Formula Botanica team.
