When people think of fragrances, what easily comes to their minds are body fragrance, air fresheners and a few other deodorants but Mrs. Ify Amuchie, the Chief Executive officer of Reeds & Scents, a scents and fragrances outfit at Lekki, Lagos believes there is more to what your sense of smell. The University of Nigeria Nsukka graduate of English Language and student of London School of Design, the banker-turned-therapist told BERTRAM NWANNEKANMA about the therapeutic effect of scents and fragrances and why Nigerians should imbibe the culture of using them

IFY Amuchie has been a creative person right from her secondary school days. She was one of the few students at the Air Force Secondary School, Ikeja, Lagos who had passion for drawing. Little did she know that she would later find herself in a business that deals with passion and the knowledge of fragrances.

She was in the habit of experimenting with her mother’s perfumes by mixing two or more together to create a new scent.  Her mother, a very fashionable person, noticed her interest in fragrances early in life.

She grew up in a disciplined home in Lagos and was attracted to people who wear nice scents. Her husband was actually attracted to her because of her passion for scents.

Before venturing fully into the fragrance and scent business, Ify was obsessed with scents and had always sold fragrances even at the Union Bank Plc Lagos, where she served as a National Youth Service corps member.

She spoke of her passion thus: “I developed the passion for scents and fragrances as a child but could not express it. So after my education, I got a paid job in the bank but I was sure that I was doing something that I had no passion for.  I felt then I was into paid employment for the experience.”

Ify attended Air Force Secondary School, Ikeja. She proceeded to the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), where she bagged her first degree in English Language.  Thereafter, she got a Masters degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos. She worked with Zenith Bank and Visafone Communications Limited. She is presently undergoing courses on Fragrances and Design at the London School of Design, as well as Business courses at the Lagos Business School.

In the course of her romance with fragrances, she has come to understand that it is important for people to know that sweet smell is therapeutic. “The nature of fragrance kills stress. I found out that there is too much stress in Lagos. That is why we should make the use of scents as part of our culture. Perfumes and scents are just not the white man’s thing; everybody has the right to smell good. Even in the northern part of the country and some parts of Africa, there is always a fragrance,” she enthused.

She said that different fragrances could be used to identify races and people. “It all depends on what it is used for. There are special brands we recommend to people because of their originality, uniqueness and long standing. Most of these luxury brands are British, French and Spanish.”

Ify opines that fragrances are calming, make people feel at home, brighten moods, bring back memories and can even lead to intimacy. “In fact, it is not enough to have a beautiful house, office, shop, hotel and others. The question should be: How do they smell?

“Our mood can be influenced by the smell coming from the surrounding. Fragrances soothe the air, are healing and relaxing, address headaches, anxiety, fatigue, allergies and depression.

“They even improve sleep. Candles, diffusers, refresher oils and incense come in different fragrances. For example, citrus are mood up-lifters. Lavender is used for relaxation. It can reduce heart beat rate, lower blood pressure and relieve stress.

“Rose, Jasmine, Gardenia, Ylang ylang and Sandalwood create a romantic ambiance. Sage, Vanilla, Patchouli and Pine create a cheerful surrounding. Lemon, peppermint cinnamon and eucalyptus clear the mind. Citronella candles are ideal for chasing mosquitoes and other insects.”

From playing around with her mother’s fragrances as a child, Ify matured to identify the need for people to imbibe the culture of using of fragrances not only in their homes and offices, but their entire surroundings. She thought about owning a fragrance store, even when still in paid employment.

“Then I decided to leave paid employment in order to do something I liked and have enough time for my family, especially my children, who are still quite young”.

She said she got encouragement from her husband, her family and some friends who shared in the vision.  In fact, it was her brother who gave the business name, ‘Reeds & Scents’ and she added the line ‘Luxury + Art for the senses’, because for her, fragrance is not just a luxury, but also an art.

On the potential of the scent and fragrance business in the economy, she said: “There is a great market for the industry in Nigeria and it has a huge potentials. People are still learning to embrace the use of fragrances. There is need for the re-orientation of Nigerian businesses in the use of fragrances in their environment to create a friendly ambiance. How your business environment smells has a lot to tell about you”.

The mother of five says it is important to know the different kinds of fragrances. “Some fragrances are ideal for living room, bedroom and kitchen. Many people are not educated on this, that there are different brands.”

From passion to making it a business of offering luxury and exclusive fragrances, she has expanded by incorporating interior design into the business.

Her advice for those who want to venture into fragrance business is: “If you feel the risk is worth it, take it but it has a lot to do with passion. I feel happy, and fulfilled about what I am doing and I have the support of my husband.”