Paul Jackman is a fragrance connoisseur who has always liked trying out new scents. What he didn’t like was shopping for them in the high street where pushy salespeople tried to make him buy big bottles of products he wasn’t even sure he liked. He also found decanting scents into plastic bottles for travelling a nuisance while keeping a glass bottle in his gym bag was a recipe for disaster if the bag had a hard landing. Jackman reckoned these problems were universal and that the market was crying out for a solution that addressed all three. The result is Handsome Scent which specialises in travel-sized fragrances for men in the 18-30 age group.
Jackman launched his business just over two years ago offering fragrances in 30ml bottles on subscription. However, he quickly discovered that bedding down a subscription model can be a big challenge while there also seemed to be more of an appetite for even smaller quantities and other buying options. He pivoted, repackaged Handsome Scent fragrances into 8ml bottles that slot into a stylish atomiser, and offered once-off purchases alongside the subscription option.
The company’s atomiser is made from anodised aluminium and is small enough to slip discreetly into a jeans pocket. The bottles can easily be swapped for different fragrances to suit the wearer’s mood and a bottle is good for about 140 sprays. Because each fragrance is self-contained, the problems that go with filling traditional atomisers, such as spills and leaks, are avoided.
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Customers can choose from a line-up of 15 fragrances some of which are made specifically for Handsome Scent while others are bought in from Irish and international perfume houses. Jackman adds two new scents every quarter and, although the products are aimed at men, some work as unisex scents and there is also a women’s fragrance which is a top-three seller. Roughly half the company’s sales are to female customers buying for their nearest and dearest.
Subscription plans start from €22.99 which includes an atomiser case and two refills shipped every three months. A single purchase costs from €30.99 for a box of three while prices for Handsome for Her start at €13.99.
“We’ve sold thousands of bottles of perfume since we launched and we’ve never had one return,” says Jackman, who comes from a marketing background in fast-moving consumer goods with brands such as Heineken and Orchard Thieves. “There are brands doing something similar elsewhere but predominately for women. Also their model is based on trialling small samples on subscription and buying a big bottle if you like it. Our core model is small quantities, variety, convenience and affordability, as most guys end up with big bottles of often-expensive scent sitting on their bathroom shelf virtually unused. We are also working on becoming the most eco-friendly fragrance brand in Ireland and the UK and are currently testing eco-friendly waterproof pouch refills.”
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Jackman says selling to his chosen demographic is very much about “meeting them where they’re at”. What this means in practice is that Handsome Scent connects with its customers in different ways including through a podcast that deals with topics such as dating, relationships and J1 visas. Another nod to the demographic is the use of vending machines to position the products in places they’re likely to frequent such as hotels and college campuses. The company currently has 10 machines in service with plans to install a further 40.
Investment in the business to date has been roughly €45,000 between personal funding and support from the new frontiers programme at TU Tallaght and South Dublin LEO. Jackman’s next target is the UK market and he is looking to raise about €100,00 to fund the expansion, increase inventory and build his current team of four up to 10 people.
