While self-care might appear as a passing trend this year, we believe that it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. We’re all craving a sense of calm and serenity in the uncertainty of today’s world, even if for a fleeting moment. Rather than jumping on a trend, we are instead going back to basics by being mindful about our choices and consumption.
Whether it’s the candlelight to change the mood after a long day, to everyday objects we use like room sprays to refresh our homes, we are slowing down to observe and think about how these products affect us, spiritually and physically, as well as our environment. Enter Jana Aromas, a homegrown, lifestyle brand that is changing how we perceive those little but valuable moments zen moments.
Founded by local entrepreneur Hamad Al- Khudher, his fascination with the world and power of scent led him towards taking the step and establishing a brand, amidst a pandemic no less, that helps us make more mindful choices about our lifestyle.
Jana Aromas offers a well-thought-out collection of soy-based candles, room sprays, traditional ma’moul and lifestyle accessories that are hand-made using naturally sourced ingredients. Each and every product is cruelty- free, eco-friendly and all the packaging, presented in beautiful amber colored glass containers, is completely reusable.
For Hamad, having a slow, sustainable format for his business was his priority from the very beginning. We’re currently obsessed with the Fresh Linen room spray, hand mixed with Lavender oil, Himalayan Salt and Citrus, and we’re regularly lighting the Uplift candle at work during our breaks simply to enjoy the gorgeous notes of Frankincense, Amber and Bergamot.
Hamad’s passion for scent has opened up an entirely new world for him, allowing him to better understand the processing systems of the essential oils he sources for his products. “With technology, we have a better understanding of how the products we readily consume are made,” He said, “I’m so interested in the healing power of specific oils and scents. I’m hoping that after this pandemic is under control, I will be able to travel the world to discover more scents. I also love how certain scents involve specific memories, or moods. Every scent has its own stories. Each essential oil has its benefits, and creates a special experience for the person enjoying it.”
Hamad wanted Jana Aromas to be established as an eco-friendly brand from the very beginning. “It bothers me to know that Kuwait ranks highest in terms of energy consumption, and I wanted to create a brand that allows customers to reuse or recycle my products. Indulging in the power of aromatherapy and self-care doesn’t have to come at a cost to the environment.”
Above all, Hamad’s inspiration for Jana Aromas is steeped in tradition. The idea came to him when he noticed how his mom’s family recipe for preparing the ma’moul is decades old, and was never tampered with.
“She learned how to do it from her mom. I grew up watching her carefully mix these special oils to deliver an exquisite scent with the ma’moul, and while we decided to start selling it as a passion project, the idea grew with time. We would always buy high quality, home fragrances, be it candles or room sprays, from abroad. But the reality is, Middle Eastern societies consider scent as an important aspect of our culture. With our proud heritage for scent, our region needs to establish a global position for this market, and not the other way around. So why not harness the tradition of our scents and present it in a modern light?”
Deciding to tap into this industry, Hamad knew that Jana Aromas needed to be different. The aesthetic for the brand is clean, elegant and modern. Each and every item will effortlessly blend into your home surroundings. From the amber toned glow emanating from the candles, to the beautiful glass bottles of the room sprays. But it’s not just about how the products look. When it comes to the ingredients selected for the products, Hamad wanted to stay away from all of the harmful chemicals and preservatives used in mainstream offerings.
“You can still preserve items naturally,” He explained, “but if the purpose of purchasing an aromatic candle is to soothe the soul, then all of the added toxins will cancel that out.” This is a deeply personal choice for Hamad, because when others encouraged him to proceed with cheaper sources for ingredients, he wasn’t sold on the idea. “There are clean chemicals which we can utilize, but they are not as cheap or widespread as mainstream alternatives.”
Hamad learned this the hard way during his research days when establishing Jana Aromas, “I was shocked to learn that so many well renowned brands are using harmful chemicals in their products. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to be that person who is anti-chemicals, as that would be misleading,” he laughingly said, “I’m a believer of science, and the advancement of technology. I would rather use chemicals that are not harmful to people and the environment but would enhance my products.”
He further illustrated his point by telling us all about the production process of Eucalyptus and its uses. While we can’t process the leaf as it is, you need certain chemicals to make this happen. What is chosen at the end, may be toxic or non-toxic.
“We can say that certain chemicals are more natural, but we can’t just slap an organic label on a product because that would be untrue. There is a very big difference between saying a product is chemical free, and toxin free.”
With Kuwait having some of the highest number of asthma cases related to cyclical allergies in the world, it is so refreshing to see conscious entrepreneurs come up with products that serve a purpose and without harming those who intend to use them.
Instead of outsourcing the entire production process to established companies abroad who could easily make his vision come true, Hamad was eager to do it all himself, and put his personal touch in every product prepared. The candles are handmade and poured, the room sprays are mixed with love, and every special box of aromatic ma’moul is prepared by hand.
Currently, Jana Aromas offers a selection of two types of aromatic ma’moul, Eqbal being his mother’s famous recipe, four room sprays and candles, and a selection of elegant accessories to best take care of your products.
He is soon planning to add a special line of aromatherapy essential oils in Lemongrass, Bergamot, Lavender, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, and Eucalyptus, an essential oil glass burner, and functional wooden coasters made of beechwood and dark walnut to add an even more stylish touch to your Jana Aromas candles.
The coasters will serve various functions, and will look amazing in any home setting you choose for them, as with all of Jana Aroma’s products.
For more information, check out @Jana.aromas on Instagram and shop online at jana-aromas.com.
