Inside the Rise of Saint d’Ici: A South African Natural Perfume Brand

Inside the Rise of Saint d’Ici: A South African Natural Perfume Brand. Marie Aoun’s journey from fashion designer to perfumer is a tale of passion and perseverance. After a decade in fashion, a love of gardening and a commerce degree led her to train in natural perfumery in Italy. In 2016, she launched Saint d’Ici in Johannesburg, aiming to blend her Provence childhood scents with African botanicals. “Saint d’Ici” – meaning “from here” – captures this fusion of French heritage and local ingredients. From the start, Aoun positioned her brand as ethical and artisanal: every fragrance is hand-blended in limited batches (50–350 bottles each) using only natural, African-sourced materials. This founding vision – a niche, nature-driven identity – became Saint d’Ici’s core strength.

Local Roots, Global Vision

Marie Aoun’s key opportunity was right under her feet: South Africa’s rich flora. While studying in Europe, she discovered that homegrown plants could rival classic perfume ingredients. Returning to South Africa, she tapped into a network of small farmers and distillers. Today Saint d’Ici sources fynbos oils, Namibian myrrh (Omumbiri), mopane balsam, and more, aiming to “make these natural ingredients come alive” in her scents. African ingredients are “always the heroes of Saint d’Ici’s perfumes,” and using them helps widen the supply chain from farming to local production. By building on this unique resource base, the brand stands out in a crowded fragrance market. Aoun’s story shows that embracing local heritage – rather than imitating foreign brands – can be a powerful differentiator.

Sustainable Strategy and Branding

Saint d’Ici’s marketing choices reinforce its story. The brand emphasizes minimalism and sustainability: its refillable ceramic flacons separate form from function, allowing customers to reuse the decorative outer bottle and simply refill the inner glass vial. Packaging is kept “simple but sophisticated,” a strategy that earned notice at arts-and-fashion fairs. Crucially, limited editions aren’t just a gimmick. As one blogger observed, natural terroir varies by season, so fixed recipes are impossible – much like vintage wine. This scarcity creates excitement and justifies a premium price. Saint d’Ici also highlights product quality: its oils are 25–30% fragrance concentration (parfum-strength), making them richer and longer-lasting than many synthetics-based scents.

Together, these decisions – ethical sourcing, eco-friendly refills, high concentration, and artisanal presentation – craft a cohesive brand narrative. In marketing terms, Saint d’Ici has created a consistent story of authenticity. For example, its discovery sets (seven samples plus a 30ml bottle) invite newcomers to explore botanicals, while blog features and social media bring Marie’s personal story (gardening, Provence memories) to life. This narrative strategy helps the brand connect emotionally with niche customers who value craftsmanship.

Milestones on the Journey

Several strategic moves propelled Saint d’Ici’s growth. The very first product line was funded via an Indiegogo campaign, where enthusiasts pre-ordered the limited-edition perfumes. Crowdfunding not only raised seed capital, but built a global customer base from day one. Next, Aoun showcased her work at South African design fairs. For instance, attendees at the Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair in Johannesburg were struck by the brand’s minimalist booth and botanical themes.

Media coverage also boosted visibility. Saint d’Ici gained attention from outlets such as Forbes Africa, which featured Marie for her dedication to local raw materials, and Times Live, which placed the brand alongside other emerging local perfumers. A notable partnership came in 2018, when fashion retailer Trenery invited Aoun to create a bespoke scented candle for a store campaign. These collaborations (with fashion and lifestyle brands) expanded Saint d’Ici’s reach beyond perfume circles. Each milestone – crowdfunding, fairs, press stories, retail collabs – created momentum.

Overcoming Challenges

Saint d’Ici’s success wasn’t without hurdles. In South Africa, most consumers traditionally gravitate toward international labels, and local perfumery has no long-established heritage. Aoun turned this challenge into a positive: without stifling conventions, she could redefine fragrances on her own terms. She also had to master the technical difficulty of working with “whole” natural ingredients. As she admits, it took “a long process of learning” to perfect her blends.

Another challenge was scaling production when each scent is small-batch. The solution was to lean into exclusivity: customers understand that limited volumes and seasonality mean some perfumes may never be repeated exactly. Saint d’Ici’s strong online presence helped balance this: by selling directly and offering samples, the brand reaches both local and international buyers without massive stock.

Innovation and Expansion

Saint d’Ici continues to innovate. Its refillable packaging is an example of environmentally-conscious design that also strengthens customer loyalty. The brand has expanded its scent library (over seven botanical blends) and introduced formats like scented candles, showing flexibility. Even as Saint d’Ici grows, Marie maintains the brand’s ethos: she still sources uncommon ingredients (like mopane balsam or Khoisan tobacco) and treats raw materials “as they would exist in the wild.”

Strategically, Saint d’Ici leverages online sales, discovery sets, and social media to reach fragrance enthusiasts globally. While based in Johannesburg, the company has drawn attention from niche perfumers worldwide and won industry awards, further cementing its reputation. By building a clear brand identity and channeling every effort into its botanical vision, Saint d’Ici has created room to expand without losing soul.

Key Takeaways for Entrepreneurs

Saint d’Ici’s story offers concrete lessons:

• Fuse passions with expertise: Marie Aoun combined her fashion background and love of plants to define a unique niche.
• Leverage local strengths: Use homegrown resources – Saint d’Ici’s African botanicals became its competitive edge.
• Tell a consistent story: Every marketing choice (from packaging to social posts) should reinforce your brand’s identity.
• Build buzz through strategy: Crowdfunding and partnerships (like trade fairs or retail collaborations) can launch a product and attract media.
• Innovate in product and presentation: Unique touches – refillable bottles, high concentration, limited runs – differentiate your offering.
• Persevere through challenges: Niche markets take time; learn the craft deeply and educate customers about your value (as Aoun did with natural perfumery).

By staying true to its vision and embracing every strategic opportunity, Saint d’Ici transformed a small startup into a celebrated niche perfumery. Aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from its emphasis on authenticity, innovation, and incremental growth – all backed by real, sourceable success.