Embark on a journey through the Colombian brand THE LAB PERFUMES, where founder MARIO GALINDO’s vision of exclusive, small-batch perfumery comes to life. In this conversation, you will learn about Galindo’s passion for sourcing rare ingredients, his creative process, and how he infuses cultural narratives into every scent. From the fan-favorite Neroli Negro to the daring Corinto Kush, discover the unique olfactory signatures that resonate with The Lab Perfumes’ loyal community. Uncover the brand’s commitment to transparency, sustainability, and maintaining a personal touch, crafting not just perfumes but stories that connect and inspire.
Mario, could you share the origins of The lab perfumes, including its goals and inspirations? How would you define the brand’s ethos and drivers?
The lab perfumes was founded in Cali, Colombia on July 1, 2011, created by myself thinking about a main objective: to give the opportunity to a segment of the market to smell unique, different and from this principle seek the exclusivity of the products.
The philosophy of the brand is to maintain the production of only small quantities per piece, and to take the product directly to the hands of the end customer. In this way we create our own niche market, like an small club that inspires, supports and drives us to move forward during this fascinating journey keepeng the brand values: transparency and honesty.
Our spirit is not modern, we love old days… actually we still do things the old way like our online – live customer service which is been recognized by our community as great, we guide, advise and accompany you throughout the purchase process in a personalized way since all sales are made online by our staff, that makes us proud, make happy customers.
Please walk us through your creative process. How do you collaborate with perfumers, and how do you approach freedom in the briefing process?
I have always considered myself a fragrance hunter, once I have a clear idea of the component I want to work with, I start looking for it, I usually travel to find it in its purest state and from the experiences on those trips I have been inspired to create my olfactory profiles.
Once the creative phase is finished, I move on to the technical and legal phase of the fragrance, at which point we begin to collaborate with the perfumers of the laboratory with whom we work on the issues of sustainability, formula correction, IFRA certification, production cost, and subsequent production of the extract. Being an independent perfumer gives you the freedom to have an open budget to invest in your creations and be able to take your creativity without limits.
How would you describe The lab perfumes’ portfolio? Which scent is the most popular, and the most unique? What makes them resonate with your audience?
Our portfolio is varied, all olfactory families are included in our fragrances, we offer an olfactory journey, where we take a tour of different cultures in the world. Our most popular fragrance is Neroli Negro, a powerful, complex and powerful fragrance, the fact that it has been made between Arabic and Colombian ingredients gives the perfect balance between our Latin touch and the opulent Arab lifestyle. For us the most unique fragrance is Corinto Kush where we exalt the Cannabis flower when the dehumidification process is being carried out.
The lab perfumes emphasizes transparency. How do you select and source your ingredients and balance natural and synthetic materials?
I believe that the industry allows you to seek the balance between synthetic and natural, however there is the issue of sustainability. In a country like Colombia where there is no culture of perfume production it is difficult to have natural raw material in a sustainable way. Almost all distilled oils go to the pharmaceutical industry. Although I have access to a good range of essential oils and resins in Colombia for production purposes, I have had to support myself in synthetic material to ensure the production of my fragrances.
How do you maintain a sense of luxury and exclusivity with your minimalist approach? Can you share a memorable piece of feedback from a customer?
As I explained before, our policies do not allow large productions, so we guarantee the exclusivity of the product. We usually deliver the numbered piece and follow up to ensure customer satisfaction. We believe that luxury is more an experience than an accessory, however our brand is imperfect and timeless, a reflection of the handmade work. This way to see the company took us to Dubai to make collaborations and the possible establishment of the brand in United Arab Emirates. The best feedback from a customer was from my brand manager in Dubai, he said: Mario you were born to blend! Regarding my story in the fragrance world.
In an industry crowded with both mass-market and niche fragrances, what sets The lab perfumes apart? Where do you see the brand in five years?
The fact of having a different way of distributing our perfumes makes the experience with the brand our differentiating factor. A product that is difficult to get, where sometimes you have to be on a waiting list to access the perfume, and the certainty of knowing that since we are not a large company, we are not victims of the big houses that produce Dupes. This plus the fact that we do not have a wholesale model for retailers generates peace of mind and confidence in our community.
However, we take into account the way in which we are going to grow and the marketing strategy will have important changes. The implementation of strategies in the next 5 years where the brand seeks more approaches to the community of fragrance enthusiasts in events, tastings and perfume launches in other countries outside Colombia, penetration in the Arab market and the production of perfumes from Dubai are among our objectives.
What mark would The lab perfumes like to leave in history?
To be the first Colombian brand to consolidate itself in the market of signature and niche perfumes, and to be an example of perseverance that a luxury brand can be built from scratch.
In 2 or 3 words, how would you define perfume?
A WAY to MAKE CONNECTIONS.
Thank you, Mario, for your time and for sharing valuable insights with us. Would you like to add something before we wrap up?
Thanks for offering visibility to the small brands! So cool you guys give us this push, blessings.
Follow The lab perfumes on Instagram: @thelabperfumes
