SMELLS LIKE A WINNER

Catch The Scents Of 502 Fragrances By Justin Thomas

and out of state. In October 2022, just one month after opening, the company was selected to be the Minority Business of the Month for local professional soccer team Louisville City Football Club. Thomas has been a guest twice on WGZB-FM (96.5), Louisville’s largest hip-hop radio station, and was featured in November on the “Joe Warfield Show” podcast out of Atlanta. The exposure has led to sales in 14 states and a promising monetary beginning for a brand-new company. Equally impressive is that Thomas and his business partner, Jeff Houston, did not receive any outside funding to get up and running - just their own talents plus a lot of hard work.

“I was born and raised in West Louisville,” Thomas says. “When I was about 20 I wanted to learn how to dress better. I watched influencers on social media and came across Jeremy Fragrance, the biggest perfume influencer in the world. He talked about how wearing fragrance is so much more than just smelling good. I had never had an interest before, but I started to follow other fragrance influencers.”

His discovery of the world of scents and aromas became more than just a hobby, and he found himself working at fragrance counters in stores such as Dillard’s and Macy’s. Selling big-name brands enabled him to broaden his knowledge of the industry. He developed a following, and customers valued his insight and advice.

“Generally, most people wear only one scent, but you can have a fragrance wardrobe,” he says. “I had a customer when I worked at Macy’s who always wore only one brand. It’s known for being light and airy with lemon notes, a professional style just right for a nine-to-five office job. She told me she had a special event she was going to. I suggested she try something different for evening that was deeper and richer. Afterwards she came back and told me she got so many compliments.”

After a lot of research, Thomas developed two unisex fragrances. He is considered an indie perfumer, self-taught and producing a small-batch, craft-style product. Aimed at a niche market, the scents appeal to consumers who desire choices that are not considered generic or bland, but rather unique. According to Thomas, large perfume houses strive for middle-of-theroad options that might smell nice, but often copy each other.

“When I was working behind the counter in stores, I used to explain to clients that there are a lot of different factors going on with scent,” Thomas says. “Big companies often have exclusive, luxury lines that aren’t well-known. People only know the scents they see on display, chosen to be sold in that store. They are separated by gender, but at times I sold the same fragrance to both male and females. Fragrances smell differently on different people and can change according to the scenery.”

When someone experiences a scent, they are smelling three distinct elements. Top notes are noticed immediately, right after application. Then, heart notes come forward and act as the backbone of the aroma. However, the base notes last the longest and build the fragrance memory. All three work together to make the finished product better than each essence would be on its own.

“I source my fragrance ingredients from the same large aroma chemical company that the high-end, international companies use,” Thomas says. “Modernday perfume is a mix of natural and innovative boost ingredients that are allergen free and long lasting. Some ingredients by themselves would be offputting and unpalatable. They must be used in conjunction with something. Plus, most ingredients must be diluted before they can be worked with.”

“Perfume that is 100% natural is not possible,” he continues. “It would be too expensive, but also it could cause allergic conditions. For instance, it’s impossible to create marine notes, such as sea air, naturally. Also, if perfume is light in structure, without additives, then it won’t last. To be lasting, it must have a high concentration of oils and long fixatives, which are fragrance notes that latch onto skin. 502 Fragrances scents are a 30% perfume concentration, making them more substantial than most mainstream products. Most people say our fragrances last a long time.”

The two scents crafted by 502 Fragrances are vastly different from each other, and each one consists of innovative and highend ingredients. Spicy and woody, warm Signature Hommes opens to citrusy tones. Sweet and playful Signature Femme is characterized by the aromas of peach apricot, vanilla and rose. Both are for men and women alike, and are priced at $35 for

10 milliliters and $105 for 50 milliliters.

When asked if he ever came up with a result that was just awful during the development process, Thomas laughs. “Because of the high-quality ingredients I used, people said the fragrances never smelled cheap, but it wasn’t easy,” he says. “I went through the same process as the big companies - trial and error. I came up with a concept that I wanted each scent to be, and made blends. One scent took 40 to 50 tries, and the other 70 to 80. I tested them on friends and coworkers Sometimes we all liked the result of a trial, but in the end scrapped it because it didn’t fit the vision I had in mind.”

Thomas also sets a high standard for the company’s packaging and is continuing to develop the presentation aesthetic. The high-quality bottle containers achieve a minimalist, sleek and elegant look. Houston is the graphic artist behind the logo and labels.

The fragrances can be purchased several different ways. The company’s website ships out of state and accepts Apple Pay, major credit cards, and PayPal among other sites. The products can be found at Pocket Change Lou, a minority business hub located at 1519 Baxter Avenue in Louisville. Thomas loves being out in the community and enjoys setting up pop-up shops within other businesses, as well as being a presence at events and festivals. Recently products were showcased at Joe’s Palm Room in Louisville’s West End. 502 Fragrances has also been a presence at South 4th Street Night Market, a collaboration between Louisville Downtown Partnership and Louisville Independent Business Alliance. The outdoor shopping and food vendor experience takes place on the second Thursday of each month from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. between Guthrie Street and West Chestnut Street.

Thomas still has a day job as a client relationship consultant for U.S. Bank in Middletown, but he’s excited about the possibilities for his fragrance line. He hopes to introduce limited-edition seasonal scents. Currently he is developing one for summer that will feature tones of fig, lime and sea salt. Another future wish is a line of body products such as lotion, so a scent could be layered to last longer. Additionally, he hopes to create scents that reflect the ambiance of Louisville such as Churchill Downs.

“502 Fragrances has special, quality scents that people seem to love,” he says. “I have a lot to look forward to. I feel so grateful for all the support I have received and I’m excited about the future.”

Visit 502fragrances.com for more info, and view them on Facebook and Instagram for pop-up event details.