Ashley & Co | A Modern Day Scent Company

“Being a modern day scent company means we do things a little differently.”

Ashley & Co is a New Zealand owned and operated company based in Auckland. It is a business that began over a decade ago as a creative experiment by Jackie Ashley, a native New Zealander who spent her childhood in Hong Kong.

With Jackie’s memories of exotic travel and the sights and scents of Hong Kong; incense, the rich colours, seeping tea, the chatter, daily rituals, food and flowers.

“I have always had an attraction to scent. When Ashley & Co began I was able to merge my love of fragrance with my other passion, interiors. I originally started with three scents only, which were inspired by vintage wall coverings and my love of fossicking for vintage and original pieces at auctions and stores. Each fragrance has a unique name giving it personality and a story – a literal interpretation of the scent itself. Now, for each new scent that is developed, a firm feel and story behind it acts as inspiration for the scent direction.” 

Following the exploration of scents and ingredients through many potions and concoctions, eventually, the product scents reached perfection. It was at this point that Jackie’s husband Ben started his involvement. As a graphic designer, Ben added his magic with the packaging and product design. A true creative partnership and the Ashley & Co brand became a reality.

Proud to be a New Zealand company, Ashley & Co do what they can to support other local owner-operators, including; all of the brand and creative services, recruitment agents, the chemists and laboratories that help to formulate products, distribution partners and freight logistics …to name a few!

“Being a small company, we’re nimble and can actively seek to improve the sustainability of our packaging. Our focus is on material stability, sustainability of production, ease of re-use and recycling.”

Aiming to make simple and effective products with the fewest, and cleanest ingredients, they always look to be ‘natural’. They also evaluate effectiveness and stability as well as the affect on skin and the impact on the environment through harvesting and processing raw ingredients. Nearly all the products in the range have a refill option, the hand blown glass vessels are keep sakes or alternatively highly recyclable and all green tubes are made from sugarcane and recycled PET bottles.

Ashley & Co is now available in five counties and has a range of over 60+ products that all fit effortlessly into one’s home and their day. 

Scents available:

Blossom & Gilt – Costa Rican Tuberose,  Wild Jasmine, Ylang Ylang White Tobacco, Bergamot, Kaffir Lime

Bubbles & Polkadots – Rose Otto, Powdery Musk, Resinous Amber, Bergamot, Camomile

Vine & Paisley – Vanilla, Balsam, Sandalwood, Oak Moss, Mandarin Peel, Ambra

Once Upon & Time – Fig Leaves, Gardenia, Vetiver, Cedarwood, Neroli Flower

Parakeets & Pearls – Cardamon, Cypriol Spice, Green Tea, Lime, Orange Rind, White Lilly

Tui & Kahili – Delicate Lilly, Mimosa, Sandalwood, Wild Ginger, Ylang Ylang

A lot has changed at Ashley & Co, yet what remains true as the years pass is a true passion and love for what they do.

Images: Paul Craig