Here's something most of us never think about: perfume performs best on well-moisturised skin. Spray it on bare, dry skin and the skin kind of swallows it. Spray it over a heavy lotion and it can't develop properly. And spray it on the same spot every single day, and that spot can end up dry and flaky.

Hernas Beauty was built to fix exactly that. Its Botanical Scent Primers are fast-absorbing, facial-grade dry oils made to go on before your fragrance. They nourish the skin, soften the alcohol bite and give your perfume a canvas to bloom on.

The person behind them is Izabela, someone the Fragplace community knows well, because she was there at the very beginning of Fragplace. So we were especially happy to sit down with her before the launch.

How it started

It all started because of my mum. She's an avid sunbather, and after she came back from a holiday in Mallorca her skin was really in need of something soothing. Nothing helped. Not lotion, not baby oil. Everything she put on left her itchy and just as flaky as before.

So I tried to make something very basic for her: a natural, nourishing oil with just a few simple ingredients. I based it on dry grape seed oil and added some argan to make it a bit richer. My mum loved it. She's still surprised how calming it was and how fast it absorbed, because she hates that oily feeling.

That's when it clicked. An oil like this would work perfectly under perfume. It sinks within seconds, leaves the skin smooth, and it's all natural. I'd heard so many stories of people who wear a lot of fragrance and struggle with flaky skin exactly where they spray every day. Using perfume like that, with no protection, is quite harsh. Then there's layering: I believe that once you learn how to layer, you can use your perfume collection much more effectively. It all came together in something I called a Scent Primer.

Why a dry oil

A dry oil absorbs very fast and leaves a thin layer of lipids that helps hold fragrance on your skin. Heavier oils are too thick for a scent to develop nicely, while bare, dry skin swallows it.

The base is grape seed oil, which is non-comedogenic. That matters if you have any skin issues around your neck and chest. Sea buckthorn is hugely popular in Estonia, where I'm based, and it felt like the perfect ingredient here. It's rich in palmitoleic acid, an Omega-7 that's rare in the plant world and great for supporting your skin, and it's full of vitamins and beta carotene. That's also what gives our oils their warm, amber hue.

Another hero for me is squalane. It mimics your skin's natural oils, so it sinks in quickly without staining your clothes. Apply the primer, wait a few seconds and you're ready to spray. It keeps working in the background. I'm really proud of this formula, because it's deeply nourishing without being messy.

Solar Accord, Tea Ceremony and Peach Melba

I based them on the most popular fragrance styles of the past decade. To pair with almost any collection, you need The Freshie, The Gourmand and The Fruity One. I deliberately skipped heavy base notes like resins, woods and musks, because I didn't want the primer to overpower anything. It should be a delicate enhancer for whatever you spray next, a layer that adds a little intrigue.

Picking a favourite is hard, because my taste changes daily. But Tea Ceremony is my evening ritual. I put it all over my body, and the next day my skin is already primed. When I'm on the go, I always have my 10 ml Peach Melba roller with me. It's so comforting, and it goes perfectly with my all-time favourite, Cassili by Parfums de Marly. Rose and red currant heaven.

Each comes in two sizes: a small rollerball for your bag, and a bigger bottle to keep in the bathroom and use after every shower.

How to use it

1. Prep with Hydration

Optimal application time

Apply your body oil immediately after a shower while your skin is still slightly damp to lock in moisture and create an optimal base.

2. Apply the Base Layer

Pulse points priority

Warm 3–5 drops of body oil between your palms and smooth over your neck, collarbones, wrists, and inner elbows.

3. Let it Absorb

Wait 1-2 minutes

Allow the oil to sink completely into your skin before spraying your perfume so the alcohol does not strip the natural lipid barrier.

4. Use Your Fragrance

Avoid rubbing pulse points

Spray your chosen perfume 20 cm away over the oiled areas. Gently press (never rub) your wrists together to keep top notes intact.

Izabela's ritual

I don't have a big perfume collection anymore. It used to be bigger, but I sold the bottles that weren't a 100% yes for me, and I feel so much more at ease. I actually prefer decants, and I have many of them. Maybe it's the thrill of almost finishing a bottle, which I don't think I'll ever get with full sizes.

Sometimes I put on a Scent Primer first and only then pick a perfume based on the vibe it gives me. I did that with Solar Accord recently. The vanilla felt much stronger in my nose than usual, and it made me crave Angels' Share on top. Such a happy day. I smelled like apple pie.

Pairings to try

Solar Accord 

Tea Ceremony 

Peach Melba 

What's next

Planning a launch takes a lot of energy, but the response to the testing batch has been so good that I'd love to make the primers available worldwide. That means I'll definitely be working on US shipping. I also want to work with more perfume content creators, so if you're interested in a collab, reach me at [email protected].

In the meantime, I'm finalising the packaging, getting the primers through final compliance testing and making sure the online store is ready for your orders.

There's no exact launch date yet, but the Botanical Scent Primers are coming before the end of the year.

Want to be first in line? Join the Hernas Beauty waitlist here: https://hernasbeauty.com/