Mara Dumski, Pura Chief Fragrance Experience Officer: “We’re reimagining the future of fragrance and unlocking the possibility of scent with smart home technology”

For most people, their home is a sanctuary where they unwind and relax after a long day. To make this experience more pleasant, a suitable fragrance diffuser can be used because it will help alleviate one’s mood and create a better ambiance. A scent diffuser makes a fantastic addition to any home, creating a sense of well-being and promoting positive life experiences. Additionally, it is also an excellent way to purify the air, keep airborne viruses and bacteria away, and gently humidify the air, which is especially important during the winter months when the air is dry due to heating.

Globally there are various companies delivering excellent fragrance diffusers, but Pura stands out from the rest. Pura has such an incredible fragrance team. Mara Dumski, the Chief Fragrance Experience Officer, is at the core with her vast industry experience and connections. Many elements, such as partnerships and brand collaborations, market needs, customer value, and resources available when developing a fragrance, come into play. Each scent goes through multiple months of concept and storyboarding, exploration and testing, and careful sourcing and development. They take months to create, and there is so much detail and storytelling that go into every single one that most people won’t see or think about!

In conversation with Mara Dumski, Chief Fragrance Experience Officer of Pura

Q. Pura products have unique packaging. How did you come up with the design for the packaging, and how do you source the materials for your packaging?

We have quite a few teams who work closely together to create beautiful packaging. It starts with brand partners or from within the Pura team, where ideas and moods are delivered, then our incredible design team brings those visions to life. Sourcing and operations play a huge part in getting the final product online, so everyone does their part to create a complete and fulfilling experience for consumers.

Q. Globally, the perfume sector is increasingly keen on using natural ingredients; to respond to the new expectations of fragrance aficionados. How is Pura meeting these expectations? Is there a tilt towards using more natural ingredients?

Pura uses natural and sustainable fragrance development in all ways possible. The perfumers actually use a technique that extracts exact molecules from plants or ingredients, and they’re taken in a way that helps the ingredient continue to grow and thrive. Fragrance is about creating or replicating a scent that so perfectly represents what it’s made of, so using ingredients from the source is the key. We do all we can to use natural and non-harmful ingredients, and we won’t introduce a fragrance until it meets the exact requirements in that area.

Q. There are quite a lot of fragrance brands offering similar products; how do you as a company differ from your competitors? How do Pura products stand out?

Pura has and always will stand out for a few reasons, one being the marketplace! We love all of our brand partners and offer so many premium fragrances that people already know; we just now offer them in a new form. The scents are premium, high-quality fragrances created by master perfumers and formulated without any harsh chemicals or additives found in a lot of other products. The app is also still incredibly unique, and being the first smart fragrance brand, Pura still stands ahead in the technology and advancements regarding smart fragrance.

Q. You have a fun, interactive fragrance quiz on your website to direct customers towards fragrances they may like. Could you tell me more about this quiz, is it based on a science of some sort?

Yes, in a way. Fragrance is all so connected to science and how our brains work. By identifying what someone is looking for with their fragrance, we’re able to identify which notes and ingredients pertain to what they are looking for. Bigger rooms require stronger scents, and category preference will guide someone to finding fragrance they will love without actually having to smell them. Fragrance notes create powerful moods and reactions in the brain, so it’s important to try and identify what exactly someone is looking for!

Q. Do you have any new services ready to be launched?

Yes! We have lots of new products, launches, and scents coming in the next few months and years that have been in the works for a while. We will keep them a surprise for now; just be on the lookout for some new things at Pura!

Q. What does the future hold for your company and its customers? Are exciting things on the way?

Pura is just getting started! We are so excited for what’s to come with more growth, partnerships, fragrances, products, experiences, and ways to change the industry. With a better hold on inventory and shipping after the last couple of years, we are ready to take on the holidays in full force and meet the next few years with a lot of power.

Meet one of the leaders behind the success at Pura

Mara Dumski, the Chief Fragrance Experience Officer at Pura, is known for her strengths in orchestrating fragrance and developing relationships. An Ohio native and lifelong performer, Mara received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in voice performance from the prestigious music school at Indiana University, leading her to New York City to pursue her career. Her impeccable attention to detail and extremely trained senses brought her into fragrance world, beginning at IFF (International Flavors and Fragrances), where she worked for 25 years. Learning from and working side by side with some of the best perfumers in the world, she was taught how to smell with her musical ear, discovering the connection between all of her greatest passions and driving that into her career. Mara has worked in fine fragrance, beauty care, personal care, and air care, and is largely ornamented with awards for her fragrances in all categories, with fine-tuned training to smell for skin and space. Her belief in the industry and its’ potential brought her to Pura, after connecting with others who shared the same drive and passion for pushing boundaries and creating art through fragrance. Mara started with Pura in 2019 as VP of Fragrance to now Chief Fragrance Experience Officer, falling in love with Utah and the possibilities that scent has to offer in this unique aspect of fragrance.

“We’re reimagining the future of fragrance and making life better with smart technology and premium fragrances.”