Everyone deserves a little pampering for no other reason than they just do as self-care is a vital part of maintaining a healthy life.
For those individuals who find it hard to escape to the spa, whether it’s due to a bank account in the red or a severe lack of extracurricular time, but still desire the same luxurious experience, they can dive right into Aroma’s collection of at-home-spa products. Not only is light on the wallet, but it allows you the chance to pamper yourself in the comfort of your own home in between errands, work and the gym.
To uncover a little of the design magic and learn about the importance of self-care, we spoke with designer Anna Ahnborg about Aroma’s within-reach luxury bath and shower products.
What was one of the biggest goals you set out to achieve and how did you accomplish it?
To create something that will stand out on the shelf at Åhléns, where you compete with so many other brands. Aroma is very affordable compared to other brands within the category and to create a design that feels luxurious is always a fine balance. I believe we achieved this through the choice of material, the typography and simplistic yet sophisticated design. Of course, you want to design something that people want to use and have on display in their bathroom too.
As the three scents evoke different emotions, is there a significance to the colors chosen for each?
The three scents; Rogivande (Soothing), Uppfriskande (Refreshing) and Sprudlande (Exuberant) all have different notes that inspired our choice of colors. Rogivande has calming extracts from sandalwood and ylang-ylang as well as jasmine and blue lotus, hence the blue/purple gradient. We wanted Rogivande to feel a bit calmer and harmonious than the other two scents. Uppfriskande, the yellow/green series has an empowering fragrance with a base of patchouli, vanilla and musk. The top notes are orange, lime and goji. Sprudlande is the main scent with the most significant products ranges out of the three. Japanese cherry blossom, rice, freesia and grapefruit are some of the notes that also inspired the choice of color.
Rothko has always been a big inspiration when it comes to colors and how to combine them. When I lived in London a couple of years ago, I loved to visit the Rothko room at Tate and sit there and stare at the paintings. Another inspiration for this project was old marbling papers, I remember how fascinated I was when we did marbling in pre-school, and I still think it’s really cool and beautiful. The gradients created for Aroma is a modern take on this, and there’s still some of the hitty-missy, organic element in it, which I like.
How does the design help Aroma create an at-home spa experience for their customers?
The scents combined with the colorful yet sophisticated design create the at-home spa experience for their consumers. The flowing ‘O’ symbolizes a bubble along with the label-grid, and the clear sans serif supplies a nice contrast to an organic logotype and expressive, full colors. I believe the packaging provides that feeling of everyday luxury that we wanted to give the consumer.
Additionally, no product in the Aroma series cost over 10 euros, which also adds to the everyday luxury. It’s a daily treat.
Do you have a favorite scent or product? If so, what is it, and why?
I love woody, on the brink of traditional, masculine scents. Tobacco and tar are usually my go-to notes. Not usually something you find in spa and bath products, unfortunately, but the sandalwood in Rogivande is lovely. It’s soft but distinct, and that’s definitely my favorite scent. I use the shower cream a lot. Olive oil is one of the ingredients much needed during these cold Swedish winter months.
You’ve designed the packaging for an at-home spa collection, can you talk to us about the importance of self-care in your routine?
Self-care for me is self-love, and that is something I try to practice every day, basically by doing things I like, and that makes my body and mind feel good. It’s such a simple concept yet it’s so easy to get distracted from it with everything that happens around us; the endless buzz of what a “happy life” is and looks like and this whole society we live in where we always compare ourselves with others. However, being conscious of what I put in and on my body helps me stay relatively sane and to create this routine, or ritual, when it comes to beauty and actually schedule time for that is one of many acts of self-love you can practice.
