Octavia Morgan’s eponymous fragrance brand takes Ulta Beauty by storm
Octavia Morgan Los Angeles, a Black and women-owned brand in the prestige fragrance category, is hitting shelves at Ulta Beauty. Created by founder Octavia Morgan in 2022, the brand was inspired by the spirit of Morgan’s family matriarchs and her own lifelong love of fragrance.
Making its debut with the national retailer, this news follows the brand’s completion of the 2023 MUSE Accelerator program.
“The program helped us refine our product messaging, optimize our merchandising strategy, and streamline our go-to-market approach. It also offered direct access to Ulta’s retail experts and strategic guidance, ensuring our brand was perfectly positioned to resonate with customers from day one,” said Morgan.
Inside Beauty spoke to Morgan about her eponymous brand and the partnership with Ulta Beauty, which she called, “the result of years of hard work and it will serve as an important springboard to broadly introduce our fragrances to new customers.”
[Related: Latest Launches in the Fragrance Space]
“The idea for my brand emerged when I developed sensitivities to certain ingredients commonly found in fragrances on the market. This experience opened my eyes to a gap in the industry: the need for gender-inclusive, clean, and sophisticated fragrances that didn’t compromise on luxury or performance,” said Morgan.
Understanding these sensitivities, she experienced led Morgan to create a range of scents that are formulated with clean ingredients and are genderless. It was part of her mission to focus on creating scents that are deeply personal and free of limitations.
“Traditional fragrance categories often force people into outdated labels of “masculine” or “feminine” scents, but we see fragrance as an art form that transcends gender,” said Morgan. “Our scents are designed for individuals, not stereotypes, allowing everyone to wear what resonates with their mood, personality and energy.”
The full range that the beauty retailer will be carrying includes:
- Dark Rose: A seductive elixir that combines pink peppercorn and plum with a heart of black rose and cumin, finishing with a warm base of vanilla, patchouli and labdanum. The layered composition not only instills confidence and allure but also creates a calming, immersive experience that helps soothe the mind.
- Legendary: An everyday signature scent, it marries top notes of amber, coco and vanilla with a heart of cedar, spices and musk, anchored by a grounding base of sandalwood, papyrus and cardamom. Its balanced, warm profile enhances clarity and calm, reducing stress through a sense of subtle elegance and comfort.
- L'Affaire: Embracing sophisticated florals, the scent envelops jasmine, saffron, vegan ambergris, and cedarwood. This blend uplifts the spirit and promotes emotional balance by intertwining bright, floral notes with rich, spicy undertones creating an experience that alleviates anxiety and enhances mood.
- Midnight Orchard : Capturing the magic of a moonlit orchard, this unisex fragrance opens with the juicy sweetness of peach and apricot, enhanced by a lively kick of Szechuan pepper. As it settles, a comforting base of sandalwood and musk emerges, grounding the senses. This dynamic interplay not only refreshes and rejuvenates but also calms the mind, making it ideal for reducing stress.
[Related: eCosmetics simplifies online shopping within beauty]
“Octavia Morgan was founded on the idea that fragrance should be an inclusive, sensory experience—elevating self-expression without compromise,” said Morgan.
When it comes to the future, it looks bright for the brand, with the founder sharing plans for fragrance expansions in the coming year. “We're continuously innovating, and our creative team is already working on new, unique fragrances that align with our clean, gender-inclusive ethos,” stated Morgan.
