The fragrance founder with her finger on the energetic pulse.
Written by LAURA REGENSDORF
“Everything that I’m drawn to is about feeling,” says Yasmin Sewell, the Australia-born Londoner behind the fragrance brand Vyrao. It’s intuition she credits with guiding her nearly three decades in fashion, which included high-profile roles at Browns and Liberty. “I spent all those years predicting, sensing, and falling in love,” she says of the continual search for the next designer or mood. The switch to scent was less a calculated move than a quixotic pull toward the color green. She homed in on the Latin verb vireo—“which means, ‘I am verdant, I am vigorous, I sprout green growth,’” Sewell says. The word turned out to be trademarked (a Viagra-like company got there first), but Vyrao, at once energetic and coolly elegant, was born.
Since the brand’s initial five-fragrance launch in 2021, Sewell has released well-timed additions, almost like an herbalist prescribing tinctures to coax the body back into balance. This is when Vyrao began incorporating research from the IFF’s Science of Wellness program, tapping the neuroscience-backed benefits of different aromatic materials. Sensing a push for a mindful focus, she created the aptly titled The Sixth; a need for light-filled joy led to Sun Rae. As a counterweight to the swirls of overstimulation, Mamajuju followed as a grounding force. Now, this fall’s couplet, Ludeaux and Ludatrix, leans unabashedly into pleasure. The in-the-know latex designer Atsuko Kudo lent tactile and olfactive inspiration, as Sewell explored the material’s unexpected shades of blush and cherry red. She tapped two friends, Mia Khalifa and Isamaya Ffrench, for the campaign. It’s still all about feels for the founder, whether the hug of a latex bodysuit, an impulsive chop of her curls, or a metallic swipe of eyeliner. Find that and more in her expertly edited BAG.
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“This is the scent to flirt and seduce. It’s part one of the erotic process and so delicious with peach, latex, magnolia, and tonka bean.”
“Part two, for what happens after you’ve flirted. This scent—with notes of lipstick, latex, orris, and Sichuan pepper—is especially made for play, with neuroscience-backed ingredients for arousal and energy. Just what you need.”
“I adore Ross, who’s an incredible acupuncturist here in London. I see him regularly, and these patches are the easiest and most effective way of tapping into wellness benefits on the go. (I also love that he burns my Vyrao incense during all his appointments.)”
“I’m very into vibration in all forms, for well-being, exercise…everything. I use a lot of Therabody products and love that they have now created something specifically for the face. I use it before a date night.”
“I’m not a big makeup person, but one of the few things I love is this product on my upper cheeks. It’s instantly illuminating, raises my cheekbones, and makes me look fresher, no matter what.”
“I was lucky to be given one of these by Fara, who is a friend. Aesthetically it’s divine; for purpose it’s brilliant. I feel chic when I pull it out of my bag—and I just love how she's building her brand.”
”A curly-haired girl like me needs a lot of moisture and hydration. I tend to use Oribe pretty much exclusively, as they just work without making my hair feel too heavy. It’s a fine line with curls—they nail it.”
“I know I’m not the first person to recommend VB’s eyeliner, but it is honestly the best. I use it daily—I love the metallic green and copper. I was first introduced to this product at VIOLET GREY in LA, when one of the team members did my makeup for an event. I’ve never looked back.”
“I use this mask, without fail, every single time I’m going to an event or when I’m about to do a shoot. It smoothes my skin in a way that almost makes it look like I’ve already had my base makeup done.”
