Female Founded: Smooch Body

If you were wondering what happened to the once-mighty body mist, you need look no further. Luisa Giansiracusa's Smooch Body is bringing the 90s beauty staple back into public consciousness. Launched in 2023, the Australian fragrance brand specialises in nostalgia-infused body mists for Gen Z and millennial consumers. Every Smooch Body fragrance is inspired by, and named for, someone special in Giansiracusa’s life, and it’s this personal touch that has made believers out of the brand online. Nurtured through winningly cheeky videos on TikTok filmed in the warm Australian sun, audiences will now be able to shop Smooch Body fragrances outside of Australia. After launching in the US through e-retailer Revolve, Smooch Body has now landed in over 900 UK Boots stores. Following its UK launch, Because spoke to Luisa about building community, and the deeply personal nature of a signature scent.

You launched Smooch in 2023 without a traditional beauty background. What made you dive into fragrance, and why now?

I have always had a deep love for fragrance, and how personal using a fragrance can be. Body mists were a big part of my teens and early twenties; they were my first introduction to scent and the way it can be expressive. I have fond memories of me and my sister choosing our specific body mist scents – they became a big part of our daily ritual. Our mum would allow us two mists at a time. I remember how every time I used my body mists, it felt like adding an extra layer to my personality. This is the power of fragrance.

I saw that there was a gap in the market for a fragrance mist that was accessible, layerable, longer lasting, suited to all vibes and personalities, in super cute packaging and tailored to the Gen Z and millennial market. These consumers wear fragrance differently from the way it was worn when I was growing up, and I wanted to create fragrances that were not only relatable to our consumers but were incorporated into their daily rituals. I wanted to bring the body mist back in a way that was suited to this generation.

Each scent is named after someone close to you. Can you tell us more about that process of translating those relationships into scent?

Fragrance is such an individual preference, and during the creation of Smooch Body, I found a lot of solace in it – it became my form of escapism. These special people in my life and the experiences and relationships I shared with them were a significant part of this journey. They helped shape who I was and who I was becoming. For me, fragrance has its own unique personality. From early on, I wanted my scents to feel deeply personal yet relatable to my consumers. Naming my scents after special people in my life felt very authentic to the core of the brand and an organic process in my brand story, and a way to honour those connections. It is important to me that my scents are relatable to my community, and having the spin of their personalities has been at the heart of my brand identity from early on. 

Smooch has quickly become a TikTok sensation. What do you think it is about the brand that resonates so strongly with that community?

Our fragrances are relatable to our community. I wanted to bring fun into using fragrance in their daily routine. Having the spin of their personalities makes the brand relatable, girls would reach out and send us messages that they were an Ellie or a Janey and would match the fragrances to their outfits or wear them at a specific time of the day or occasion. Our engaged community has also helped us build the brand and ensure that we are creating fragrances for our community that are loved and relatable. Our consumer has educated me on how they use our fragrances in their daily lives. Without our community, we wouldn’t have gotten to this moment. I am so grateful for this.

What’s on your own scent rotation right now? Do you layer, or do you have a go-to favourite?

Pip and Nikki were on my rotation… Pip, I was using every morning after my shower and every night before I go to bed. It has definitely become part of my daily routine, with Nikki layered on top during the day and at night. We have new fragrances that we are launching, and Gigi has become another one that is part of my daily ritual with Pip, which I layer both now in my morning routine and at night. I definitely love layering my fragrances and will always have one on me so I can top up wherever I am.

Can you share some of the key milestones or challenges you’ve faced in running Smooch Body, and how they have shaped your journey as a female founder?

Launching into Revolve in the US earlier this year and now launching in Boots in 900 stores is a huge milestone for the brand. Watching the brand grow and seeing our community share their own stories around the scents has been very humbling.

Launching into 900 Boots stores is a huge milestone. How does it feel to see your dream brand go from an idea in Australia to a UK-wide launch?

I have a lot of gratitude that the brand has been given this opportunity, and that Boots believed in the brand and me.

What advice would you give to other female founders looking to enter the beauty space?  

Persist and persist... Try not to listen to the outside noise; your vision is your vision. People will always have their opinions, but what you choose to do with this is key. Go with your gut … surround yourself with a tribe that only has your best interest at heart and wants to see you succeed…mistakes are lessons and we learn and grow from them, and they can steer us in the right direction. 

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for Smooch Body, and how do you envision the brand evolving in the rapidly changing beauty and wellness landscape?

My goal is to continue to build Smooch Body community globally and be recognised as one of the leaders in the fragrance mist category.