Sophie Marshall: leading the incense revival
Words: Sarah Tarca // @tarca
Sophie Marshall, founder of This is Incense
Sophie Marshall knows a little something about finding calm in the chaos. Juggling a full-time career as Global Product manager for Ripcurl, and also two young boys (Ace 5, and Duke 11) she still managed to find time to renovate a home, restore a 1977 Valiant and launch a successful business… though it was finding that calm that inspired the business to begin with. “I started This Is Incense as a side project/hobby… and mostly as a product for myself,” she says. “I needed incense to help me unwind when I walked in in the door from the office. I was struggling to unwind and switch to ‘Mum Mode’ when I got home – something I know a lot of people struggle with.”
Made from native Australian essential oils and hand-rolled and made here in Oz, each of the scents invoke the spirit of her and her husband’s favourite beaches in Australia, from the one they got married on (Bells Beach) to the one they grew up with (Margaret River). Here, she shares about the incense revival, her connection with the ocean, and why she’s all about taking it slow.
How was This is Incense born?
The idea came to me in the shower which was completely bizarre in itself. This thought popped in my head “you need to make incense” so I jumped out and told my husband we were going make incense? He knew I was going to do it, even though it was completely unrelated to my current career (I spent my whole career in apparel – bikini and clothes) as I always follow through on my crazy ideas.
But a little about the backstory: I was travelling a lot for work and bought some random incense in New York. At the time I was really looking for any way possible to be able to de-stress so I could walk in the door and transition from “crazy work life” to “mum life “ and found the incense helped me calm me (and the kids), so I wanted to help others by making essential oil incense. I couldn’t find any that I loved that were made in Australia, so I knew this is what I needed to try and bring to the market. We launched in September 2019.
What is your personal connection to incense?
I have always been obsessed with scents, especially the memories connected to to them. I’ve always been the person who bought the random perfume from the perfumery on my travels. Being a ‘90s teenager incense was so much a part of who I was growing up too. I was always burning incense and listening to The Tea Party.
Aside from that, I love the ritual of burning it and the feeling of calm and wellness it brings. Scent has this magical power – it can bring back memories and take you back to the places you love… which why we focussed on our favorite places when we launched.
This is Incense Margaret River, Byron Bay and Bells Beach $36
incense is a fairly big jump from bikinis! how did you do it?
I spent hours researching and learning about the history and processes of incense and we worked with a perfumier on a scent brief for each variant. The scents we used are essential oils from botanics that are from our favourite places in Australia: Bells Beach, Byron Bay and Margaret River.
Margaret River: I’m from WA, so I spent my teenage years down south surfing. I love the smell of the sea spray amongst the huge sandalwood trees.
Bells Beach: This place is spiritual and magical… we got married on the beach here and the scent of Eucalyptus in this scent reminds me of the walk out to Bells via the track.
Byron Bay: Dreamy Sunsets on hot summers’ nights spent here gives me all the feels. I tried to capture this memory using Rosalina and white cypress with a hint of Cedarwood for a delicate and sexy scent with a hint of earthy.
From deciding on the essential oil scents, we then went through the process of sampling and testing the sticks as it was important that is smelt great in the box but more importantly when it was being burnt.
You are currently leading an incense revival. What do you think has inspired the resurgence?
With the world in its current state, people are looking for alternative/creative ideas on how to incorporate wellness and mindfulness into their lives I think. Reconnecting to scent and discovering incense for the first time is one of those ways that can help. The ritual of lighting and burning incense can help with health and wellbeing of the mind, body and emotions.
“The ritual of lighting and burning incense can help with health and wellbeing of the mind, body and emotions.”
For those of us who grew up with cheap and nasty incense from the local market, was it hard to re-educate on this new, artisinal incense?
Both yes and no. Getting people to try it after bad experiences of the past yes, but to overcome this I made a decision that I didn’t want the sticks wrapped in plastic so when you open the box you could smell how different ours is too the old. Storytelling through social media has also been important, though I wish we could have a scent tech idea that you could smell it through your phone!
What has been your greatest challenge with the brand?
As it’s all hand dipped in Victoria, during the Covid-19 restrictions we couldn’t get enough production runs to fulfil orders. I have had my own business before, so I have used all my prior learnings of what not to do and not to be repeated! Also you can’t be expected too great at everything in a start up so outsource with professional help where you can.
You have some incredible incense holders on the site. How did you choose who to align with?
I wanted to use local creatives in Torquay. These are slow made also which is a part of our brand mantra “Let’sTake It Slow”. Currently we work with ceramists Takeawei, Kirsty Lief jewellery and castletoncollective clay holders.
what is your favourite incense ritual?
My favourite ways to use incense is In the evening after work to calm the family down, or sunday morning in bed with a coffee reading the paper and just recently yoga sessions.
You’re a mother of two boys… how do you find calm in the chaos?
Chaos is normality in our household so I try to bring calmness for myself and the also boys. Duke is 11 and a mad surfer so he is always in the ocean and high energy. Ace Wilde is at the age that he goes by the beat of his own drum, so trying I’m trying to juggle this all and ensuring that my wellbeing is priority too. I use my incense for mindfulness, podcasts like Offline ,and time to myself to make sure I slow down. I’ve also nearly finished building a vintage 1977 Valiant for drives down the coast to have some time out!
What is the most important thing you’ve learned since becoming a parent?
There are so many learnings daily raising boys with polar opposite personalities! But the most important thing I think is that as a parent you must be happy, and be the best version of yourself for kids. If you’re not happy within, then you need to ensure you change whatever you need to do so.
Tell us a little about you NSW hideaway
The Surf Treehouse (which you can rent on Air Bnb) is our little hideaway up at a place called Wooloweyah at the back of Angourie in Northen NSW. It’s off the grid for us but by no means properly off the grid. It’s our sanctuary to stop and reconnect. We bought it when we went camping in Yamba when I was eight months pregnant with Ace. We’d never stayed there before and we fell in love with it. We went for a drive and saw a ‘For Sale’ sign and the rest is history. I have loved renovating it and styling it from a blank canvas and recently had my 40th there with all my close mates. We love the crew up there and it’s our most favorite place in the world.
Why is the ocean so special to you?
It’s everything. Aside from the fact we live in Torquay (read her local’s guide to the town here) it’s also our work (hubby works at Quiksilver), our time is always at the beach watching Duke surf, our family is also a part of the Torquay Boardriders and our weekend revolve around swell and the wind!
