Behind the shelves of pickles and fridges of milk and yoghurt, Sydney’s viral fragrance master is mixing bespoke perfumes in the back of a grocery shop. Ali Jalloul’s loyal customers travel from across Sydney to visit Nobby’s Discount Store in Rockdale where the 33-year-old has gone Tiktok viral for his impressive ability to recreate any perfume or scent. Ali Jalloul of Jalu Fragrances creates a bespoke fragrance in the rear of the family mixed business in Rockdale, NSW.
Credit: Kate Geraghty His lab is impressive – Jalloul has every fragrance note you can think of from bubblegum to tobacco – and the ex-tiler can recreate most niche and designer perfumes for a fraction of the cost. “I discovered I could find and download formulas, and then it just became fun and addicting once I made my first niche fragrances three years ago,” Jalloul said. His hobby started with just one shelf behind the counter of the shop, which he works in with his father, then the pickle shelf was replaced with fragrance oils, then the counter top, and “like an infection” he had taken over half of the store.
His most popular service is recreating luxury perfumes for a fraction of the cost, but his ability to produce scents based on discontinued perfumes and personalised scents is some of his most rewarding work. Jalloul’s business has boomed from his Tiktok fame. Credit: Kate Geraghty His first customer of the day at 8am on a Friday buys three perfumes based on luxury fragrances which Jalloul mixes on the spot, and another discontinued scent which Ali promises to figure out in about a week.
“Scent is very important to people, it takes them back and reminds them of someone,” Jalloul said..
