protect(HER) fragrance set, photo by Janella Branch

Spiritual herbalism found its way into my life as I began exploring my relationship with rootworking. There were a plethora of books contributing to my learning process and comprehending the divination of herbs and the use for each one. In Cunningham’s The Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, there is an alphabetical list of herbs including characteristics such as latin name, alternate names, element, sex, planet ruler and spiritual uses. With the manuscript for who will protect me? (wwpm) being a work in progress, it was a great opportunity for me to develop my own sense of knowledge and incorporate suggested healing herbs into the book for each chakra. The herbs chosen were not only based on their ruling planet, element and spiritual personality but also focused on the medicinal benefits of the herb (ie. Calendula is associated with promoting courage while simultaneously having anti-inflammatory properties and addressing gastrointestinal issues. Thus, the herb is included in the solar plexus chapter). Developing my own integrity in spiritual herbalism led me down a path of creating my own personal anointed products including water-based herbal baths, facial mists and apple cider vinegar (ACV) tinctures. Then, one day at the Brooklyn museum, my former employer invited me to assist them in hosting an herbalism workshop where participants had an opportunity to set their own alcohol-based floor washes. After this event, I began experimenting and creating different variations of my own alcohol-based floral waters.

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Initially, creating floral waters was an addition to my personal herbalism practice. My roommate, Carmen R., had suggested the idea of making fragrances that correspond with the chakras. Once the idea was planted, I decided to incorporate the healing herbs listed within each chapter. Using my own suggested herbs, I began curating my first batch of fragrances. At the time, there were eight (8) different scents, with two scents being for the crown chakra. I had no knowledge of fragrance or olfactory do’s and don’t’s. It was simply a passion project where I embraced the trial and error of creating. I was researching note proportions, financially budgeting supplies and noting proper measurements for formula balances, I was becoming a spiritual chemist! Once I reached a comfort zone with the fragrance formulas,I initiated my first market research methodology by creating a focus group. I invited a group of women over to my home to test out the fragrances and receive feedback on the blends. After the focus group, I decided on branding for packaging and labeling then the fragrance line, curated conjure, was born.

mother king fragrance, image by Janella Branch

Why the name curated conjure? Prior to my exploration of spiritual herbalism, I was actively practicing candlework and developing my working knowledge of tarot, the divination of cards. Represented by the planet Mercury and denoted with the number I, The Magician card is one of my favorite cards in the tarot deck. The concept of The Magician is the manifester. This figure not only speaks life into their goals and desires but they also take tangible steps towards these goals as well. The Magician can be seen as a figure who works alongside God, asking God for what they want while doing what they can in the meantime. The Magician is a producer, creating something out of nothing: a conjurer. Creating something out of nothing is how this brand came about: from the conception of an idea, continuing down an experimental process of practicality and leading to the birth of a brand. Alchemy is a part of my herbalist practice and this brand is my alchemy. My goal was to create holistic wellness products promoting auric balances in the spiritual body. Similar to aromatherapy, the products under curated conjure are the intersection of anointment and vanity. The spiritual philosophy behind each fragrance is to empower women through sensual fragrance blends that cater to a specified sensation in the nervous system. For example, propagated sistah is a sweet wood scent intended to alleviate anxiety and stress while heart’s mirror is a musky rose scent intended to alleviate feelings of grief by restoring emotional balance. Also, given the multiplicity of Venus ruled herbs representing love and money, heart’s mirror could also be used as an anointment for prosperity and abundance.

In modern day, this is an opportune time for curated conjure to enter the market for slow perfumery and limited qualities is a projected fragrance movement for the next couple of years. Perfumers are being more environmentally conscious, more transparent with ingredients, and are driven by storytelling through craftsmanship. When the idea was first conceived in 2024, the mission of curated conjure was to stay true to the craftsmanship of the formulas through natural fermentation of the herbs, flowers, citrus peels and roots over a timespan of 6-8 weeks. With the beauty industry going in a different direction from mass production, curated conjure stays on trend and in alignment with the industry shift, staying on the curve of marketability. Along with the natural curation of the fragrance formulas lies an additional pillar: aromatherapy curated with intentionality, focusing on the theologist consumer. One way or another, the majority of mankind believes in an omnipresent being. Whether it be God(Allah), The Holy (Spirit), spirit guides, deities, or The Universe, we can agree society at large submits to a power greater than ourselves. Therefore, this fragrance line not only enters into the market of naturally scented formulas and slow perfumery but also promotes the inclusivity of spiritual practice that encourages the somatic healing of the auric body, bringing the consumer closer to their inner source of divinity. The specificity of each fragrance was conjured with curated spiritual intention. In the alternate medicine market, most rootworkers and root doctors provide spiritual baths, dressed candles and anointing oils for their clients. This fragrance line is an invitation to that same clientele looking for spiritual cleansing and auric balancing, a product designed to make one feel good and smell good while doing so.

Prior to the Holiday 2025 season, I revisited the rebranding of the current collection of curated conjure and dived back into updating the note proportions for more fluid chemical balances. For the rebrand, I wanted to ensure the branding presentation was more aligned with the aesthetic of the original book, wwpm. The fragrances are now bottled in colored glass atomizers with corresponding gradient colored labels. Now coined as the protect(HER) Capsule, there have been formulas that are more well curated and floor washes have been added to the product assortment. Current fragrance ingredients include herbal based perfumer’s alcohol and fragranced grapeseed oil while floor washes include castile soap, white vinegar and designated floral waters. The current capsule collection includes four different scents focusing on the root, sacral, solar plexus and heart chakras; scents for the throat and third eye chakra will also be available as limited editions. Furthermore, the original two scents for the crown chakra will be reintroduced as limited edition floor washes. Once the performance of the protect(HER) Capsule is analyzed, additional capsules will be introduced including a collection of anointed products for everyday use and an astrology collection. In the meantime, you can find the current collection of curated conjure here.

Appointed and Anointed: curated conjure and the philosophy behind The Haus’ entrance into the fragrance market.