Scents & sensibility

Aromatherapist Rupal Shabnam Tyagi, married into a family with royal lineage, has always been exposed to regal fragrances and beauty secrets known only to blue blood. Regular visits to their family-owned aromatic plantations and mango orchards stoked her interest in aromatherapy, leading her to become a certified aromatherapist from London. She is also the founder of Wikka, where she creates beauty products based on completely natural ingredients like essential oils, natural herbs and potions.

From being a software professional to becoming an aromatherapist, Rupal traces her interesting journey so far. She shares, “I studied in a Parsi school, where we learnt everything from Parsi embroideries to painting and singing. By the time we were 13, we were taught what cigarettes and wines to be served for women, what were dessert wines, etc. and everything about fine etiquette and social mannerisms. My interest in modern technology and computer languages made me live my dad’s dream of becoming a software professional.

It was only after marriage that I discovered my real passion — healing with aromas and oils.”Being married into a Bijnaur royal family, Rupal rediscovered her connect with nature and its beauty and fragrance. She says, “My husband belongs to a royal family in Bijnaur, UP. They have mango plantations (mainly Langras and Chausa mangoes) spread over 500 acres.

While staying there during my pregnancy, I was surrounded by herbs like chamomile and rose plants. Also my grandmother, who was staying with me, would get buckets of mattha or buttermilk and pour it in my bathing tub and add rose, jasmine petals, orange skins and other natural essential oils. I started reading books and journals and discovered the uses, healing powers and benefits of different kinds of herbs and how to use them.”

For Rupal, most of her work trips are like vacations. She adds, “For procuring authentic essential oils and apparatus for our aromas, I visit places like France, Germany, Morocco, and Dubai. Customisation of perfumes is such a popular concept abroad and is gradually picking up in India too. I cherish my trips the most. We go there to stay updated on matters related to aromatherapy as it is a very mature market. The Middle East, especially Dubai has established itself as a global hub of trendsetting bespoke perfumes. French natives are known for their penchant for fine fragrances and exotic ouds, which is what leads aromatherapists like me to visit frequently.”

A mother of two gorgeous kids, Rupal is already passing on tricks of the trade to her young ones. She shares, “My kids are highly intrigued by the different kinds of smells in my studio. They have created their own fragrance – a mix of vanilla essence, chocolates and orange extracts.” Apart from being surrounded by aromas of various kinds, there are other passions too that keep this young lady going. “In my free time, I like to paint. Painting is like meditation for me. I do a lot of oil painting and acrylics and I like to mix my mediums. “For me, it is a way of de-stressing. At times, I paint with my kids.”

A self-confessed foodie, Rupal likes all things spicy and fragrant. “Obviously, cuisines that employ a lot of herbs and spices are my natural preferences,” she says.