In recent years, when discussing the most frequently mentioned Thai fragrance brands, “Journal” is one of the names that comes up. It is a popular brand not only as a perfume maker but also as the creator of the "Body Oil" phenomenon, which established a new category in the minds of Thai consumers, making skin oil application sexy, tasteful, and personal—becoming a hero product that significantly boosted the brand’s revenue and popularity.
This BrandStory column highlights Journal’s success, from a local perfume brand to a phenomenon that made body oil application a daily routine for Thais, in a beauty market crowded with international brands and fierce price competition. Yet, the brand still dreams big globally and is preparing to enter the stock market within 3-5 years.
Journal was created with the intention of reinterpreting Thai fragrances to add value to local products and elevate Thai perfumes to be more global and contemporary. The brand draws from the essence of Thai culture and nature—from scented water, herbal infusions, incense wood, flowers, to fruits—reimagined using modern storytelling rather than a straightforward Thai narrative, setting Journal apart from typical counter brand perfumes.
The brand crafts narratives of emotions, memories, and feelings through each fragrance, so scents do not just smell good but serve as a “journal” recording moments, emotions, stories, or user character each day—this inspired the brand name Journal.
For example, popular signature scents that made the brand memorable include The Legacy, a soft, deep fragrance of agarwood, the king of Thai scents, blended with white floral notes that feel luxurious, composed, yet alluring; and First Love, a fresh scent of tuberose and pear reminiscent of first love, a fragrance no Thai perfume enthusiast is unfamiliar with.
Additionally, the brand’s meticulous creation of its own formulas has become a quality standard and a key strength recognized by users. Journal uses "coconut oil" as the main base instead of alcohol at a high proportion. The advantage of oil-based perfumery is that it reduces irritation and makes the scent last long throughout the day, a strength that encourages high repeat purchases.
A pivotal turning point for Journal was the launch of Body Oil, a product previously not mainstream in the Thai market but which propelled the brand’s rapid growth and wide recognition.
Interestingly, Journal’s body oil deeply connects users with the brand—not just as a way to add fragrance before leaving home. Consumers now see scent as part of daily life, something that stays with them all day and carries emotional meaning beyond just fragrance.
Body Oil has been repositioned not just as a skincare product but as a Daily Ritual—a brief moment of self-care, body touch, and emotional connection, a value highly regarded by modern consumers.
This insight became the foundation for the A Love Journey Collection, Journal’s latest line, which was not designed based on trending fragrance notes but by exploring shared human experiences, especially moments of love everyone encounters. It includes three main scents: First Love, expressing the moment of first understanding love; Forever Love, portraying enduring and stable love; and Forbidden Love, reflecting a beautiful but unattainable relationship.
Fah Thananya Sutheerachai, Managing Director, and Pod Jakratchaletch Kasetchamras, one of Journal’s founders, revealed that Journal has broken the old stigma around body oil in Thailand, where people previously avoided oils fearing greasiness. Journal developed fast-absorbing formulas using real natural extracts, making the skin glow beautifully yet feel light and comfortable—suitable for the tropical climate.
Moreover, it offers functions beyond regular lotion: deep nourishment with a scent that lasts all day, sparking the social media trend “so fragrant my partner notices.” Today, body oil accounts for 65% of the brand’s revenue, enabling Journal to penetrate the broader body care market. It is also recognized as a brand that understands the modern consumer’s body and emotions, appealing to those open to quality local alternative brands that fit daily life.
Looking back at Journal’s growth trajectory reveals an impressive business expansion: in 2023, total revenue closed at 180 million baht; in 2024, 323 million baht; and the estimated 2025 revenue is 573 million baht—exceeding the 500 million baht target and growing 77% year-over-year.
The main driver of this above-target sales growth is the clearly strong increase in body oil sales, which grew over 112% year-over-year in value. Online sales grew even faster, at 136%, with a dedicated "Journal Body Oil" category on TikTok and Shopee platforms. Journal has become the number one brand in the body oil category, with sales growth defying the economic downturn—today, Journal’s body oil is fully the brand’s hero product.
Originally starting as a perfume brand, Journal’s revenue mix has shifted significantly: body oil now accounts for 65% of total sales; perfume about 20%, which grows slower but remains important for brand identity; and home fragrance and other products about 15%.
“All success comes from maintaining product quality. The product must sell itself. Even though new competitors have entered the body oil market with lower prices, Journal maintains premium natural ingredients to preserve a loyal customer base that loves the unique quality. We invest heavily in ingredients, so our margins are thin. Competitors cannot match our quality at lower prices, so customers who try cheaper options ultimately return because of the different functional experience.”
Pod Jakratchaletch disclosed that last year they targeted sales around 500 million baht but closed at about 573 million baht, exceeding the goal. This growth is difficult for this type of business because products cannot be quickly scaled up—everything depends on raw materials, extraction, and advance planning. Moving from 500 to 573 million baht is not easy but reflects stronger-than-expected demand.
Last year also marked Journal’s first serious marketing investment, budgeting about 50-60 million baht but spending even more, covering offline media, commercials, events, concert sponsorships, and engaging a brand ambassador. The ambassador helped customers, especially international ones, to try the product more, opening new opportunities in partnerships and sales channels.
Fah Thananya added that the decision to use “PP Krit Amnuaydechkorn” as the brand ambassador since June 2025 was a major turning point. The result was not just increased sales but gained credibility, elevating the brand image from a local brand to an international one, greatly easing negotiations with department stores and foreign partners.
“From the customer base perspective, the brand clearly expanded among Gen Z and Young Millennials, as well as international customers, especially from China, alongside reaching consumers seeking brands that are gender-neutral and open to diversity. Social media awareness and engagement also increased significantly, resulting in widespread buzz, word-of-mouth media coverage, and abundant fan content.”
Both executives shared their major future goal: Journal is currently preparing to register on the Thai stock exchange within 3-4 years to raise capital for global expansion with their own stores. The brand’s strategy is to avoid small-scale overseas expansion via partners, preferring to build strength until ready at the corporate level to open their own large, credible stores, reinforcing the image of a luxurious and stable Thai fragrance brand.
While Journal’s main base remains in Thailand, signals from foreign markets are increasingly clear—from tourists, international customers, and online mentions. Currently, most foreign customers are Chinese—from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. This year, the focus is on Singapore and Malaysia due to their high purchasing power and pre-existing interest in Beauty & Wellness products. The 2026 revenue target is 875–900 million baht, with growth projected at 40-50% annually over 1-3 years, riding the rising T-Beauty trend.
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