IPB University Students Create Balm Stick Perfume Innovation
IPB University students launch a balm stick perfume innovation that is alcohol-free, vegan, and practical for sensitive skin.
JAKARTA — The IPB University Students Create Balm Stick Perfume Innovation with a solid fragrance product called Timeless by Six, developed by a team from the university’s School of Business to offer an alcohol-free, vegan option that is easier to carry and gentler on skin.
The students, led by Nasilatu Tazkiya, said they built the idea after looking at the perfume market and seeing how crowded it already was. They chose a balm stick format instead of a spray. Small. Solid. Simple.
That choice matters because fragrance users do not all want the same thing. Some want a stronger scent trail. Others want something lighter, cleaner, and less irritating. Timeless by Six is aimed at people who value convenience, but also pay attention to what touches their skin.
Why the balm stick format stands out
Unlike conventional spray perfume, a balm stick perfume is applied directly to the skin, usually on pulse points. The scent comes out more gradually, which gives it a different feel from the quick burst people get from aerosol or pump bottles.
For users who spend a lot of time on the move, the format is practical. There is no glass bottle to worry about in a backpack. No spray mist drifting into the air. Reapplication is fast, and the product is compact enough to fit into daily carry items.
The student team sees that as an answer to a common problem in personal care. Many fragrance products look similar. Many promise the same thing. A balm stick changes the experience itself, not just the scent profile. That distinction is what they are banking on.
Alcohol-free and made for sensitive skin
One of the strongest selling points in the project is that the product is completely alcohol-free. For some users, alcohol-based perfume can cause stinging, dryness, or irritation. People with sensitive skin often have to be more careful, and that can make ordinary perfume less appealing.
The team also describes the product as vegan-friendly and safer for users who are more selective about personal care ingredients. That includes people with sensitive skin and, in the team’s framing, toddlers. The point is not just fragrance. It is comfort.
That approach reflects a wider shift in the personal care market. Consumers now look beyond scent alone. They read labels. They ask what is inside. They care about how a product feels after repeated use. A formula that sounds good on paper still has to work on real skin.
Natural ingredients and stronger essential oils
Timeless by Six highlights natural ingredients as a core part of its identity. The team says it uses a higher concentration of essential oils so the scent can last longer when applied to the skin. That matters because balm products do not rely on alcohol as a carrier the way spray perfumes do.
In practical terms, the formula has to do more work to keep the aroma noticeable. The scent stays closer to the body, which some users prefer. It is less about filling a room and more about staying personal.
The product’s natural-based direction also fits the growing interest among young consumers in cleaner and more transparent formulations. They want products that feel safe. They want something portable. And they want the ingredient list to make sense.
Why this matters for the perfume market
The perfume market is crowded, and that crowding forces brands to compete on more than smell. Packaging, skin feel, portability, and ingredient choices now carry real weight. The IPB University team is trying to meet that demand with a format that looks simple but solves several pain points at once.
That has a direct effect on how consumers think about fragrance. If a product is easier to use, less harsh on skin, and built around a cleaner formula, it can pull buyers who would normally skip traditional perfume. That is the real pressure point for the industry. Not just whether the scent is nice, but whether the product fits daily life.
For students and young founders, the project also shows that innovation in beauty and personal care does not always need heavy technology or a complex device. Sometimes it starts with a small product and a sharp reading of the market. Simple, but not ordinary.
“The conventional perfume market is already very saturated,” Nasilatu Tazkiya said, explaining the reason her team moved toward a balm stick format. The product, she said, was designed to fill a gap between practicality, skin comfort, and ingredients that are kinder to users.
The team’s pitch is not subtle: if consumers want a fragrance that is easy to carry, alcohol-free, and built around a higher concentration of essential oils, Timeless by Six is their answer. The next test is whether the scent can hold up batch after batch, and whether users keep coming back for one more swipe.
