Mariya Nurislamova is a name that has become synonymous with innovation in the beauty and fragrance industry. As the co-founder and CEO of Scentbird, she has transformed the way people discover and experience perfumes, turning a personal passion into a global business that now serves hundreds of thousands of subscribers.
Early Inspiration: A Childhood Love for Fragrance
Mariya’s fascination with scent began during her childhood in Russia. Perfume was considered a rare luxury, but she vividly remembers sneaking into the bathroom to spray herself with her mother’s perfume. That early connection to fragrance planted the seed for what would later become her life’s work.
Building Scentbird: The “Netflix for Perfume”
After moving to the United States, Mariya recognized how overwhelming and confusing the traditional fragrance shopping experience could be. Perfume counters often left consumers frustrated, with too many scents blending together. Seeing this gap in the market, she co-founded Scentbird in 2015, offering a subscription model where customers could receive a 30-day supply of luxury fragrances delivered to their doors.
The concept was simple yet revolutionary: try before you buy. Subscribers could “date” different perfumes, discover new favorites, and only commit to full-sized bottles once they were confident in their choices.
Growth and Success
Under Mariya’s leadership, Scentbird has grown rapidly. Today, the company works with hundreds of fragrance brands and has expanded its offerings to include gender-neutral scents, skincare, and even home fragrance. By blending technology with consumer insight, Scentbird has become a trusted platform for over 700,000 monthly subscribers.
Mariya describes this stage of the company as its “golden era,” marked by strong growth, loyal customers, and a deeper cultural impact on how people approach fragrance discovery.
Beyond Scentbird: Expanding into Beauty and Lifestyle
Mariya is also the driving force behind several other beauty and lifestyle brands within the Scentbird umbrella. These include:
Confessions of a Rebel – a bold, gender-fluid fragrance line.
Deck of Scarlet – a clean and creative makeup brand.
Goodhabit – skincare designed to protect against digital and environmental stressors.
Drift – a car freshener subscription service.
Each of these ventures reflects her innovative mindset and ability to spot consumer trends before they go mainstream.
Leadership and Philosophy
As a leader, Mariya emphasizes focus, execution, and clarity of purpose. She often advises entrepreneurs to embrace action over endless planning, believing that progress comes from building and improving continuously scentbird ceo .
Her approach to brand-building also highlights inclusivity, storytelling, and community engagement. From influencer partnerships to viral campaigns, she understands how to create a strong emotional connection with modern consumers.
Challenges and Complexity
Like many modern CEOs, Mariya has also faced challenges. Her presence as a spiritual influencer outside of Scentbird—where she shares views on energy, chakras, and alternative healing—has sparked both curiosity and criticism. While she maintains that these beliefs are separate from her business, it has added complexity to her public image.
A Lasting Legacy in Beauty
Despite these complexities, Mariya Nurislamova’s impact on the beauty industry is undeniable. She has reshaped how consumers engage with fragrance, built an ecosystem of innovative brands, and carved out a unique space at the intersection of technology, commerce, and lifestyle.
From her childhood curiosity about perfume to leading a multi-brand beauty empire, Mariya’s journey reflects resilience, vision, and a relentless drive to innovate. As Scentbird enters its second decade, her influence continues to grow—cementing her place as one of the most creative and forward-thinking leaders in the beauty world.
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