About Me
The Origin Story
🌟 Hi I’m Justin, the Master Shifu of wax! 🌟 and creator of Apothecary By Justin. Big Kung Fu Panda fan! My "grown up life' began with a PhD in Pharmacology at Monash University and transitioned to 25 years of years of medical affairs and drug development in pharmaceutical corporate life. It was both exhausting and rewarding. Post covid, I needed to focus on me and my creativity more. Inner-peace was needed. So in early 2023, I went to understand the world of wax and scents.
I found peace and inspiration in creating scented candles and perfumes. What started as a hobby quickly became a passion and a desire to constantly improve and learn. I was a scientist after all .
During this early stage I felt a stronger connection to my late farther. This connection to my dad, is so powerful I feel him along the journey with me – somehow, can’t explain it – if you know, you know.
My dad was a chef, an absolute amazing chef. Whilst he taught the process of cooking, he was quite secretive of his recipes. When he wasn’t in chef “scrubs” he was a very suave European man, known for his sartorial splendor. He taught me to always look respectable and smell amazing. I started collecting colognes from the age of 10 – I think it initiated by “borrowing” a lot of dad’s collections. Oh he had some great stuff. Fendi, Emilio Zenga, Dior, JPG and more - He knew his scents and he knew i was "syphoning" his collection. He didn’t mind, in fact he loved it.
My dad passed in 2013, and it never gets easier. Every time I make a candle or a perfume, I feel him next to me, driving me, advising me and supporting me. I miss him every day. He and my mum taught me so many important lessons, I am in debt to them. Truly beautiful parents.
An art and a lot of science
Very Early on in my candle and perfume creativity, I realized, not only is this an art, but a science – a lot of science. I knew science, I spent 6 years in a lab doing my PhD. Yes, with beakers boiling and tubes everywhere. I was in on own territory. I started to break down the science of waxes, oil, alcohols, esters to understand what they are and importantly had they interacted and combine to play a symphony of notes, all in harmony direct by a conductor.
It was hard to train my nose and brain to understand what I was smelling. Every day is still a lesson in olfactory sculpting.
After a few months of giving products away, not have a single clue what I was doing, expect I could make great candles - or so friends and family kept telling me. Naturally I was skeptical, but was encouraged to look at this a little more seriously as a future. So in June 2023, with the support of my kids, partner, family and friends – mainly for putting up with talking 24/7 non-stop about candles and perfumes, but for keeping me upright and creative.
I love developing Apothecary By Justin, every day, creating things that feel, smell and look wonderful, without compromising on several core pillars of my company.
Customer service is no.1. All my products must be clean, natural, free of any toxic ingredients, the best quality of everything I can source, always Australian first, as long as its sustainable, cruelty free (human and animal) and never stop creating.
We are on another journey - Come with me for the ride!
100% Vegan
Sustainable soy wax
Handmade in Melbourne
Non-toxic Ingredients
Free Shipping Australia-wide
30 day free returns
