Ambrose Wee had always loved having his family home smell like a hotel, so he often filled it with the calming aromas of scented candles.
But that sense of calm quickly turned into concern when his mother’s childhood asthma flared up unexpectedly due to the commercial paraffin candles he had been burning.
Determined to find a safer alternative, Ambrose dove into months of research and experimentation. The result was a clean-burning palm-coco crème wax blend—free from the harsh chemicals of commercial candles, yet still offering the same experience.
What began as a personal solution soon became a passion—he began handcrafting candles as gifts for his family and friends.
His candles became so popular that recipients started “feeling paiseh” to keep asking for refills, so they insisted on paying for them instead.
This marked the beginning of Lynk Fragrances in 2019, an all-natural scents brand that Ambrose now runs together with his family.
The early days
Ambrose and his family launched Lynk Fragrances with just S$10,000, hand-pouring their first batches of candles from their kitchen.
The brand was initially named Lynk Artisan but underwent a rebrand after a couple of years (more on that later).
In the early days, orders trickled in slowly—one or two a week—which were personally hand-delivered. It was a small operation, with Ambrose’s sister Datina Wee helping out in production and social media marketing whenever she could, as she still held a full-time job at an MNC payments company.
Then the pandemic hit—and unexpectedly, so did demand.
As orders continued to grow, Ambrose’s entire family soon got involved, helping with different aspects of the business.
When the business started gaining “steady monthly profits,” Datina made the leap to quit her job and join the business full-time in mid-2020.
The team was clocking 14-hour days, and soon found themselves fulfilling bulk orders for weddings, corporate clients, and custom events.
Looking back, Datina believes that the business’s momentum came from filling a clear gap in the market. “Back then, most candles available in Singapore were mass-produced overseas or made from toxic paraffin wax. There wasn’t a local brand offering luxurious, clean-burning, [and] plant-based options.”
A family business
By 2021, Lynk Fragrances had already outgrown its home setup and moved into a dedicated studio space. That same year, the business also crossed the S$1 million revenue mark.
But the growth didn’t stop there. In early 2023, it secured a warehouse space to support increasing demand, and by the end of the year, it opened the doors to its very first retail store at Changi Airport Terminal 2.
Scent is a sensory experience, and it’s hard to translate that online. Opening a physical store allowed us to create an immersive space where people could smell, feel, and connect with the brand on a deeper level.
Datina Wee
Throughout the years, Ambrose and Datina’s family had remained very much involved in the business, working behind the scenes in production, logistics, and day-to-day operations.
“My father leads our fulfilment team… [and] my mother supports business development,” said Datina. “My second brother, Arnold, heads production and ambient scenting—he’s also our in-house IT guy, with a deep understanding of machines and systems.”
Meanwhile, the duo have pretty much stayed close to their original roles—only now with greater responsibility.
Datina leads content creation, marketing, and collaborations for the brand, while Ambrose is Lynk Fragrances’ “product visionary.” “He’s incredibly resourceful—he sources rare, high-quality ingredients from all over the world, from farmers and suppliers in many parts of Asia, France, Italy, the USA, and beyond,” added Datina.
Scaling and rebranding
Today, Lynk Fragrances has grown far beyond candles.
“We realised our customers wanted more ways to experience scents throughout their day—not just through candles,” said Datina.
In response, the brand expanded its product line to include room sprays, pillow mists, shower steamers, hair perfumes, shampoos, conditioners, and even a range of toilet sprays. This diversification was what ultimately prompted the rebrand from their original name.
We outgrew our original identity. As we expanded into personal care and ambient scenting, Lynk Fragrances better captured our evolution into a modern scents house.
Datina Wee
Looking back on the business’s journey, Datina admitted that scaling was “tough.” “We insisted on doing everything in-house and by hand, which meant many late nights and learning curves,” she added.
While this approach allowed for “full quality control,” it also forced the team to build robust operations from the ground up—including fulfilment systems, SOPs, and training programs.
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Throughout the years, Lynk Fragrances has made big strides, securing collaborations with global names like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and even SBS Transit—where they co-created signature scents for Singapore’s MRT stations. They’ve also developed exclusive fragrance lines for hotels both locally and overseas.
And they have no intention of slowing down.
“In the short term, we’re working on introducing scent purification technologies, launching even more beautiful fragrances, and expanding our retail footprint,” said Datina.
Next on the horizon is regional expansion, starting with Kuala Lumpur. “We hope to become Asia’s leading scent house.”
- Find out more about Lynk Fragrances here.
- Read other articles we’ve written on Singaporean startups here.
Featured Image Credit: Lynk Fragrances
