KUCHING: A young budding perfumer is carving a place in Sarawak’s growing youth-led entrepreneurial scene, proving that even the smallest capital can grow into a viable scent business.
At just 21, Darus Faiq represents a new wave of Sarawakian youth shaping the state’s microenterprise economy through creativity, grit and a willingness to start with limited resources.
His brainchild, Clik Fragrance, launched this year after Raya, turned his passion for fashion into a growing fragrance brand with just RM2,000 in initial savings.
Passion to production
Originally from Miri, Darus has always been passionate about fashion, believing that true style carries identity, with fragrance playing an essential part in expressing it.
“That’s what inspired me to create my own perfumes and the name Clik Fragrance actually comes from my earlier experience selling clothes on TikTok.
“When clothing sales slowed down, I decided to bring this new brand forward,” he said.
To ensure he started on the right foot, Darus attended a short training course in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year, before Ramadan.
After Raya, he began producing his first two fragrances, Mystique and Berry Cloud, launching them on TikTok and through a booth event at Flyover Satok.
“The response was very encouraging and worthwhile.
“As a beginner, I invested RM2,000 — which was actually the last of my savings. I went all out and it covered training, hotel, and flight. When I returned to Kuching, I had nothing left,” he recalled.
Yet, within the first month of sales, the brand generated around RM10,000, marking a promising start.
He added that Clik Fragrance sells both offline and online, with a strong focus on social media.
“We mainly focus on social media because we host live sessions every day to generate income. Selling online is harder than offline since customers can’t smell the product directly.
“Offline, people can test the fragrances themselves. Online, it’s more of a ‘blind buy,’ which is why we work hard to build trust during our livestreams.
“We use TikTok Shop’s yellow basket feature for online sales, and we also sell offline to reach more customers,” he added.
Product range
Professionally, Clik Fragrance has been operating for about five to six months and has now expanded to 16 products, each blending niche fragrance inspirations with Darus’ unique twists.
“Some of our signature scents include Watermelon Lychee, Nutty Caramel, Pandan Cake, Coconut Fresh Milk, Apple & Berry, Pistachio Ice Cream, Purple Burst and these represent the core identity of our brand.
“For our niche-inspired line, we also have our own signatures like Cherry & Rum, Mystique, and Whimsy. The rest of our products each have their own individual twist as well.
“Our best sellers for the past six months have been Mystique and Berry Cloud. We still have customers who buy from us every month since we first started,” he told Sarawak Tribune when met at the Nyamai Sarawak Gastronomy Festival 2025.
He said that every scent is meticulously chosen or crafted, with ingredients sourced locally, from France, or developed in-house with guidance from a perfumer.
“We conduct our own research and development (R&D) to ensure high quality and uniqueness. The R&D process alone takes anywhere from one to six months,” he said.
He added that production averages 300 to 400 bottles per day, with fragrances lasting around eight hours on fabric and five to six hours on skin, depending on the scent.
“Our products range from RM35 to RM72. We offer promotions during events and also weekly or monthly online promotions, including free shipping on TikTok Shop,” he said.
Challenges and future
Darus stressed that one of his biggest challenges as a young entrepreneur is managing losses, particularly when promoting products outside of online platforms or during physical events.
“Some sales from joining events give us no profit, sometimes we only manage to cover the booth rental. There are times we lost RM3,000 to RM4,000.
“But the most painful cost comes from research and development. For R&D alone, we often have to spend RM500 or more, and even small quantities, like three grams of certain ingredients, can cost between RM10 and RM50 depending on the material,” he said.
Looking ahead, Darus hopes to expand the brand’s reach.
“If there’s rezeki (good fortune), we aim to open a permanent booth in a shopping mall to connect with a larger audience,” he said.
He also shared that aspiring entrepreneurs, especially young people, should save their money wisely because they can never predict the challenges that may arise.
“Business has ups and downs, so make sure you have savings for the future. Strengthen your mental resilience — if you’re not mentally strong, you won’t last long in business,” he said.
Those interested in learning more about the brand can visit @clikfragrance on TikTok and Instagram.
