Out of all the people I’ve met since I started this blog, Michelle Asence Fontelera stands out as the most candid . Over drinks at a café, we talked about everything under the sun – her life, my life , and eventually, about the products that have made her the empowered and successful woman that she is today. “Being the eldest of two sisters and raised by a single mom, I learned to be independent and resourceful very early on. When I started working, almost all of my salary was spent on buying fragrances. So I thought to myself –why not start a small business of my own? At 23, I trained under a chemist, experimented with different combinations of scents and with the help of my mom, I transformed our home in Kamuning into a small fragrance lab. I joined bazaars and I manned my very first kiosk in SM. My secret – quality products that everyone can afford. “ That was in 2001. Now that start-up business has well over 100 branches in the metro.
It was Francis Libiran (fashion designer extraordinaire and her friend from way back when both of them were just starting on their respective businesses) who came up with the name of her brand. “Zen” is a means of attaining enlightenment and serenity while “Zest” means living life with passion and anticipation.
A Basketful of Fragrance
I was simply thrilled to receive a big basket of fragrances from Zen Zest a week after the interview! I had a lot of fun spritzing, spraying and sniffing the different scents! A handful of coffee beans came in handy to clear my nostrils after each trial.
Sugar Baby
I have always been a little juvenile in my preference for perfumes and colognes. I like scents that smell like my favorite food/ flavors (i.e. chocolate, vanilla, lemon). Trips to Bath and Body Works and Victoria’s Secret stores abroad always yielded purchases that smelled as delicious as if they were baked or concocted from a chocolate factory. The great news is that ZEN ZEST has the Sparkling Sugar Collection that can douse your craving for sweet scents. It’s so unbelievably priced too that you can get three eau de cologne bottles for the price of one imported brand!
Scented Rooms
Imagine if your house smelled like a bouquet of flowers. What about walking into a room that makes you feel energetic just by smelling the stimulating scent in the air. Both are possible with ZEN ZEST’s Room Fragrance which comes in two fragrances—Calming and Stimulating.
Line your Linens
You can even spray your bed, pillows, curtains and carpets with the Linen Fragrance.
Masking the Foul
KITCHEN FRAGRANCE – Cooking fish can make the whole house smell pungent. Cooking tuyo, tinapa, and other local dried catch escalates the odor tenfold. No worries, Mommies! ZEN ZEST Choco Capuccino is here to save the day! Just a few sprays and your abode will smell like a café!
CABINET DEODORIZER- Spray this inside your closets to preserve the crisp and clean scent of your clothes and linens.
ANTI-TOBACCO – Keep the stench of cigarette smoke at bay with this spray.
ANTI-MOSQUITO – Moms should always be on full alert regarding the dangers of dengue.
Diffusers
Your choice — attract wealth or ward off bugs? Zen Zest has the scent to do the job!
Knead your Worries Out
Treat yourself to a home-service massage and choose the perfect oil to complete your ZEN experience.
QUESTIONS: (LEAVE your answers in the COMMENT SECTION OF THE BLOG and get the chance to WIN a PHP 500 gift certificate from ZEN ZEST!)
1. What are my favorite scents from the Sparkling Sugar Collection?
2. Which ZEN ZEST product/s would you like to try and why?
THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS
“A negative mind will never give you a positive life. “
Michelle is happily married to her husband Sunday and has two boys. Her eldest Xavi has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and has had multiple operations recently. In our conversation, I noticed that she always goes back to talking about her fears and hopes for her firstborn. “I have surrendered everything to God. He knows what’s best for all of us. “ I couldn’t agree with her more. Success is the fruit of hardwork. It comes to people who decide to go forward inspite of the odds. When I asked her what advice she can give to young people who want to start their own business, she said “You have to invest in something that you love to do. Believe in yourself. ”
With twenty thousand bottles of her products being sold monthly, indeed, there is much reason to celebrate!
42 comments
Love the scents of the Love, Faith & Hope! The cardinal scents!
They don’t actually have these scents but the products were certainly made with these virtues in mind. 🙂 Thanks Giezl!
1) berry cobbler, cotton candy and vanilla ice cream
2) I’d like to try the room scents – calming (for stressful days) and stimulating (for lethargic days).
When are you coming home?
What’s the price range? My son&daughter do not shop around much. 19&18! They’re always with friends- at home and their friends’. Does Zen Zest have a branch near SM MOA?
Very sffordable. Body scents Php160 to Php300. Home fragrances Php200 up.
Really affordable! That’s fabulous!
My daughter and I love, love vanilla ice cream! It’s so affordable and scentilicious (hihi) that it’s my favorite Christmas giveaway.
April you should try the home fragrances, next! 🙂
I will! Made a quick sample of their home fragrance yesterday right before work. I love their Irish Peony and Fresia Blossom home fragrance! There is also this scent for men that i plan to hoard for Christmas… In my rush (was going to be late for clinic) I forgot the name.
Curious though… Do they have branch in Cebu?
Yes. I sent you a PM 🙂
Will definitely try their home fragrances and those for the linens. This is also a great gift idea.
I highly recommend the Choco Capuccino. It’s a kitchen fragrance but I sprayed it in my room. 🙂
I want to try the calming room fragrance to make me feel relaxed and have a peaceful sleep.
Great! Tell me how it goes 🙂
Proud to be Pinoy! Tangkilikin ang sariling atin. Even in UAE, we buy Hapee Toothpaste & Eskinol… Locals and Westerners use them here, too! Do you think I can get a franchise of Zen Zest here?
Hmmm…Let me ask the owner for you. 🙂
Thanks, BQP. Right now, my daughter and I are doing a feasibility study for a waffle booth in malls here. Also, for dimsum. With the way locals spend on food and perfume/cologne, Zen Zest would be a hit here!
You like the Sugar Scent like vanilla, Me i want to try it too since im avid fan of choclates and sweets and i want to be smelled of like it too.
1.Berry cobbler,cotton candy and vanilla ice cream.
2. I want to try the berry cobbler it sound very delicious.
Love this blog!
It is full of heart. ♡
Will try their products soon!
As to the quiz, here goes… Ü
1. Your three favorite delicious desserts for the body are Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy, and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2. I want to try the CHOCO CAPPUCINO!!! That scent always makes me feel better on a bad day or even better on a good day so ot definitely is my kind of fix! Haha! Might spray din sa room haha! ;P
I have been an avid buyer of Zen Zest especially during “BER” season where I am starting to buy presents for my special/love ones.. I find their product amusing not only because the scent lasted long specially their scent colognes (Flirt and SEDUCE which I favored so much) but also the prices..I find it Wallet/Pocket Friendly..
.. As for my answer:
1.Your favorite body scents from the Sparkling Sugar Collections are:
a. BERRY COBBLER
b. COTTON CANDY and
c. VANILLA ICE CREAM
2. The ZEN ZEST fragrance I would definitely like to try is the “ZEN ZEST’s Room Fragrance” (CALMING) because I wanted to feel relaxed after a long days work teaching from school. I want to experience being in another place without going out of my room, by simply closing my eyes while laying on my bed.. specially this rainy season, nobody really wants to get wet..
THANK YOU “TheBusyQueenP”.. GOD BLESS..
1. your favorite scents are Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy, and Vanilla Ice Cream
2.I’d love to try the room scents because i want my hubby to feel relaxed and stress free from all days work and a simple way to say that i appreciated all his efforts …
1.Your favorite body scents from the Sparkling Sugar Collections are:
a. BERRY COBBLER
b. COTTON CANDY and
c. VANILLA ICE CREAM
2 . I want to try ZEN ZEST CABINET DEODORIZER because i’m so sick of the smell of moth balls that i used to since i was a child..
1. Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy, and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2 i would try the cotton candy scent! coz i like the the smell of the cotton candy feel like iam a kid again!
1. Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy, and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2 I would try the Vanilla Ice Cream Scent if my husband smells it he would lick me to death! in a passionate way! so hubby be prepared! he! he!
Your favorite scents are Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy, and Vanilla Ice Cream.
As for me I want to try the Cotton Candy scent, natatandaan ko noon decade from now yun teacher ko ang sarap amoyin, kaya tinanong ko kung anong scent yun sabi niya cotton candy! Sa totoo lang mula noon di ko pa din natatry ang cotton candy scent, kung ano nalang ang iregalo sa akin keri na hehe. Okay pala dahil merong cotton candy scent ang Zen Zest, affordable pa meaning to say makakatikim na din ako ng perfume na cotton candy scent!
1. my favorite scents from the Sparkling Sugar Collection is ZENZEST VANILLA ICE CREAM I LOVE THE SMELL ^__^
2.I WOULD LIKE TO TRY THE ZENZEST COCKTAIL COLLECTION because im curious if its the same with the sparkling sugar collection love to try it ^_^
1. Berry Cobbler,Cotton Candy and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2. The Zen Zest product that I would like to try is the Zen Zest Room Fragrance-the calming room fragrance. My work starts at night and it seems it is not normal. When I get home from work, I want to have a relaxing and best sleep as possible and through that smell I could have the best sleep ever!
In addition to my answer; smell is the only sense that is directly wired to the brain so the soothing scent may relax the mind allowing it to surrender to sleep. 🙂
Oooh, I was just using Tangerine from Zen Zest the other day. Amazing!!
Haven’t tried their home fragrances tho. Looks interesting, tita Paulyne 🙂
1.) Your favorite scents from the sparkling collection are Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2.) The Zen Zest Product that I would like to try is from Line your Linens – Calming Fragrance….I’m admitting that sometimes it’s difficult to turn my brain off and just fall asleep. I can still find myself awake even though I’m dead tired from work. I think when sprayed to my bed and pillows it will give me a relaxing feeling and I’ll be able to surrender myself to sleep immediately.
I read in one of the books that studies have shown human brain working on a subconscious level can strongly associate memories with smell.
I will visit the nearest outlet of Zen Zest and definitely try the Calming Fragrance for Linens 🙂
1. Your favorite scents from the sparkling collection are Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2. I like to try the Cabinet Deodorizer i want the fresh scent everytime i open my cabinet and i love the scent of of cabinet deodorizer Iris peony and fresia blossom i think its a cool combination for a deodorizer.
1.) Your favorite scents from the sparkling collection are Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2.) I would like to try is the Zen Zest Cotton Candy Fragrance because, I love candy scents and I am very much intrigue about this Cotton candy scent. Is it really pleasant and Cotton candy scent enough for my liking?! 🙂 I could imagine now the scent. *sniffs* 🙂
1.) Your favorite scents from the sparkling collection are Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2.) I would like to try is the Zen Zest watermelon Fragrance because, I’ve always love Watermelon fruit. I love it when I eat it, I love it when I shake it and drink it, and also I love the smell of Watermelon.
1.) Your favorite scents from the sparkling collection are Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2.) I would like to try is the Zen Zest Vanilla Ice Cream because Vanilla scent is like heaven for me. The mellow scent is just heavenly goodness 🙂
1.) Your favorite scents from the sparkling collection are Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2.) I would like to try is the Zen Zest Aromatherapy Room Fragrance Calming because I always want a my home to smell as calming as possible, for the whole family members to relax when we all go home from day’s activities.
1.) Your favorite scents from the sparkling collection are Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2.) I would like to try is the Zen Zest Berry Cobbler fragrance because I can already imagine how it smells, and I know it really does smell good like you said.
I love this blog! It’s so fabulous…iv’e been an avid buyer of Zen Zest since i was in college..their product is great and very affordable..☺
As for my answers…
1. Berry Cobbler, Cotton Candy and Vanilla Ice Cream.
2. The Zen Zest Product i would like to try is the Room Calming Room Fragrance since i am working on a graveyard shift sometimes i find it hard to lower my hyperactive mind in the morning…i know for sure this product will be a great help to calm my mind so that i can have a relax and peaceful sleep.
*Calming Room Fragrance..
hi, i really really love zenzest ever since i was in high school, i remember my first zenzest cologne, daiquri as it was named and most of my friends complimented it.. i love the lavender and rosemary massage oils too and i personally use it on my clients (I’m a part time massage therapist)
anyway i’m here in UAE and i’m hoping to find a shop or a site where i can order these amazing perfumes and oils.. my friends and client here also wanted to order.. it would be wonderful if you guys can give me some links and clues.. thanks! 🙂