Few personal care products are harder to shop for than perfume. It’s not that perfume is inaccessible. It’s that finding a scent that actually fits your energy, mood, and moment can feel weirdly overwhelming. So many fragrance lines lean hard into aspirational, hyper-sexy fantasy branding, making the whole category feel intimidating.How exactly are we supposed to relate to a “rich heiress” or a nameless Parisian muse?
Luckily, Phlur came along and flipped the script. Under the leadership of Chriselle Lim, Phlur ditched unattainable identities and centered its scents around real human emotions. Not fantasies—feelings. Grief. Longing. Nostalgia. Self-transformation. Suddenly, perfume felt less elitist and a lot more personal. More about lived experience than image.
Lauryn Bosstick and Michael Bosstick of Him & Her Show have followed Phlur’s evolution since Chriselle Lim took the helm. Impressed by the brand’s evolution, they invited Chriselle on the show to talk about her entrepreneurial journey. You can listen to the full Chriselle Lim podcast with TSC below. But first, here’s a closer look at what makes Chriselle and her fragrance philosophy so different.
Who Owns Phlur? Meet Chriselle Lim of Modern Fragrance Fame
Today, private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners owns Phlur, and Chriselle Lim remains both Creative Director and an equity stakeholder. Phlur has changed hands a few times, with each chapter strengthening the brand and refining its place in the fragrance space.
In 2015, Cynthia and Eric Korman launched Phlur as an American-made, clean-fragrance brand. From the start, the company broke from tradition and operated as an online-only business.
Then, beauty accelerator The Center (aka Ben Bennett) acquired Phlur in 2021. At that time, Chriselle Lim joined as co-owner and Creative Director. She led a full rebrand, created viral fragrances, and brought the brand into retail. This took Phlur to an entirely new level.
After years of growth and success, TSG Consumer Partners acquired Phlur. Chriselle retained a significant equity stake and continues to lead the brand creatively, reinforcing that her vision is critical to Phlur’s momentum.
Who Is Chriselle Lim?
Chriselle Lim is a fashion entrepreneur, digital creator, and brand builder behind Phlur and Bumo. She began her career as a fashion editor and stylist before launching her own style blog called The Chriselle Factor. Through her blog, social media channels, and podcast work, Chriselle built a large, loyal following. Today, she continues to create content while leading and directing her companies.
How Chriselle Lim Built Her Influence
There’s a lot of style content out there, but Chriselle stood out early. Her experience as a stylist and fashion editor informed an aesthetic that felt elevated but attainable. That foundation helped her content resonate across her blog, YouTube, and Instagram. And as trends shifted, her audience matured, and her life changed, Chriselle allowed her content to evolve, too.
Rather than sticking strictly to fashion, Chriselle broadened her content to reflect her full identity and her audience’s real lives. While she still shares fashion content on TikTok, her feed now centers on motherhood and everyday life. She took a similar approach with podcasting. After founding Bumo, she and her co-founder launched the parenting and lifestyle podcast Being Bumo.
Chriselle’s influence is always growing because she never stayed static. She allows her content to grow as she does. She’s shifted platforms, expanded topics, and met her audience where they are now, not where they used to be. That adaptability, paired with a clear point of view, is what has kept her relevant for more than a decade.
If you’re feeling totally inspired, listen to our podcast with other female clean beauty and wellness founders like Jenefer and Melissa Palmer of OSEA and Jena Covello of Agent Nateur.
How Did Chriselle Lim Get Famous?
Early 2010s: Fashion Editor to Digital Creator
Chriselle Lim began her career working as a fashion editor and stylist. During this time, she transitioned into digital content. Online, she leveraged her industry background to create polished, editorial-style fashion coverage for the masses.
2011: The Chriselle Factor Launch
She launched The Chriselle Factor, a fashion and lifestyle blog focused on outfits, styling tips, and modern femininity. The blog quickly gained traction and became the foundation of her personal brand. Since then, the blog has transitioned to a Substack newsletter you can subscribe to HERE.
2012–2015: YouTube Growth and Influencer Collaborations
Chriselle expanded into YouTube, where her styling videos and lifestyle content built a loyal following. Early collaborations with creators like Michelle Phan helped solidify her presence in the emerging influencer space.
Curious about what it’s like being a social media star? Here’s Chriselle talking about the reality of influencer life in her interview with TSC.
Mid–Late 2010s: Social Media Expansion and Editorial Identity
As Instagram and other platforms grew, Chriselle leaned into visually distinct content with strong editorial polish. Her recognizable aesthetic and distinct point of view helped her stand out as a fashion authority.
2018–2020: Founding Bumo and Expanding Into Parenting Topics
Chriselle co-founded Bumo, a modern parenting platform designed to support working parents. This marked a shift from fashion-only content into entrepreneurship, motherhood, and career building. It also broadened her audience and deepened her credibility.
2020–2022: Viral Fashion Storytelling on TikTok
Chriselle reached new and younger audiences through viral fashion mood boards and relatable mom-centered storytelling on TikTok. These moments introduced her style philosophy, humor, and unique insight to yet another demographic beyond her original fanbase.
2020–2023: Podcasting and Long-Form Content
During this period, Chriselle also expanded into long-form content. She and the other Bumo co-founder, Ariela Suster, launched the podcast Being Bumo. On the show, the two discuss motherhood, ambition, relationships, and identity in a more nuanced way. Fashion was rarely a topic, so the podcast really added depth to Chriselle’s public presence.
2022: Phlur Relaunch and the Success of Missing Person
Chriselle Lim partnered with The Center to purchase and relaunch the clean-fragrance brand Phlur. As Creative Director, Chriselle led a full rebrand and introduced new signature fragrances. She used her platform and broad reach to market the scents, which led to the viral success of the Missing Person fragrance.
From there, Phlur quickly gained cultural traction, expanded into retail, and established itself as a modern fragrance brand with emotional depth. Under Chriselle’s leadership, it’s grown far beyond its humble roots, expanding worldwide in multiple product categories.
Already sold on Phlur? We get it. Here are some ways to make your perfume last longer once your order arrives.
Viral Products That Put Phlur on the Map
- Missing Person: A soft, skin-like fragrance with a “heavy cream” scent profile that went viral on TikTok and Instagram. It drove major brand awareness and repeat sell-outs.
- Father Figure: A warm, woody scent that quickly followed Missing Person’s momentum and became another fan favorite fragrance.
- Not Your Baby: A modern take on powdery florals that gained attention for its nostalgic yet elevated scent profile.
- Phlur Discovery Set: A curated set of eight of the brand’s most popular fragrances. It’s the go-to entry point for new customers.
Phlur’s Position in Today’s Beauty Market
Phlur is a one-of-a-kind brand in the fragrance industry. It serves a niche market that values clean formulas, emotional storytelling, and creator-led branding. Despite its luxe feel, Phlur isn’t intimidating. Each scent feels effortlessly wearable and skin-forward. In a crowded beauty space, Phlur stands out for its high standards and deeply personal approach to fine fragrance.
To understand why Phlur resonates with so many, listen to Chriselle discuss her fragrances and how they connect to her personal life.
Chriselle Lim made Phlur into the thriving brand it is today.
Phlur’s success didn’t come from one viral scent or a perfectly timed relaunch. It’s the result of Chriselle Lim building a brand that mirrors how people actually live, feel, and evolve. By grounding fragrance in real emotion and everyday wearability, Phlur helped redefine what modern fine fragrances can look like. Personal. Approachable. And rooted in lived experience.