Inside Liis: Q+A with Toronto's Favourite Clean Perfume Brand

Behind the Scent: Liis Founders Alissa and Leslie on Memory, Body, and Inspiration

Q+A WITH LIIS FOUNDERS ALISSA SULLIVAN AND LESLIE HENDIN

We’ve carried Liis for years at Health Hut, and it continues to be one of our most-loved clean eau de parfume lines. Thoughtfully created by founders Alissa Sullivan and Leslie Hendin, each scent tells a story—dreamy, grounded, and deeply personal.

Liis invites you to find a fragrance that feels like you, from light florals to moodier musks. We’re excited to spotlight the entire collection this month, always available at Health Hut in Toronto and online across Canada.

To mark the moment, we asked Alissa and Leslie to share more about the memories behind their scents, what’s inspiring them right now, and how they see perfume as part of daily life and ritual.

SHOP LIIS

HH: We’ve seen the Liis collection grow into a bouquet of scents with an incredible range, from light-filled florals to dusk-worthy musks and depths resonating emotionally.

What scent from your collection currently holds a significant emotional connection for each of you? How do you see fragrance as a form of personal memory-keeping?

LESLIE: Of True Minds feels poetic and emotional to me, it’s about finding your people, as shared by Shakespeare in his famous Sonnet 116, the inspiration behind the fragrance.

The topic resonates, but I also love antiques, and understanding that people felt the same way about their loved ones 500 years ago feels special.

Of True Minds also happens to be my dream patchouli fragrance. I used to wear Bo a lot, especially before we launched. When I smell it now, it reminds me of that period in time.

I think our bodies use scent as a way to keep a record of familiarity—places, friends, things. It tracks what’s new, safe, or dangerous. In our modern age, it’s nice to be able to have fun with those connections.

ALISSA: Choux Choux is very personal and holds a significant emotional connection for me. It’s comforting and reminds me of my childhood, spending time in France with my family.

My mom called my sister and I chouchou growing up and I always looked forward to special trips to the boulangerie with my grandma. I loved smelling all of the delicious pastries and baked goods, cream puffs were my favorite.

Alissa's Griffith Park hike.

Leslie’s Pacific Ocean walk.

HH: In a world that feels more and more full, scent can become a sanctuary. How do you envision fragrance not just as an accessory but as an anchor for daily rituals or emotional grounding?

ALISSA + LESLIE: Scent can be very grounding in an aromatherapy sense, but it can also add continuity to a routine that can feel very grounding.

HH: It’s late at night, or maybe early in the morning; what content would we catch you scrolling? What off-screen content, be it books, art, or a place, has recently captivated or influenced you creatively? What is Liis “looking at” right now, in the broadest sense?

ALISSA + LESLIE: We both go for long, meditative nature walks every day. It’s the best place for creative inspiration.

"I think our bodies use scent as a way to keep a record of familiarity—places, friends, things. It tracks what’s new, safe, or dangerous."

HH: Fragrance is invisible, yet it’s one of the most emotionally resonant human experiences. If you could pair one of your scents with a piece of music, a film, or even a protest, what would it be, and why?

ALISSA + LESLIE: Ethereal Wave is inspired by a music genre, and Lucienne reminds us of Stereolab. We created playlists for scents on Spotify: In This World, Ethereal Wave, and Lucienne.

A few of our scents are inspired by literature—Studied by Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own, and Of True Minds of course inspired by Sonnet 116.

In This World also reminds us of Eric Rohmer’s La Collectionneuse, a 1967 film that takes place in the summer on the French Riviera.

HH: If you could distill your current season of life into a single word or phrase, what would it be? How does this guiding force shape the way you create, lead, or simply move through the world?

LESLIE: Movement comes to mind for me, both literal and figurative—transforming, growing, thriving. I think it’s important to stay open to new ideas and experiences.

ALISSA: Discovery. This time in my life has definitely been a growing experience and place of discovery. Figuring out challenges, growing the business, discovering new things about myself and working with others.