About Kay
A life in scent, ritual, and place
Boardwalk Essences is the life practice of Kay Scrimshaw, a botanical perfumer and aromatherapist based in Albany, Western Australia.
From her small ocean‑facing home studio, Kay blends the breath of the land into essence — drawing on native botanicals to create small‑batch attars, extraits, and well‑being formulations shaped by emotional clarity, sensory connection, and elemental grace.
Her studio is a sanctuary of quiet ritual and ecological sensitivity, reflecting a cultural shift away from mass production and toward authenticity, sufficiency, and presence. Every formulation is an act of care: slow, attentive, and rooted in a deep relationship with place.
A Path Rooted in Nature
Kay’s journey began in the English countryside, gathering herbs with her Irish grandmother — an early apprenticeship in plant lore, sensory attention, and the healing traditions of women.
It continued in New Zealand through her work with The Body Shop, and ultimately found its true voice in Western Australia: among the wildflower coast, the desert heartlands, and the forest hush. Decades of study and lived experience deepened her relationship with the oils into botanical perfumery, shaped by whole plants, traditional methods, and the quiet intelligence of the botanicals themselves.
Her attars and extraits are the natural continuation of this lifelong devotion.
Her Aromatherapy Lineage
Kay’s aromatherapy practice is grounded in the classical tradition, shaped by the work of Valerie Ann Worwood and other foundational practitioners who approach essential oils as emotional and therapeutic allies.
Her blends follow this deeper lineage rather than the commercial “spa floral” style that became popular in mainstream aromatherapy. This grounding informs the Sanctuary Edit — refined, balanced formulations designed to calm, support, and gently regulate the system with clarity and intention.
The Well‑Being Collection
Kay established her aromatherapy practice in Perth around 2008, working closely with a respected dermatologist. During this time she created a suite of formulations — including her Cell Regenerating Serum, Muscles Rub, Healing Balm, Nourishing Body Oil, and Lip Balm — that became trusted favourites among her regular clients.
After settling in Albany, her collaboration with Solaris Cancer Care brought these blends into a new context. Clients responded strongly to their gentle effectiveness, and from 2019–2023 Solaris formally endorsed her products. This affirmed the depth of her practice and the restorative intention that has always shaped her work.
Today, these tried‑and‑trusted formulations sit within the Well‑Being Collection, carrying forward the same devotion to purity, simplicity, and natural integrity that has guided Kay’s work from the beginning.
A Practice of Belonging
Within every Boardwalk Essences formulation, each detail — from the choice of oils to the poetic language and tactile packaging — is an invitation into ritual, sensory connection, and belonging.
'The breath of the land, distilled into essence.'
'When people breathe in these perfumes, they're breathing in a little of Western Australia itself.' - Kay
Kay is recognized as a Friend of The Guild of Natural Perfumers, honouring her commitment to traditional, 100% natural botanical perfumery.
