About Us
Avoke House of Fragrance is a fragrance studio rooted in the belief that scent is one of the most impactful forms of storytelling. Inspired by the archaic spelling of evoke, Avoke represents the art of summoning emotion, memory, and imagination.
We are a small, passionate collective of fragrance lovers including perfumers, evaluators, marketers, and creators united by a love for the craft and a commitment to integrity. Every scent we develop is a labor of love, shaped by equal parts creativity and technical expertise. From concept to final formulation, we collaborate closely with our clients to bring their unique stories to life through fragrance.
At the heart of our process is access to some of the world’s finest ingredients, including our award-winning Organic Lemon Oil sourced from the Citromax groves in Tucumán, Argentina. As the fragrance division of the Citromax Group, a women-owned, family-run company, we are a natural extension of decades of excellence in lemon products, flavor, and sustainable agriculture.
We take pride in being a close-knit team, cozy in spirit, nimble in execution. Our fragrance director, perfumer, chemists, business development manager, and marketing team work side-by-side with our clients. We believe in collaboration, not duplication. That’s why we’ve become a trusted partner for both emerging niche brands looking for their first signature scent, and established players seeking a fresh point of differentiation.
While the Tri-State area is home to many fragrance houses, few offer the personalized care, creative flexibility, and true partnership that define Avoke. We grow alongside our clients, and we cherish every moment of that shared journey.
Let’s begin telling your scent story today.
Meet the Team
Ray Bally - Director
Ray fell in love with the Fragrance industry during his tenure at IFF and then at Givaudan. Working with many great Perfumers throughout his career has given him a deep understanding of fragrance development and importance of using quality materials. His Fragrance journey has culminated the creation of Avoke. Building Avoke with a small group of passionate, creative, and technically adept Fragrance lovers is an absolute joy. With Creative Perfumery, Dynamic Marketing, anchored by a strong R&D lab, Avoke collaborates with each brand, bringing their story to life with Scent. With niche brands leading the way, we are truly in the Golden Age of Fragrance.
Gus Romero - Perfumer
Gustavo Romero grew up in Argentina, where an early interest in Chemistry pointed toward one kind of future; until life in the United States had other plans. His path into Fragrance came organically, shaped by years of hands-on exposure to the industry before he ever set foot in a classroom for it. The formal training came later, and deliberately: studies at ISIPCA in Versailles and training alongside established perfumers in both France and the United States. By then, he already knew what he was looking for. Gustavo joined Avoke in August 2025 and immediately made an impact with his strong raw material knowledge and a clear compositional point of view. He has created Fragrances for Anood Scents, Caftari, Gabor, Leland Francis, and Memoir House of Fragrance, among others. A member of the American Society of Perfumers, Gustavo remains engaged in the fragrance community as both a creator and educator.
Glorinel Amaro - Account Manager
Glorinel Is one of those rare people who combines a love of Creativity, Fragrance, & Art with the knowledge and underpinnings of Fragrance Science and Chemistry. She graduated from SUNY Purchase with a BA in Chemistry and joined Symrise as an Analytical Fragrance Chemist in R&D for eight years. With the desire to work more closely with the brand owners and Fragrance lovers, Glorinel joined Avoke at its inception as an Account Manager. She is a fine artist and world traveler who loves to paint outdoors, at home, and in airport lounges.
Caroline Chicola - Marketing Specialist
I’m a creative marketing analyst with a deep passion for art and design. With a degree in marketing and a career shaped by creativity, I’ve found the fragrance industry to be the perfect place to merge strategic thinking with artistic expression. I bring a creative lens to every project, helping translate ideas into compelling, visually driven stories that resonate with our customers.
Gillian Tokar - Fragrance Coordinator
From an early age, Gillian was captivated by the transformative power of beauty as a form of self-expression, a way to tell stories, evoke emotion, and create lasting memories. That fascination evolved into a passion for fragrance, where science, creativity, and artistry come together to create deeply personal sensory experiences.
After earning her cosmetology license, Associate's degree in Advertising, and Marketing Communications and her Bachelor's degree in Cosmetic and Fragrance Marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology, Gillian immersed herself in every facet of the beauty industry. From Beauty Director of Primadonna Zine, to freelance makeup artist at NYFW, to beauty writer, she has not left any stone unturned.
At Avoke House of Fragrance, she has worked across both the laboratory and commercial sides of the business, coordinating product development, managing fragrance libraries, and supporting the creation of fine fragrances, candles, soaps, and other scented products. Her unique perspective allows her to bridge technical precision with creative storytelling, helping transform ideas into products that connect with people. Whether exploring emerging fragrance trends, collaborating on new product concepts, or refining every detail behind the scenes, she is driven by a passion for creating fragrances that invite people to feel something meaningful with every wear.
Farhan Jivraj - Lab Technician
Farhan is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Neuroscience, minoring in Fine Arts. Through his work in Sensory Science and Neuroaesthetics, he became fascinated with how we experience the world—particularly through olfaction—and the beauty found in Chemistry and Nature. His favorite flowers are Passion flowers (Passiflora). As Lab Technician his role spans hands-on Fragrance creation, formula compounding, and material tracking. Blending technical skill with storytelling, Farhan contributes to Avoke’s exceptional scents and meaningful connections.