Fragrance house

Alba

Alba, known today as Alba1913 and operated by Alba Thyment, traces its history to the Rychlicki family’s apothecary tradition in Poznań, where botanical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations were developed from 1913. Before and during the Second World War, the business produced the herbal preparation ARGOL alongside cosmetics and veterinary products; wartime control by Germany was followed by the nationalization of its facilities in 1953, after which ARGOL disappeared from Polish pharmacies for decades. Katarzyna Rychlicka recreated ARGOL in Italy in 1987 through Thyment, and she and her husband, Rajmund, moved the enterprise to Poland in the early 1990s; Alba Thyment has operated there since 1992. Alba1913 represents the family’s modern evolution toward natural cosmetics built around family recipes, botanical actives, essential oils and a holistic view of beauty and wellbeing. Its work has included an aromatherapy and hotel-wellness collaboration with PURO Hotels, the Must Have 2023 design award at Łódź Design Festival, and a musical project with pianist Georgijs Osokins featuring a Chopin album.