Fragrance house

Sanctuary

Sanctuary Spa opened in 1977 in Covent Garden, London, as a retreat for ballerinas of the Royal Opera House. The spa was established by US choreographer Gary Cockerill for his ballerina wife and began as a women-only day spa. In 1988, Sanctuary expanded into home-use beauty products with a body-care range inspired by the spa and developed with its therapists. PZ Cussons acquired Sanctuary Spa in 2008 and remains its owner. The original Covent Garden spa closed on 31 May 2014 after 37 years, while the product brand continued. A 2012 brand rework restyled its spas and relaunched its website while retaining its core identity. Today, Sanctuary’s public identity centers on spa-inspired body care and self-care rituals for use at home. Its fragrance legacy is closely associated with Signature Sanctuary, a classic floriental fragrance built around jasmine, grapefruit, and vanilla.