TAKE A WHIFF OF OUR FAVOURITE UNDER-THE-RADAR PERFUMERS
It’s winter on our side of the globe. And, as much as we enjoy layered looks, kicking through the snow and speeding down mountain tops, there are a few things missing during this time of year. The cold takes its toll on us and our environment, and as you probably already know, frosty temperatures are not necessarily what you’d call a field of flowers’ best friend. You can likely guess where this is headed by now… To keep your nose at ease, free you from being deprived of the joyous pleasures that are the smells of beaches, roses, and summer rain showers, we want to introduce you to a handful of our favourite non-drug-store perfumes. From bargain to premium, tingly fresh to sensually seductive, traditional to experimental: We’ve got you covered. Have a look at the best under-the-radar perfumers, below:
ESCENTRIC MOLECULES
To start off this list, we might just go ahead and present to you one of the more unusual choices. “Molecule 01″ by Escentric Molecules is a unisex perfume crafted entirely through a — you guessed it — molecule that goes by the name “Iso E Super”. The artificial fragrance was created in the early seventies, and has since become a popular ingredient in smell-related beauty products, as it exfoliates and strengthens the aroma of what it’s combined with. When Geza Schoen — founder of Escentric Molecules — came across Iso E Super, he had the idea to brew a potion made of nothing but the extract, birthing a product so innovative and unusual, it took only seconds for a woman to approach and ask him about it when he wore the prototype out to a bar. What makes “Molecule 01” so special is that its full effect blossoms on skin, unfolding a distinctively individual scent for whoever applies it. Learning this, it becomes clear why Schoen speaks of his perfumery as a fusion of science and art.
BYREDO PARFUMS
When Ben Gorham, a studied fine artist, traded his paint brush for vessels of nature’s best smelling resources back in 2006, he might not have expected BYREDO to become what it is today: One of the go-to indie fragrance distillers the market has to offer. While still not at home in mainstream beauty retailers, the NYC- and Stockholm-based brand has snuck its way into concept boutiques worldwide, even opening stores of its own and branching out into fashion and home goods, offering a variety of luxurious leather items, candles and more. Gorham went into the field of perfumery after visiting is mother’s hometown in India. Once he returned, he felt the urge to channel his memories of the countless smells into a fragrance of his own. To do so, he sought the help of some of the most renowned perfumers in Europe.
While we have yet to stumble upon a BYREDO-product we dislike, we highly recommend their bestseller, “BAL D’AFRIQUE”: With Moroccan cedar wood, black amber, musk and vetiver at its core, plus exotic top notes including jasmine, neroli and lemon, this Africa-inspired scent will take you places you never knew a scent could take you.
DEMETER FRAGRANCE LIBRARY
For this next one, we’re going back to basics: DEMETER, named after the Greek goddess of agriculture, was founded in 1996 to cater to rather simple desires. The single note and, in many ways, rather unorthodox scents are handcrafted in the USA, and are, as the creators themselves put it, “simple and understandable. Perfect for every day”. Some of their most popular fragrances are “Rain”, “Gin & Tonic”, “Cannabis Flower”, “Dirt”, and “Kitten Fur” (yes, you read that correctly), to name only but a few. With a seemingly endless, ever-expanding catalogue of perfumes, bath-, body- and home-products at fair prices ranging from 6 to 40 USD, DEMETER offers high quality simplicity for everyone. So, whether you want to smell like peaches or pizza, sunshine or sugar cookies, DEMETER’s got it all.
PHLUR
If you not only want to treat yourself and others, but also our dear mother earth with your new perfume, then check out Austin, Texas-based brand PHLUR . The team of ten has perfected the age-old art of perfumery and taken it to the next level. While gender-neutral fragrances as good as can be might be enough to persuade us of their talent, their business ethics are equally as enticing. PHLUR have not only made a name for themselves through their product, but also for the way they create it. Everything, from fragrance ingredient, to flacon, to packaging is made with eco-friendly, sustainable material and, of course, cruelty free. It’s hard to say what fragrance we love most, but lucky for you, they offer great ways of testing their perfumes. Oh, and did we mention they curate a special playlist of tone-setting tunes for every scent in their repertoire? PHLUR is here to pamper your senses, from ears to nose to eyes.
CLEAN RESERVE
CLEAN RESERVE is an offspring of the already very well established CLEAN-brand, and a very good one, too. RESERVE was created to offer a line of not only wonderful smelling fragrances, but sustainable fragrances and packaging material. What makes their concept even more special is that each fragrance is created linearly, meaning it’s based on a single note, and thus perfect for layering different scents. Their website offers a tool that recommends a suitable counterpart to pair with your first choice of fragrance — mix and match! From top to bottom, CLEAN RESERVE’s assortment is an olfactory pleasure for yourself and the people around you, it’s aesthetically appealing, and, not to forget, it’s fully recyclable.
Head Image by Marcus Ohlsson via Instagram.