PARFUMS
Where most perfumes are built around a traditional blend of base, heart and top notes, a fragrance by Escentric Molecules centres on the power of Iso E Super: an appealing aroma molecule that also adapts to the wearer’s own skin.
Iso E Super
Iso E Super was created in 1973 in a laboratory at International Flavors & Fragrances. Although the molecule had been present for years in relatively low concentrations in many fragrances for both men and women, it was the German perfumer Geza Schoen who truly grasped its potential when he first smelled Iso E Super in its pure form. “I realised that the common thread in every fragrance I loved was that they all contained a generous dose of it. Iso E Super is highly unusual. You simply cannot get enough of it.”
Escentric Molecules celebrates its 20th anniversary
Schoen began to experiment, creating fragrances that contained Iso E Super in unprecedented quantities. Heading out for a drink with a friend, he suggested they spray the aroma molecule on themselves. “We had barely sat down at the bar before a woman came over to ask what we were wearing.” Schoen realised he had discovered something special, and made sure the molecule became known beyond the world of perfumery with the launch of Escentric 01 and Molecule 01 in 2006.
To mark its twentieth anniversary, Escentric 01 and Molecule 01 are now available in a 200 ml bottle, designed for those who cannot get enough of this star ingredient, but also as a collector’s piece.
Enhances other fragrances
Iso E Super combines exceptionally well with other ingredients. This is thanks to the molecule’s soft, woody and ambery character, which never dominates. As a result it doesn’t clash with other notes, but instead brings out the fragrances around it. Blending an Escentric Molecules scent with another perfume makes the composition rounder and more elegant. You might think of an Escentric Molecules fragrance as a kind of scent enhancer rather than a dominant main note.
Molecule 01 is ideal for layering with Escentric 01. The sweetness of Molecule 01 combined with the spice of Escentric 01 makes your Escentric warmer and more powerful still. Molecule 01 also pairs well with citrus fragrances, such as Limone or Arancia Rossa by Laboratorio Olfattivo, as it doesn’t alter the scent dramatically. You can even play with the order in which you spray: the fragrance shifts depending on the sequence.
The M+ collection
Molecule 01 is the brand’s most minimalist fragrance. Alongside it, Escentric Molecules offers scents that pair Iso E Super with a single additional ingredient. In the M+ collection, the warm woody note is combined with one other distinctive ingredient. Molecule 01 + Iris, for instance, is enriched with a natural iris extract, drawn from the root of several varieties of iris, which adds a powdery dimension. Molecule 01 + Patchouli avoids the heavy, classic patchouli found in many oriental perfumes in favour of a refined, modern interpretation. In Molecule 01 + Ginger, ginger draws attention with its gentle sharpness, giving rise to a fresh, lightly citrusy scent.
The latest M+
The newest M+ at Babassu is Molecule 01 + Cistus, a woody fragrance with a cedar-like character and a cocooning feel. “Cistus comes from the leaves and stems of the rock rose, a plant that grows widely across the Mediterranean. It is related to labdanum, the richer resin from the same shrub that we used in Escentric 05 for that alternative summer impression. Here, in M+ Cistus, cistus gives you that distinctive leathery scent with all its sweet and salty facets. We use 4% cistus absolute. That is a great deal, which is why you smell it from head to toe. Cistus is one of the supra-accords: it is powerful. For those who love bold expressions, it makes an excellent choice,” says the perfumer.
