There’re some (in)famous fragrances around that divide not only the fragrance community, but the number of people smelling them. Mugler’s Angel is an example for this – you either love or hate it. Molecule 01 by Escentric Molecules is another one.
For those fragrances, a fragrance sample service might be a good idea to extensively test them: a spritz at the fragrance counter might not reveal to you that you absolutely hate it in a different weather, or your significant other can’t stand it on you.
A word on samples
There’re some reputable online fragrance sellers around that offer a sampling service. If you want to sample more than one or two fragrances, I’d suggest you use them instead of going to the next perfumery. I find that I can test two fragrances in store – but above that number, my nose and my brain shut down. You also get a little 1,5ml sample vial that you can use a few times to establish if you really like a fragrance. Especially when dealing with luxury fragrances, I want to make that pretty damn sure.
Samples and Sustainability
Also, working under the assumption that we actually want to live more sustainably, I find that those little decants/shipping are the better option than buying a bottle of perfume and not liking it after a few tries. But samples are a difficult topic: the thing we can all agree on, though, is that those perfume vials you sometimes get when ordering beauty products and can’t opt out – are THE WORST. They’re never what I want, I can’t give them away because I lack people in my life who’d appreciate them, and I just throw them away. (Looking at you, Flaconi!)
Fragrance sample services
Reputable online stores are Aus Liebe zum Duft, Essenza Nobile, Luckyscents and Osswald NYC. They all will sell you decanted perfume samples. I ordered at Aus Liebe zum Duft and was happy about the whole process apart from the nearly 2 weeks handling time they have.
Molecule 01, Escentric 01 and Iso E Super
A lot has been written about Geza Schön’s Molecule 01. Because, you see, he uses only one kind of fragrance molecule in alcohol. That’s it. And the aroma chemical (fancy name for a chemical that smells) used is Iso E Super, usually used in fragrances to boost a woody or floral note. It’s a molecule with a scent that some people literally can’t smell (they’re anosmic), or induces migraines. It’s also heavily rhapsodised by journalists, bloggers, fragrance nerds and their table lamp.
Scent descriptions include: clean skin, smoke, wood, steel, moss, sex, a clean shirt, sweat, wet paint, rubbing alcohol, light, the ultimate aphrodisiac. If you want to dive deeper into the world of Iso E Super, read Kafkaesque’s post on it.
What does it smell like?
So, yeah, what does it smell like on me? I first sprayed it on a paper blotter, thought ‘oh, nice! Slightly woody, bright, light, with a bit of musk! That’ll be great for non-perfume days!’ After a day (!) I found that something deeply irritated me while sitting at my desk. There was a barely perceptible scent wafting around that made me either want to sneeze or stab my eyes because it seemed to drive a metal spike into my brain. Guys, it was the blotter.
I persisted and tried it on my skin (#livingontheedge). It changes so quickly between ‘inoffensively nice woody and musky’ to ‘OMG I can’t stand it, take it away’ that it makes me dizzy. I smell an underlying, cloying incense that makes me gag. Incense is, btw, the reason I once nearly passed out during Christmas Mass.
Escentric 01 – the one I can wear
Now, a fragrance I totally can get behind is Escentric 01, the ‘partner’ to Molecule 01. It has a whopping five notes, namely Iso E Super, Red Pepper, Lime, Incense and Musk. Strangely, I don’t find the incense overpowering in this version, which I like a lot. This is the close-to-my-skin scent I was looking for, and it works very well as a neutral scent for all kinds of situations.
Wear-time is over average for Molecule 1, and for me, Molecule 01 has an intense projection, while Escentric 01 hasn’t either the wear-time nor projection. They’re both unisex scents, and nobody wanted to drag me to their lair to have wild sex with me when I was wearing either one. Pity.
My husband, btw, can’t smell Molecule 01 at all. He likes Escentric 01, though. While we both like it, I don’t think we’ll get a bottle anytime soon.
Where and how much?
Both Molecule 01 and Escentric 01 are available in various sizes at the Escentric Molecule web shop. 30ml start at 80€. Obviously, they’re also available (in sample sizing) at Aus Liebe zum Duft, Essenza Nobile and Lucyscent. Samples usually start around $4/4€.
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