Fragrance's ability to tap into our emotional olfactory memories gives it a unique power and a connection with our sense of well-being. Picture / Babiche Martens
The other day I had the fun experience of mixing up my own scent for a home diffuser. It was at a beauty event where I'm sometimes lucky to find what passes for work ends up being more of an indulgent experience.
But this PR exercise did underline that while
everyone may be able to make a fragrance, it's not that easy to make a good one. Even mixing up a simple composition of a few essential oils requires imagination because, in their concentrated form, the oils may not smell as you expect them to.
Fragrance is a subject we all have preferences and opinions on. Its ability to tap into our emotional olfactory memories gives it a unique power and a connection with our sense of well-being. That is one reason people get so passionate about the subject as various recent Viva articles have explored.
This week's issue of Viva features another fragrance-maker with a unique take on the topic, thanks to Frances Shoemack's background in the New Zealand wine industry. She enlisted the help of Australasia's only classically trained nose - former Aucklander Isaac Sinclair - to realise her vision. Hers is a boutique venture based in Amsterdam whereas The Aromatherapy Co. launch I attended here is from a big beauty business aimed at everyday affordability. Founder Sarah Townsend has spent years refining the balance between commercial success and her aromatherapy training.
What both women have in common is a commitment to authentic aromas and an international outlook.
