In the realm where fragrance intertwines with sound, aequill's resident artist, Ecka Mordecai, embarked on a remarkable journey to create three unique fragrances for the perfume house's debut release. This innovative approach to perfume composition merges scent and sound, resulting in the eloquently titled 'SOUND' range. Let us delve into the enchanting world where listening meets fine perfume, and explore the transformative phases that brought these unisex fragrances to life.
Phase One: Listening to the Essence
aequill's birthplace, East London, served as a wellspring of inspiration for Mordecai's olfactory voyage. With a deep reverence for their surroundings, she walked the vibrant streets, keenly attuned to the local soundscape. Armed with a combination of field recordings and creative writing, Mordecai captured fragments of the essence that surrounded them, allowing time and place to permeate their senses.
The scents that accompanied or complemented the soundscape became the focal point of Mordecai's exploration. Taking refuge from spring showers, she found solace in a small cafe, savouring green tea while raindrops gently dappled the window. The flavour and scent of the tea elevated their ability to perceive the melodic dance of the rain, inspiring a fragrance that delicately mirrors a spring shower, enveloping the wearer in its ethereal presence.
Beneath the morning sunshine, Mordecai walked along Regent's Canal, pausing beneath blooming mimosa trees. The symphony of birdsong and laughter intertwined with the honeyed sweetness of the flowers, evoking a sense of joy and harmony. This sensory experience became the inspiration for a fragrance that radiates exuberance, capturing the essence of nature's melodic embrace.
Looking skyward, Mordecai observed aeroplanes silently gliding through cloud formations, igniting their imagination. She envisioned the scents that might exist high above, in the vastness of the atmosphere. In this moment of wonder, the enigmatic allure of silence was born, personified by the mystique of cedarwood. A fragrance emerged, whispering secrets and seducing with its elusive aura, evoking a captivating intrigue.
Phase Two: Exploring the Harmony
With sonic-olfactory events captured, Mordecai embarked on the construction of a scent organ. Employing pure essential oils and aroma molecules, she embarked on a series of scent sketches, each woven around the sonic themes of rain, birdsong, and silence. Equating green tea with rain, mimosa with birdsong, and cedarwood with silence, fragrances emerged that echoed the essence of each olfactory note, harmonising with complimentary sounds.
The delicate scent of green tea was meticulously crafted to cascade gently, reminiscent of a spring rain, enveloping the wearer with its refreshing presence. Mimosa, the embodiment of birdsong's exuberance, radiated joyously from the skin, infusing the surroundings with its infectious bliss. Cedarwood, personifying silence, emanated a mysterious aura, enticing and alluring, yet almost imperceptible in its movement.
Phase Three: Refining the Symphony
After compiling the initial sketches, Mordecai presented their creations for peer review, initiating a process of refinement. Collaborating with Aequill founder Jintana Khieochaum and an olfactory chemist, she embarked on transforming the initial experiments into industry-standard niche perfumes.
A commitment to excellence guided this refinement process, ensuring the use of top-quality ingredients primarily sourced from natural botanical origins. The alignment of these fragrances with Aequill's foundational home fragrance range, Mum's Aromatherapy Shop, was achieved by presenting each component with utmost accuracy. The result was a nuanced symphony of scents, where the organic intricacies of the olfactory realm harmonised with the melodies of sound.
As Aequill unveils their captivating unisex fragrances, the delicate fusion of scent and sound transcends conventional boundaries. These olfactory masterpieces invite both men and women to experience the transformative power of fragrance. Immerse yourself in the harmonious symphony that Aequill has orchestrated, and indulge in the unisex fragrances that evoke emotions, memories, and a profound connection to the ethereal realm of scent and sound.
]]>There's something truly delightful about the emergence of spring time: the ebbing away of the cool, dark winter days, the shedding of heavy coats, the transition into the warm, sunnier days which precede the summer season. Spring promises new beginnings, fresh starts, and, with it, a cacophony of uplifting scent.
Now that the days are getting so much lighter and brighter, and with so many sumptuous floral notes in the air as spring blooms around us, it's natural to start feeling as though your go-to winter fragrances are simply too heavy for these warmer days, and could be set aside in lieu of light spring scents which better suit the new season.
That's why, with this simple guide to springtime fragrances, we'll be sharing some of our quintessential tips to selecting the best spring perfumes for you, so you can update your perfume wardrobe with a brand new scent.
If you've read our blog post on Perfume Notes and the Fragrance Pyramid or are a long-time perfume conoisseur, you'll already be aware of the importance of notes in perfumery, and how top, heart, and base notes all interact to create a perfume or fragrance. That's why, generally when you're first looking for any new scent, you're going to want to consider which kinds of fragrances you tend to favour, and which notes particularly resonate with you.
Finding the perfect scent is deeply personal, so there's no right or wrong way to select the best notes - or spring perfume - for yourself.
Once you've settled on the notes that you love, you'll find it much easier to get an idea of which scents might just be best for you.
When it comes to springtime fragrances, there are lots of stunning options to choose from which really resonate with the core scents of spring; the most important aspect of selecting yours is to really consider the emotive and olfactory benefits of each. We've listed out some of our personal favourites below, just to get you thinking about what you really love.
Naturally, spring is synonymous with a feeling of renewal, with refreshing after a cold, dark winter, and for this reason, citrus perfumes and scents are a very popular choice for this time of year; if you're craving an uplifting, bright burst of scent, look for fragrances like orange blossom and bergamot. Citrus perfumes can be very mood elevating, so they're a great start to the new season.
If the emergence of beautiful blooms and the promise of flowers is the thing you most love about springtime, you might just want to reach for romantic floral scents, like jasmine sambac or cherry blossoms, which offer a light fragrance which can be layered for a more rich scent.
Spring is, of course, an incredibly playful time of year, with the brighter, longer days offering a whole new realm of possibility, which is why lots of us lean towards fruity notes, like red berries or pear, as a scent of choice at this time of year.
If keeping your spring perfumes light and subtle is something you're conscious of, you might just want to opt for a sweet fragrance with vanilla or honey; this is especially true if you're a fan of experimenting with how you layer your perfume of choice, as sweet scents in lighter layers can create some truly stunning combinations with citrus, floral, or fruity notes.
Once you've got an idea of the springtime fragrances you think you're going to love, we'd recommend selecting one or two to try as part of your daily routine - this works especially well if you're able to get smaller sizes of the options you're considering! The reason this is such an effective way to really get a feel for the perfect scent is simply because you'll be able to see how wearable your new spring perfume is when it's layered with the rest of your products, as well as how long it lasts on your skin.
We hope you've found this insight into how to select the best spring scent for the new season both informative and helpful. Don't forget that Aequill are launching our first perfume range just in time for Spring 2022, so do stay tuned to our blog and social channels if you're excited to see just what we'll be offering...!
]]>That's why, today, we're sharing a little more information about the different ways to wear perfume, including the easiest ways to incorporate scent into your beauty routine, where to spray perfume, and how to ensure the fragrance lasts when you do apply it. We'll also be looking at alternative ways to use your favourite scent, too!
When it comes to wearing fragrances, there's always a huge variety of options, depending on your needs: from solid perfume to perfume oils, eau de toilette to body spray, and these will, of course, impact how you'll wear them.
The biggest factor that's likely to impact how you wear a perfume is the strength of the scent and how many sprays it needs to leave a lasting scent. For example, a scented body spray is something you can liberally spray as and when needed, whereas when applying perfume like an eau de cologne or eau de toilette, you'll want to spray perfume between 1 -4 times to ensure your skin holds scent throughout the day.
As we mentioned in our 'benefits of essential oils' blog post, fragrances can have a range of emotional benefits, from soothing lavender to sultry black pepper, the right combination of scents can truly impact your mood - and no more so than in perfume! In fact, in one survey, 90% of women said they feel more confident when wearing a perfume - and given that our sense of smell lives in the same part of the brain as our emotional core, it's probably not surprising that scent can have such an impact on how we're feeling!
Whilst there isn't necessarily any one way to correctly apply perfume, there are lots of ways you can help make sure a fragrance lasts on your skin longer. Typically, it's recommended to take a hot shower or bath before applying perfume, as this will remove any residual scents from your skin, before following up with an unscented body lotion, which will help the perfume adhere to your skin. It's worth noting that a small amount of petroleum jelly, when applied to the skin, is also considered to increase longevity for perfume, as the fragrance clings to it more than it would on bare skin.
Finally, when it comes to where to spray perfume, you're mostly going to want to focus on your pulse points; these are sections of the skin where your arteries are closest to the surface, and include your wrists, clavicles, inner elbows, behind the ears, and behind the knees. A thin layer of a direct spritz of perfume to each of these points is a great way to make sure the scent lingers, and if you wear your hair long, spraying perfume to the ends of your hair is a great way to keep the scent fresh, too.
If spraying perfume isn't quite your style, or you're wanting to try something a little different, there are plenty of other ways to incorporate it into your daily routine in a more unconventional way.
For example, adding perfume oils or a couple of drops of eau de cologne to an unscented lotion or to your bath is a great way to incorporate fragrance into your daily routine; likewise, layering fragrances is a great way to really find your signature scent. This goes far beyond spraying perfume, and can include any fragrance, from essential oils, to perfume, to scented natural oils, and allows you to either select products with the same scent to create more of a long-lasting fragrance, or mix and match different perfumes and fragrances to give yourself a unique smell.
We hope you've found this post interesting, and that you're feeling inspired to start mixing up the way you wear perfume! Remember: there's no wrong way to experiment with fragrance and scent, so there's nothing wrong in trying lots of different techniques to get the smell you're going for.
]]>If you've been a customer of Aequill for a while, or have read some of our previous blog posts, you'll likely already know at least one thing about us: we're big fans of scent; from essential oils to modern perfumery and eau de parfum, we're passionate about fragrance! That's why, today, we've got something incredibly exciting to share with you; we're talking about the history of perfume!
Ancient Egypt wasn't the only ancient culture that has a strong history of perfume, of course; the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Roman empire both have a history of using perfume and fragrance within their cultures, and due to their precise documentation processes, Greco-Roman fragrances are actually often recreated even to this day! The Ancient Greeks used liquid perfumes, essential oils, and various other fragrant materials and scent often in their religious rituals, particularly when worshipping the Greek Goddess Aphrodite, and the Roman empire actually has scented oils and perfume making to thank for the incredible growth of its economy, due to its import and export of various perfume ingredients. Within the Roman empire, fragrant materials like frankincense and myrrh were often distilled or crushed for use in bath oil, liquid perfume, and balms - however, when Rome fell, such luxuries were banned, and this prevented perfume and essential oils from being used in Europe for the forseeable future.
Whilst Europe would not enjoy perfumes again for centuries, many ancient cultures continued to use fragrance and scent for their olfactory benefits. The ancient Chinese, in particular, used herbs and spices in various combinations for holistic healing, and it's their culture which is primarily credited within the history of perfume with beginning to develop various combinations of complex ingredients to impact the mood or wellbeing of an individual.
The ancient Chinese also believed that perfume was capable of ridding spaces of disease, so it was frequently used to disinfect or purify rooms or public spaces, which is thought to be the very core origin of products like room spray and reed diffusers, which focus so heavily on scenting the world around us, as opposed to wearing perfume itself.
It wasn't until the European Renaissance that the art of perfume making became popular again, and it was 1519 when a wealthy Italian socialite named Catherine de Medici married the French king, bringing a fragrance made from orange blossom and bergamot by her personal perfume maker to the height of popularity, that is largely credited with being one of the first perfumes in Western cultures. From there on out, perfume became a fashion accessory in the West, aided by scientific progress which greatly improved the distillation and extraction process, and allowed for a far wider range of essential oils and fragrance to be utilised. Of course, this practice only grew as new spices and flora was discovered, and soon, perfume manufacture became a lucrative, nuanced industry which only grew.
So, what's next for the world of perfume? That's where we come in! We're very pleased to be able to announce that Aequill will, very soon, be offering our own eau de parfum. As a brand that's incredibly passionate about the use of essential oils, it's incredibly exciting for us to be able to bring that dedication to modern perfume! We're very much looking forward to bringing you on that journey with us, and we can't wait to share more with you soon.
We hope you've enjoyed learning about the history of perfume, from ancient perfume to the more contemporary perfume industry; keep an eye out for more news about our very own Aequill perfume!
]]>Aequill was born out of one thing: a love of the emotional power of scent. It's why all of our products utilise a blend of raw, refined, and natural materials, to allow the emotive benefits of the incredible fragrances to truly shine.
It's probably unsurprising, then, that our founder is incredibly passionate about fragrance, and is constantly seeking out contemporary, pioneering scents, and the talented perfumers that make them.
That's why, a few years ago, she spent the day at 'Perfume: A Sensory Journey through Contemporary Scent' in Somerset House, London
This exhibition sought to share 10 unique, groundbreaking creations in the world of eau de parfum, and the pioneers that created them. This exhibition sought to avoid the usual offerings of parfum and eau de toilette that's widely appreciated, and showcase the unique.
Before we discuss the 10 pioneering scents that were featured in this incredible exploration, it's worth mentioning what exactly makes fragrance stand out in today's olfactory scene. Each of the perfumers highlighted in the session were chosen on one criteria - that they exhibited true ingenuity in their work, and created a parfum that shuns the expected. We'll be outlining the ways in which these eau de parfum choices were so unique, so do keep reading if you'd like to discover how some of the most disruptive perfumers are changing the way we think about - and smell - fragrances.
These are not your standard eau de toilette!
Crafted by the visionary perfumer Daniela Roche Andrier, Purple Rain is one of ten editions of Prada Olfactories, created with the intention of being completely unexpected; this, in fact, Purple Rain does incredibly well. With a complex, sumptuous iris centre note, woody Galbanum and citrusy Bergamot top notes, and a smoky Vetiver base note, it's a surprising twist on the standard iris eau de parfum, offering a modern take on this floral classic.
Inspired by the Japanese art of calligraphy, this eau de parfum, created by Mark Buxton, is an incredibly modern unisex fragrance which plays with the concept of light and dark; top notes of floral magnolia juxtapose a middle note of ink to highlight this contrast, which is then combined with a musky, earthy Patchouli that truly brings this variety of parfums together.
Comme des Garcons' iconic Series 3 Incense was launched in 2002, and was inspired by the 5 main spiritual teachings of humanity. In keeping with this, Bertrand Duchaufour created this particular eau de parfum, Avignon, as an 'olfactory portrait of French Catholic mass'; with top notes of frankincense and myrrh, and a delicate blend of vanilla and chamomile throughout, it's an incredibly emotive blend that perfectly encapsulates such a unique experience.
Olivia Giacobetti created this gorgeous twist on a classic floral eau de parfum by incorporating the delicate fragrances of lilac and cucumber with the nutty punch of wheat, and it makes for a truly unique olfactory experience. Soft floral notes give way to fresh green notes, which in turn leave behind the intensity of wheat and make for an incredibly pioneering parfum for women.
Created by the nose behind Perfumer H herself, Lyn Harris, Charcoal is an achingly familiar woody scent, with an unexpected twist; a burst of cistus absolute to imbue a green, herbal undertone that really brings this eau de parfum to life in a truly surprising way. Paired with notes of isobutyl quinoline and leather, it's a warm and rich scent which invokes memories of cold winters and warm fires, and is genuinely groundbreaking in reaching such an emotive core.
Billed as 'olfactory coitus', it's not a surprise that this particular eau de parfum, created by Antoine Lie, made it into this exhibition of pioneering parfum. With top notes of salt, centre notes of blood, milk, and adrenaline, and base notes of iris, all inspired by the pursuit of sexual pleasure, it's not hard to see how Sécrétions Magnifiques has earned its reputation as a subversive eau de parfum. Whilst it's often referred to as an acquired taste - or smell - there's no arguing that it truly is a disruptive parfum.
Formulated by David Seth Moltz, El Cosmico seeks to encapsulate the fragrance of desert airs of the town of Marfa, cosmic axis of West Texas. As such, it combines the fragrance of Creosote shrubs with Chihuahuan mesa woods, like mesquite and oak, with top notes of desert pepper and pinyon, to truly evoke the sensation of having visited the desert town. In this sense, it is extraordinary; one whiff of El Cosmico is set to truly resonate, and it's a startling achievement that genuinely highlights the ingenuity of the perfumer; this is far from your standard eau de toilette.
This particular eau de parfum is a cult classic, and for good reason; perfumer Geza Schoen combined the art of perfumery with science to create Molecule 01, basing the entire fragrance around one single note: Iso E Super. This particular chemical is often used as a woody base note in a lot of well known eau de toilette and parfum, so it's a familiar, warm smell. However, by utilising its pure form, Geza Schoen subverted standard expectations of fragrance, and the result is a subtle, smooth, warm eau de parfum which ebbs and flows in waves, leaving a long-lasting, emotive scent that is already a classic in its own right.
Andy Tauer's distinctive L'Air du Desert Marocain is an eau de parfum that delivers exactly what it promises: a glimpse into the Saharan desert at night, evocative of Morocco. Top notes are spicy cumin and leafy coriander, with a centre of floral jasmine and woody, earthy birch, and base notes of musky patchouli and warm amber. As with some of the previous eau de parfum in this exhibition, this particular fragrance seeks to transport the wearer to an entirely different locale, using an emotive concoction - and it succeeds.
Concocted by Killian Wells, Dark Ride is something else entirely. This eau de parfum is described as an 'aromatic aquatic' fragrance, and for good reason...it's inspired by none other than theme park water rides! With a blend of chlorine, mildew, and incense (for that smoky ride smell), it's a truly unique fragrance choice for an eau de parfum, and whilst it's definitely not for everyone, its uniqueness is completely undeniable.
This incredible exhibition was truly an exploration of eau de parfum which disrupted the olfactory industry, and inspired a range of developments across perfume and eau de toilette alike. One of the most incredible traits of this industry, as a whole, is how much it is constantly growing and adapting, and seeing pioneers like those mentioned above disrupting our expectations of parfum, eau de toilette, and fragrance in general, is truly inspiring to us at Aequill.
What's the most groundbreaking eau de parfum or eau de toilette you've discovered, recently?
]]>Perfume making is a mysterious craft. A perfumer is an olfactory expert who uses their understanding of fragrance notes to create compositions that balance and delight the senses. To do this they start by selecting and combining the right mixture of raw materials of oils, molecules and solvents to achieve an agreeable balance and body of the perfume.
Perfumery, in its purest term, is the secret of creating these captivating scents using subtle combinations of top, heart and base notes. Just like music, perfume is described in a musical metaphor consisting of three sets of notes making the harmonious scent accord. The notes appear over time, with an immediate impression of the top note leading to the deeper middle notes, and the base notes gradually appearing as a final step. These notes are carefully created with knowledge of the evaporation process and the olfactory pyramid.
What are the 3 fragrance notes categories?
Perfume notes are classified in a olfactory fragrance pyramid of top notes, heart notes and base notes. These notes are layered on top of each other to make an accord.
The pyramid reflects the perfume notes volatility, how quickly they evaporate and their persistence over time. Top notes are characterised as being the most volatile and last the shortest amount of time. Heart notes are considered the soul of the perfume and its fragrance can be evident throughout the full lifespan of the perfume. The base note is appear more gradually and provides the longest wear in a fragrance.
The top notes can be described as the first impression of a perfume as it is the one you smell first. Top notes are strong in scent and are very volatile, it's olfactory tone is light and lasts only a couple hours maximum on the skin. However most evaporates after 30 minutes due to their smaller and lighter molecule make-up. Top notes include many citrus fruits, but also herbs, berries, bergamot, basil, rosewood, camphor, lemon, bay almond, pink berries, bergamot, basil, sweet orange, rosewood, lemon, lavender, mint, rosemary just to name a few. The opening notes of a fragrance often offer an zesty, aromatic or green freshness to their character and this is because top notes are the first to evaporate. Colognes are particularly rich in top notes and pleasant to use to refresh and brighten up a hot summers day because of their light, zesty and fresh aroma.
Fragrance which is perceived immediately upon application of the perfume. The top notes have smaller, lighter molecules that evaporate quickly. They form a person's initial impression of a perfume and thus are very important in the sale of a perfume. Examples of top notes include mint, lavender and coriander.
The heart notes or the middle notes is the "heart" or the main body of a perfume and serve to blend and balance the components of the perfume. The heart notes deepens the olfactory experience and becomes alluring over time. Heart notes can make up to 70% of the fragrance components and would usually lasts for 6-8 hours on the skin.
Jasmine, neroli, ylang ylang, sage, rose, juniper or geranium are just some of the oils often used for the heart notes of perfumes. They are flowery, fruity or spicy. It allows you to make the transition between the freshness of the top note and the depth of the base note. Heart notes appears once the top notes begins to fade and is used as a way to harmonies top notes and base notes together.
Base notes are the one that lasts the longest on the skin and provides the lasting impression of the scent. Base notes creates rich, smooth and heavy scent body and can last for several days after the first spray. Its function is to fix the perfume and create a foundation for the perfume accords to be built upon.
Some of the oils which are considered base notes include sandalwood, patchouli, cinnamon, vanilla or cedarwood in the base notes, for their woody, suave or leathery olfactory power. These fragrance notes that appears closer to the departure of the middle notes. The base and middle notes are the main theme of a perfume. Base notes bring depth and solidity to a perfume. Compounds in this class of scents are generally rich and "dark" and usually do not occur until 30 minutes after application.
Examples of base notes include tobacco, amber and musk. The scents in the top and middle notes are influenced by the base notes; Conversely, the scents of the base notes will be replaced by the fragrance ingredients used as the middle notes. Manufacturers who publish perfume notes typically do this with fragrance components presented as an aroma pyramid, using imaginative and abstract terms for the components listed.
Don't choose your scent too quickly. The top notes may provide you with a first impression of a perfume however we would recommend buying a sample or discovery set so you can really spend time getting to know and understand the characters of the perfume before making your purchase. We advise waiting to discover the middle note and base notes and how they reveal themselves on your skin on different days and weather conditions too. This is because the acidity of your skin could change under different climate.
Another thing to note is that the same perfume can vary from one person to another, the same perfume that smell pleasant on someone else can smell distinctly unpleasant on you. So make sure to always try on because the composition and pheromones specific to our skin is unique! Perfumes will evolve over the course of the day slightly differently depending on your skin type so make you sure you try the perfume before making a purchase to avoid disappointments. Lastly perfumes are meant to wore on different parts of the body, on pulse points like the wrist, neck and behind the ear, but we also love spraying perfumes in our hair, over clothes and in the air to create an aura of delicious scent.
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