Scents and Sensibility
Scents can be broken down into four main categories: floral, oriental, woody, and fresh. Photograph courtesy of Scent by SIX.
Our sense of smell is, more often than not, overlooked. Though scents are everywhere in our lives, we tend to take them in subconsciously.
But did you know our sense of smell plays a big part in evoking memories and emotions? This is because we have over 400 different olfactory receptors that can be activated by multiple types of odour molecules. The olfactory bulb (where scents are processed) is located in our limbic system, where memories are stored. This allows familiar scents to trigger specific memories and emotions, whether or not we are conscious of them.
Research has also shown that our noses can distinguish far more scents than our eyes and ears can distinguish colours and sounds respectively — pretty impressive for an organ that we don’t pay much attention to. The scent we wear can therefore reveal a lot more about us than we think, making it an excellent tool for self-expression.
To find out more, we asked four Boutiques vendors to tell us more about their experiences with fragrances, and the role that scents play in their lives.
Scents are the only sensations that travel directly to the emotional and memory centres of our brain. Other sensations like touch or sight go through the thalamus first, where they are interpreted and processed before emotions and memory are involved.¹ Sometimes, fragrances will trigger an emotional response before its associated memory surfaces. Other times, the memory won’t surface at all.
Solveig de Fontgalland, founder of My French Concession, immortalises memories of places close to her heart by creating fragrances directly inspired by them.
For instance, Old Fashioned on the Bund reminds Solveig of her time in Shanghai, where she would spend weekends visiting glamorous cocktail bars and immersing herself in art deco grandeur. The Greek Escape brings her back to summer holidays in Greece, where she would gather with friends and drink ouzo while watching the sunset.
One of the most vivid scents to Solveig, however, is the classic Ô de Lancôme with notes of mandarin orange, lemon, bergamot, honeysuckle, jasmine, rosemary, basil, coriander, vetiver and oakmoss – the scent that kick-started her love affair with fragrances. “When I was 8, I attended a perfumery workshop on Rue Saint-Honore in Paris, hosted by Lancôme, and until today, the scent remains vivid in my olfactive memory,” Solveig recalls.
Scents can take you on a trip in the comforts of your home by evoking specific memories and emotions. Take me to Pondicherry Cheri is one of My French Concession’s scents that was inspired by founder Solveig de Fontgalland’s travels. Photograph courtesy of My French Concession.
Later on in adulthood, Solveig moved to Shanghai where she had the opportunity to work with several French perfumers as her clients. After relocating to Singapore, she began working with one of them to develop her own line of fragrances.
“I find many fragrances, like vanilla and sandalwood, too aggressive. I prefer something complex yet subtle — something discreet with a touch of mystery, like a little secret. The lack of such niche olfactory scents in the market made me want to create my own,” Solveig says.
Every aspect of My French Concession’s products reveals glimpses of Solveig’s life and travels, from the production process to the bottles and vessels the scents come in. Liquid soaps are made in small batches by traditional soap-makers in Southern France, while candles come in fine bisque porcelain jars made in Chaozhou, China. The brand is also known for being socially responsible, which is important to Solveig, as they engage the Association for Persons with Special Needs to help bottle, label and package their products.
Despite the sheer amount of scents in her life, Solveig names her favourite perfume without hesitation – Untitled by Maison Margiela. She explains that in the day, she prefers refreshing, citrusy scents, especially when a hint of white musk is added to the mix, whereas in the evening or winter, she goes for woody, spicy, earthy scents, and Untitled by Maison Margiela incorporates both types of scents.
However, she describes one of her own scents, Hold Up Place Vendome, as the fragrance that is most representative of herself. “This particular scent is very special as it reminds me of the smell of an iconic heritage Parisian palace I used to visit,” says Solveig, adding that this scent is the last thing she smells at night.
Known for their simple yet uncommon scents, like Ginger and Pepper&Tobacco, The LAB Fragrances prides themselves on the quality and source of their ingredients. Each scent is handmade in small batches to ensure freshness.
Taylan Torin, founder of the brand, says the brand in fact began after his wedding, where he had developed a specially blended agarwood fragrance as door gifts.
“This was the idea of my aunt who had worked all her life at International Flavours and Fragrances Inc. (IFF), a raw ingredient company for fine fragrances,” says Taylan. He adds that at the wedding, his fragrance received an unexpectedly cheerful reception by guests, many of whom reached out to ask where they could purchase his “amazing fragrance”.
So began The LAB Fragrances.
Apart from being a medium of self-expression, Taylan says scents are also a means of communication with his customers and the outside world. For instance, when The LAB Fragrances’s pioneer Agarwood scent was introduced, Taylan expected to attract more men than women. However, the opposite proved to be true, as the fragrance became highly popular among women. “It was as if people shouted out to me that my assumptions were wrong, and in that instance, the tool of communication was not words, but fragrance instead!” he says.
When asked to describe his relationship with fragrances, Taylan likens it to the Japanese and their relationship with ramen: “They enjoy their delicious ramen regardless of the season, the day, or their gender. In that sense, I have never had one signature, go-to fragrance.”
He does, however, have strong, psychological connections with certain fragrances. Going back to Agarwood, Taylan states that it is more than a fragrance to him.
“It feels like something closer to a valuable antique,” says Taylan of the scent of his wedding and the birth of his brand.
With top notes of rosewood, cardamom and pepper, Agarwood is a woody, smoky blend well-loved by Taylan Torin, founder of The LAB Fragrances. Photograph courtesy of The LAB Fragrances.
The opinion that personal style and scent preferences go hand in hand is not uncommon. Says Jason Lee, founder of Scent by SIX, “My personal style has evolved as I aged, and so have my olfactive preferences. I don't think it is a one-way street. During my early adult years, I used to go for carefree, light, fresh, citrusy hues. Now, the mellowed me prefers the heavy, fougėre, woody, timeless classics.”
After working at Givaudan, one of the largest global flavour and fragrance companies, for four years, Jason quit his job to start Scent by SIX in 2014. At Givaudan, he had developed a passion for fragrances, and wanted to use scent to evoke memorable emotions.
This grew to be the core of Scent by SIX — recreating immersive spaces and experiences through their specially distilled scents, made from premium hand-picked ingredients sourced sustainably from around the world. Some of these scents are reminiscent of places, like New York City (123 Tribeca) or Singapore (2065 Ujong), while others tease out specific experiences, like foreplay (1724 Puka), or the feeling of success (Eclat).
Scent by SIX’s fragrances are highly evocative, which is why Jason does not personally wear scents while working. “I smell fragrances day in, day out, so it is only professional that I do not wear a scent,” says Jason. However, when he does wear a scent, he goes for 2065 Ujong, which is inspired by Singapore.
Scent by SIX’s 2065 Ujong, a fragrance inspired by Singapore, consists of familiar scents like orchids and marine notes. Photograph courtesy of Scent by SIX.
Though he refrains from wearing fragrances, Jason enjoys scenting his home and workspace. His choice of ambient scent? None other than Scent by SIX’s signature scent, 27°F BIEI. “It feels omni-present, as if it is there yet not there all at once. It opens up with a balance of Japanese lavender and matcha. The top sparkles with hints of coriander and bergamot before it slowly trickles down to a gentle base of sandalwood and white musk,” says Jason.
Apart from his own fragrances, Jason also appreciates common, everyday scents. When asked to describe himself in a single scent, he playfully chooses the durian: “Some people may love me, some may not. But I am very sure I will leave an impactful and long-lasting impression on you.”
Lighting scented candles is one of the easiest ways to add fragrance and a relaxing ambience to any room. However, many candles in the market are made with paraffin wax. Derived from petroleum, paraffin wax candles emit toxic chemicals like benzene and toluene when lit, which decreases the air quality in your home. Petroleum is also a non-renewable resource that is widely known to have adverse impacts on the environment.
This is what inspired Vivian Chung to start her own candle and fragrance line, Artisan of Sense.
The glass jars that Artisan of Sense’s candles come in are recycled, and can be reused and repurposed in multiple ways in your home. Photograph courtesy of Artisan of Sense.
Known for their use of sustainably harvested, all-natural ingredients, all of their candles are made using pure soy wax and are scented with essential oils. There are no parabens, phthalates, or sulfates in their products, and no animal testing is involved.
“I am a true believer that when we bring scented fragrances into our living environment, it aligns our mind, body, and soul as one,” explains Vivian. She adds that her dream is to bring the dimension of natural fragrances into every living space so that more people can appreciate the gift of nature.
As for Artisan of Sense’s scents, they develop simple, elegant fragrances like Cedarwood & Lemongrass, and Lavender . Eucalyptus . Sage, which happens to be Vivian’s personal favourite to help her relax.
“I like to place my lavender, eucalyptus and sage candle directly next to my bed, as eucalyptus and sage are believed to reduce stress levels, while the aroma of lavender helps promote restful sleep. Even without burning the candle I can inhale the aroma first thing in the morning,” says Vivian.
However, when it comes time to focus and work, Peppermint & Rosemary is her go-to scent. For daily family time, Vivian chooses to stick with fruity, citrus scents to create a lively atmosphere. As for her all-round scent for daily use, she prefers sensual, earthy and floral fragrances.
In all of these scents, Vivian’s love for nature and warm personality shines through: “I love nature. It is unique and though there are seemingly no rules or order to how they grow and flourish, the outcome is perfection in its own right. Nature’s entire ecosystem is just naturally balanced. Perhaps this best describes my personality — I have a desire to bring balance to every home with a touch of a personal scent.”
Citations:
[1] Hamer, Ashley. "Here's Why Smells Trigger Such Vivid Memories." Discovery, 1 Aug. 2019. <https://www.discovery.com/science/Why-Smells-Trigger-Such-Vivid-Memories>
By KIMBERLY NG of Public Culture, an editorial experience studio that believes in connection over communication.