SKIN SCENTS: YOUR SKIN-LIKE SCENT, BUT BETTER
People used perfumes since time immemorial, as numerous historical references reveal. From ancient Egypt to Greece to the Roman Empire, fragrances were an essential part of people’s daily life. Denoting status and superiority, they were used in sacred rituals, like the worship of the gods or the burial of the dead, in scented oils to adorn the body and incense burning in homes and temples.
As humans have evolved, so has the use of fragrance.
Today, perfume is a way to add allure to one’s presence, boost self-confidence and elevate the mood. However, the latest hot scent trend is a barely-there fragrance that captures the seemingly invisible yet distinct skin notes. Case in point, the skin scents.
WHAT ARE SKIN SCENTS
In the perfume world, skin scents refer to those fragrances resembling the skin’s natural scent. They are fragrances built around a specific synthetic molecule, the Iso E Super, developed in 1973 in the laboratory of the IFF*, that amplify your own skin odour and reflect it back as the smell of soft, clean skin.
Skin scents have a mild woody smell and a hint of musk, and the subtle scent, singular to each individual, is detectable only by you or someone very close to you. This proximity and the chemistry behind the scent is the hidden charm of a skin-scented fragrance.
Nowadays, though, skin scents are not solely defined by the use of Iso E Super. The notes of woods, fresh linen, vetiver, or white flowers are broadly associated with a skin scent’s soft, clean smell. In short, skin scents is a colloquial term to describe a delicate, clean, refreshing and above all, inoffensive scent.
*International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.- an American company that develops scents, flavours and cosmetic actives.
WHY ARE SKIN SCENTS SO DESIRABLE?
Like a “your lips but better” lipstick or a “no-makeup” makeup, there are fragrances that deliver the same effect; “your skin but better” scent. Now you may wonder why the idea of wearing a barely-there scent would be so appealing.
They wear close to the skin and feel intimate and soft. There is something alluring and inwardly exciting about this intimacy factor. Also, skin scents are a mark of elegance and timely discretion. They whisper seductively only to those who lean closer to discover it.
A skin scent is not a loud fragrance that you notice when entering a room. It acts in a subliminal way. It creates an exciting aura. It is not an “I love your fragrance” but rather an “I like how you smell”.
Below, find a selection of some of the best skin scents.
Le Labo
AnOther 13, Eau de Parfum
Created in collaboration with AnOther Magazine’s editor-in-chief Jefferson Hack, AnOther 13 Eau de Parfum is an utterly hypnotising unisex scent. Originally intended to be part of the limited edition City Exclusive collection, but its popularity made it a Le Labo classic;
AnOther 13 gets its unique scent from ambroxan, a chemical note that smells like ambergris and clean skin. Carefully combined with 12 ingredients such as jasmine, moss and ambrette seeds absolute, it gives a dry and aromatic impression which evokes the smell of white paper merged with the warmth of our body.
Escentric Molecules
Molecule 01
Molecule 01 was born in 2006 and it was created to blend with the wearer’s natural pheromones and generate a spellbinding effect that’s unique to each person that applies it. Molecule 01’s scent is simple because its unique composition is formulated only with Iso E Super. Maverick perfumer Geza Schoen describes the aroma of chemical Iso E Super as “comforting” and “cocooning”. Characterized by its velvety Cedardwood tones, it creates an entirely unique smell once applied to the body and responds to your natural scent. As you work, run, walk, and live your day, the scent of your body triggers Molecule 01, to reveal a clean, bright fragrance with warm wood notes. It will never be cloying or overbearing – indeed, when it comes to scent that will turn others on, less is really more.
Hermès
Hermessence Poivre Samarcande
Master perfumer Jean Claude Ellena is known in the fragrance world to experiment with the magical properties of Iso E Super, and the Hermessence Poivre Samarcande is one of his glorious masterpieces. The fragrance, which is a part of a collection of “sober and intense olfactory poems,” as the brand calls it, is re-created to capture the peppery, musky, and slightly smoky scent of cut oak wood from Ellena’s residence that was etched into his memory.
Byredo
Eleventh Hour
Byredo has created a charismatic fragrance made of Sichuan pepper, bergamot, plum, rum, fig, cashmere wood, cedar and tonka beans and a splash of Iso E Super to make the scented wood composition more intoxicating and exquisite.
Juliette Has A Gun
The Sunny Side Up, Eau de Parfum
“The idea was to propose something that inspires happy and positive feelings. I started with sandalwood essence, a woody note with unctuous tonalities. I simply accentuated it with some musks, and a jasmine and coconut milk facet”, says perfumer Romano Ricci. Like a happy therapy, the fragrance recalls those moments of freedom, insouciance and letting go – those warm balmy days when the sun never seems to set and time is suspended.
By / Rosie Jane
James, Eau de Parfum
Inspired by the scent of bare skin, James Perfume Oil smells like fresh, cleaned sheets. Its formula, combined with the light body scent, creates a combination of cotton and wood. It is a fragrance inspired by autumn, with rich notes of fig, amber and gardenia. It feels like you’re standing on the porch during a rainstorm with James, one of By Rosie Jane’s earthier and cosier scents.
CREDITS
Words:
Maria Koutsaka