collage by Michelyn of Geza Schoen, iso e super and Escentric Molecules M+ Collection
In 2005, perfumer Geza Schoen (Geza Schön)changed the olfactory landscape with his introduction of Escentric 01 and Molecule 01. Over the past 11 years, I have interviewed Geza Schoen numerous times for CaFleureBon as well as for other publications. If anyone would have asked me that “Iso E Super in a bottle” would become one of the most well-known niche fragrances in the world back then, I would have been skeptical. Geza told me how it all happened, and it was happenstance. He was testing ingredients in his lab and just dabbed on Iso E Super before going to a Night Club. Women were attracted to the scent and asked where they could buy it. His fragrances (for his own brands or for other commissions) have a signature that is uniquely his. I learned of the new Escentric Molecules M+ Collection last month but wanted Geza Schoen to speak directly to his latest creations (all in small caps) Escentric Molecules M+ Iris, Patchouli and Iris based on one of the most game changing perfumes of the past 20 years, Molecule 01. –Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief
Michelyn Camen: Escentric Molecule (Iso E Super) and its companion 01 were revolutionary in 2005. Did you ever think it would become one of the most ground breaking concepts in modern perfumery?
Geza Schoen: well i thought that it would have an impact on the market in one way or another but of course nowhere near what then happened. we do know now iso e super does not only have a beautiful olfactoric note with these cocooning, velvety woody shades plus this erotic feel about it, it does stimulate one of our 5 remaining pheromone receptors, that i think explains why people are mad for it and it simply has this animal magnetism about it.
Michelyn: Escentric 01 is a mix of ingredients such as Orris, incense and lime with iso E Super. What percent is iso E Super. Can you talk a little about why you the original is now revisited-15 yrs later and why you added 3 new versions?
Geza Schoen: escentric 01 has a little more in it than just those you mention – topnote is lime and pink pepper, the heart has a big chunk of hedione, and this orris note, next to mastic, incense and musks including some other woody booster with a base of 65% iso e super. M+ is different to escentric01, which i always said is an homage to iso e super and its multifaceted capacities. Escentric M+ is the idea to use its strengths (iso e super ) with just one other ingredient complex.
Michelyn: Why did you choose mandarin, patchouli and iris as the ingredients for the new fragrances and can you describe a little about each one. Are they all natural or accords? How do each enhance or change the original.
Geza Schoen: M+ iris was the fragrance which initiated the M+ series. Sophie (his partner) always had a sweet spot for fragrances with iris in them. so she asked me to come up with a sheer iris fragrance for her. i wasn’t going to do the usual here and add lots of other stuff next to that as it only would have overlayed or even covered the subtle beauty of iris. so i decided to stay simple and based the iris note i created next to a huge quantity of iso e super. she started wearing it and was soon inundated with compliments from work colleagues to people on the street stopping her. i sent samples of it to London and my partners there had similar experiences with that note, so we thought we need to do something with this. while looking at the formula which hasn’t even 10 ingredients all together it became clear that this is how Escentric M+ 1. the concept was born.
Then, patchouli as we hadn’t done anything really with this super classic blockbuster element and the marriage between the patchouli base i made and iso e super was overwhelming, it produces one of the biggest projections i have ever come across but it is still subtle and not overpowering, very important! patchouli in a new airy shape with all the lovely earthiness it has.
Escentric M+ mandarin is the one where you have a topnote burst unlike the other two (iris is more a heartnote and patchouly a base note). i used a big portion of a beautiful mandarin oil here and touched it up with traces of a few other ingredients to make the mandarin (i think that might be your favorite, michelyn?)
Thanks to the folks at Escentric Molecules we have a draw for TWO registered readers (you must do this or your comment won’t count), What did you learn from reading Michelyn’s Interview with Geza Schoen, which you would like to win, where you live and if you are a fan of Escentric Molecules.
M+ collage by Michelyn
USA or Canada (one winner): your choice of (click to preorder Escentric M+ Mandarin, Escentric M+ Iris or Escentric M+ Patchouli and a sample set of all three.
EU or UK (one winner): your choice of Escentric M+ Mandarin, Escentric M+ Iris or Escentric M+ Patchouli and a sample set of all three.
Please leave a comment with which you would like to win, where you live and if you are a fan of Escentric Molecules, Draw closes 3/20/2021
Please note that the winners will need to be patient as Escentric M+ fragrances won’t be available until the end of March 2021-early April.
Tomorrow, you will have a second chance to enter as Editor Sebastian Jara aka @theperfumeguy will be reviewing the Escentric M+ collection
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