The story of Escentric Molecules
Trained at Haarmann & Reimer, now Symrise, German perfumer Geza Schoen founded Escentric Molecules in London in 2006 with creative director Paul White. The first launch was a manifesto: Molecule 01 contained one ingredient only, Iso E Super, a synthetic woody amber used in small doses in countless perfumes. Presented alone, the molecule turned out strange and intimate, discreet to the wearer yet sometimes very noticeable to others. Alongside it the brand released Escentric 01, a composition built to showcase the same material. The principle was repeated with Molecule 02 in 2008, devoted to Ambroxan, and later with other molecules. Driven by word of mouth, Molecule 01 became a cult success and helped introduce a wide audience to the role of synthetic materials in modern perfumery, a subject rarely discussed so openly by brands before.
An olfactory signature
The Escentric Molecules signature is total minimalism. Molecule 01 wears Iso E Super alone: a velvety cedarwood effect, slightly ambery and peppery, which our database breaks down into facets of cedar, vetiver, sandalwood and cashmeran. Molecule 02 does the same with Ambroxan: a mineral, salty, warm note that recalls ambergris and skin. There is no classic pyramid and no dramatic evolution, just a steady halo that merges with each wearer's own chemistry and changes subtly from person to person.
Which Escentric Molecules perfume to choose?
Molecule 01 suits people who like soft, transparent woods that are almost scentless to the wearer yet noticed by others. Molecule 02 will appeal more to fans of ambery warmth and salty notes, with a slightly clearer presence on skin. Both layer easily with other fragrances, adding volume or helping them last longer.