If there’s one brand that makes the eyes of a true fragrance head light up, it’s Escentric Molecules. With a concept that is, to the uninitiated, completely baffling, this lauded perfume brand is one that few truly understand – and boy are those few smug about it.
So, what’s the story? While the perfume industry tends to wax lyrical about the wonders of nature, honing in on the natural beauty of the world’s most precious flora, Escentric Molecules does the complete opposite. Molecule 01, the brand’s first and most weightily cult scent, smells absolutely nothing like a rose garden, citrus-lined coast, or woody forest.
It all begins with Iso E Super. This synthetic fragrance molecule was first created in a lab in 1972, and is the sole ingredient in Molecule 01.
While the note does exist in other perfumes, it’s more commonly used as a supporting scent, working to pull together an olfactory pyramid and add a familiar, cosy, sensual lilt. Upgraded from the support to the star of the show in Molecule 01, Iso E Super's effect is quiet yet impactful: so quiet, in fact, that you may not smell it at all on yourself, or perhaps you’ll catch ephemeral wafts before it disappears again. But to others, you will smell incredible.
Escentric Molecules Molecule 01
'I first smelt pure Iso E Super in August 1990,' says Escentric Molecules founder and perfumer, Geza Schön. 'I had first arrived at fragrance manufacturers, Haarmann & Reimer in Holzinden to follow my dream of becoming a perfumer. The room had a full range of fragrance materials and a scale so you could measure out your formula. I couldn't believe my luck. I began wildly, auto-didactically cooking up smells. Almost immediately, I opened a strangely named bottle.'
Schön’s first conscious encounter with Iso E Super was clearly satisfying: he had finally put his finger on the unifying thread that ran through all his favourite scents. ‘Not only that, but at that moment, I realised that the molecule itself, naked and alone, smelt sublime.’
Fast-forward to 2002 and a now-freelance Schön finally seizes the chance to experiment with Iso E Super in his own way. 'I had something in my back pocket, an idea I had nursed ever since I first opened the bottle of Iso E Super back in 1990. I started playing around, mixing up formulations with even higher and higher doses till I was cooking up fragrances with 50 and 60% of the molecule.’
The ‘eureka’ moment came when Schön was sitting in a bar with a friend, on whom he had sprayed pure Iso E Super. ‘Five minutes after we rolled up, a beautiful woman walked up to the bar, looked around and said, “Who smells so great in here?” It turned out it was Michel. As we talked, it became clear that a hefty dose of Iso E Super was also the link between the fragrances this woman liked.’ This is what loyal wearers know now as the EM effect: it’s a curious, magnetic trail that compels people to stop you in the street (or sidle up to you in the pub).
However, that’s not to say an Escentric Molecules scent will be unlike something you can imagine experiencing in nature. While most aroma molecules are linear, and so relatively simple (read: forgettable) to smell, the ones Schön chooses boast the complex scent profile of a molecule found in nature – and this is exactly what makes them so curious, emotive and addictive.
Molecule 01 remains the one true fragrance boffins fawn over, alongside its sibling, Escentric 01, which sees Iso E Super combined with nose-twitching lime peel and an almost undetectable tinge of jasmine.
More recently, a whole host of much-adored fragrance molecules have received the Escentric treatment, too. There’s Molecule 02, a fuzzy, soft-edged ode to earthy ambroxan, and Molecule 03 that sparks with the verdant twang of vetiver. Molecule 04 spotlights the smooth, sexy appeal of sandalwood, while Molecule 05 is the purest cashmere comfort blanket. Each scent comes in Molecule form – that’s the 100% pure fragrance note – and Escentric form, which sees the star blended with other notes to create a bolder, more true-to-form perfume.
While Escentric Molecules has undoubtedly been a niche-perfumery prodigy for years now, the recent resurgence chimes with today’s demand for scents that move beyond the niche. As the likes of Le Labo’s Santal 33 and Diptyque’s Do Son fill the city’s coolest spaces, serious fragrance lovers are searching for something only those truly in the know will recognise.
While the celebrity-fuelled mass fragrance market has long dominated the industry, today we’re seeing even more people reject the obvious in search of something subtle, unique or simply downright unusual. ‘Even today, many scents are indistinguishable because they were made to be the same on everyone,’ says Schön. ‘And so, it becomes increasingly difficult to stay true to yourself.’
Perhaps this explains the need for niche. ‘People are seeking something genuinely interesting and individualistic,’ adds Schön. ‘I think originality is the key ingredient to making any fragrance cult. With Molecule 01, I wanted to create something unconventional, not too "perfumistic", something for my friends who said they didn't like fragrance. It’s one of those sexy skin scents that makes you want to nestle into it. It combines with – almost caramelises with – your own scent to create a personal signature.’
When we ask Schön to sum up the scent of Molecule 01 in three words, he instead offers up 12. And that’s really the root of its appeal – this singular scent enhances, rather than masks, your individuality. In short, it smells just like you.
ELLE Edit: The Cult Scents To Know Now
Frédéric Malle Carnal Flower
Not for wallflowers, Frédéric Malle's globally adored Carnal Flower is a bold, in-your-face ode to tuberose. For any fan of white-floral sexiness, this is the ultimate spritz.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540
If you're in the business of smelling obscenely expensive, right this way. Baccarat Rouge is another long-loved hero that is enjoying a resurgence thanks to Tiktok (and endorsement by a certain megastar). Hey if, this sweet, amber-laced scent is good enough for Rihanna, we're already on board.
Escentric Molecules Molecule 01
This truly niche choice contains just one note – the lab-created Iso Super E –which melts seamlessly with your natural pheromones to create an understated scent that's truly unique to you. The result is perplexing but reliably addictive: you might not smell it on yourself, but trust that those around you are trying to work out just what you're wearing.
Kilian Love Don't be Shy
Anyone with a sweet tooth is guaranteed to fall head over heels for this one. Kilian Hennessy's groundbreaking gourmand was the first one truly created with women – not teenagers – in mind, blending a syrupy marshmallow note with deep, warm amber and neroli.
Le Labo AnOther 13
A lesser-known yet equally masterful option from Le Labo, Another 13 is comforting yet challenging, blending the mysterious Iso E Super with milky musk and a mossy, green-grass freshness. It's appropriate for day and night – which is lucky, because the longevity is off the charts.
Glossier You
Like cosying up in a cashmere sweater, Glossier's You is a truly soothing treat. Ambrette seeds and musk blend to create a creamy scent that smells familiar and comforting – you, but sweeter.
PHLUR Missing Person
Selling out in seconds thanks to a viral Tiktok moment, Phlur's star scent is designed to deliver that soothing feeling you get from a hug with your favourite person. In a similar vein to Glossier's You, it's a soft floral-musk accord, but with shimmering accents of jasmine and bergamot to create a lighter, fresher trail. It's a 'close-to-skin' scent, so only those nearest you will experience it – and that's exactly the point.
Byredo Blanche
Byredo's collection might be ever-growing, but Blanche remains the one that has our heart. It's the most sophisticated 'clean' scent on the planet: think just-washed cotton sheets, tinged with a lavender and rose accord that feels calming and soothing, rather than saccharine.
Fenty Beauty Fenty
Ok, Rihanna's signature Fenty scent was very much worth the wait. True warmth in a bottle, this solar accord masterfully blends rose, magnolia and cashmere-soft musk, with hints of coconut and a twang of blueberry to take it somewhere seriously special.
