china: 6 posts

Iris is an ingredient that almost always sways me, and yet the more iris fragrances I smell, the harder it becomes to be genuinely surprised. Iris is among the most complex materials in perfumery, whether natural or reconstructed. It originates from the rhizome of Iris pallida, and its scent moves effortlessly between contrasts: violet petals and frozen roots; green buds and powdery floral softness. It is elegant and ethereal, yet anchored by a strong, unmistakable core. That is precisely why Iris Hermit by Lapot Studio felt like such a revelation when I discovered it in Shanghai. It gave me my iris ideal type when I least expected it.

What struck me immediately was the texture of the iris. Soft, but not vague. Delicate, yet not fragile. There is a beautiful opalescence about it, like the pale interior of an oyster shell, smooth, luminous, and quietly sensual. The iris is gently cushioned by light peachy nuances that add a hint of sweetness, while green accents shimmer through the composition. Notably, there is no overt woodiness anchoring the scent. Instead, the structure feels suspended, airy, and finely balanced.

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Shanghai greeted me with the shimmer of rain and neon lights, and within hours of landing, I was already on stage at Notes Shanghai, a major perfume exhibition, speaking about the future of niche perfumery.

I shared a thought that stayed with me throughout the fair: the future of perfumery will belong to those who can tell stories with sincerity. The industry does not need more polished copies of Parisian classics; it needs new voices, new references, and new ways of translating memory into scent. In Shanghai, I felt as if I was watching that future take shape.

Once my presentation ended, I wandered through the exhibition hall. The first day seemed lively, even as the exhibition hall was still in the final setup stages. Brand owners spoke with visitors, indie perfumers put the final touches on their displays, buyers compared notes. The mood was relaxed, almost festive. I have been to many fragrance events, but Notes Shanghai stood out. It felt alive, spontaneous, and genuinely joyful. Every stand was like an invitation to discovery.

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My newsletter is back! You’ll receive content I don’t share anywhere else — behind-the-scenes notes, sensory musings, and glimpses of work in progress. As a thank you for being part of my newsletter community, I’ve created a short guide on the art of cologne, including a simple accord you can try yourself and a curated list of exceptional colognes worth sampling. My hope is that it inspires you to smell more deeply and find joy in these timeless compositions. Subscribe here.

I’ve always been fascinated by the way perfume travels. A vial of rose attar distilled in Kannauj might find its way to a perfumer’s bench in Kyiv, while the scent of pomelo blossoms perfuming a courtyard in Hanoi could inspire a new fragrance accord in Tokyo. The history of perfumery has always been one of exchange of ideas, raw materials, and traditions. That’s one of the main reasons I became interested in aromatics and devoted more than 20 years to studying them.

This October, I will be continuing this journey as I travel to China. I’ve lived and worked in different countries in Asia, but this is going to be my first trip to China. Before I travel to Beijing and Chengdu, I will start at Notes Shanghai 2025, the premier international exhibition dedicated to fine fragrance. From October 16–19, the West Bund International Convention and Exhibition Center will transform into a meeting place for more than 200 fragrance brands from around the world, alongside forums, cultural programs, and the live judging of the Golden Osmanthus Awards.

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Чай та османтус: Ароматна спадщина Китаю (українська версія)

When I traveled in Vietnam, I sat at a low wooden table in Hue and learned incense-making from a master. It rained outside and the scent of blooming osmanthus filled the studio with its languid fruity aroma. The master ground woods, resins, and spices before binding them into sticks with makko powder. The recipe, he explained, had Chinese origins: agarwood, sandalwood, clove, borneol. These were ingredients once carried along the great trade routes, linking temples, courts, and homes. Watching him, I realized how much of perfume’s history rests on such exchanges.

China’s scent culture is vast. It ranges from temple incense to osmanthus blossoms in autumn, from precious agarwood to the steam of a teacup. Western perfumery rarely bottles these traditions directly, but their influence lingers, shaping some of the most interesting fragrances of the last decades.

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Due to a last-minute change, I have a space available in our Scent Training Masterclass on August 24, Saturday, 6pm-7:30pm CET (12pm-1:30pm EST).
Location: Zoom
Class duration: 1.5 hours
55€ SOLD OUT

I enjoy recreating historical fragrances. Even when modern materials are used, the combinations turn out to be so unusual and memorable that finding more sources for antique formulas becomes a quest. My incense journey began while I was conducting research for the ISIPCA course I’m teaching this fall, focusing on the cultural and historical significance of fragrance. As I delved into the subject, my interest in the ancient practices of China, particularly the art of incense, grew stronger. I was already familiar with Japanese incense from my university studies and travels and I knew that the tradition came to Japan from China during the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) and evolved into its own form. Learning about the original incense recipes and the scent philosophy in China thrilled me as it reminded me once again how deep and complex are the interactions between scent and culture, fragrance and art, perfume and society.

Incense was considered one of three “refined arts” in ancient China, along with tea ceremony and flower arrangement. Some of the earliest mentions of incense combinations date to the 3rd century BCE. As still remains the case, agarwood, the petrified wood of the aquilaria species, was the prized fragrance material, admired in its own right. Ancient texts mention frankincense and clove as ingredients to add facets to agarwood and lend it a different character, depending on the incense blender’s mood and artistic choices. Chinese women even mixed incense into makeup powders to paint their eyebrows black.
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