THROWBACK TO ESXENCE 2022:
RAHUL’S HIGHLIGHTS
Fragrance and photography enthusiast Rahul Agarwal (@eternalscentjourney on Instagram) takes his followers with him in the universe of niche fragrances. Via his weekly interviews and posts, Rahul introduces brand owners and perfumers from all around the globe to the community of fellow perfume lovers. His love for telling beautiful stories, highlighting rich and diverse culture, and travelling into different realms by spraying fragrances, brought him to Esxence last june.
Image source: Esxence – The Art Perfumery Event
“I got into niche fragrances two years ago when I had the chance to attend Esxence in Milan and I couldn’t have asked for a better platform to educate myself and to explore this world that I was unaware of. Today, being able to share my experience of the same event, two years later, is like coming home again after a long travel and connecting all the dots!
During the 2022 Esxence fair in Milan, I finally got the opportunity to meet people that I had only spoken to on IG and through interviews on the platform. I realized how fulfilling it was to explore new brands as well as to connect and show my face to many others.”
HIGHLIGHT 1: HIMA JOMO
“Hima Jomo is a brand that tells the story of four seasons in four magical and extraordinary landmarks in the blissful Himalaya mountains. The four fragrances are 95% to 100% natural and created by the amazing Delphine Thierry, who is known for her excellent work and strong DNA. She created some extraordinary fragrances for brands like Masque Milano, Lubin, Floratropia and many more.
There is something personal about how the fragrances feel on the skin. From what I have smelled in a previous year, natural fragrances often have a strong DNA and a vintage vibe that I find hard to relate to. However, with Hima Jomo Delphine created something completely modern and contemporary yet something that feels like part of you.
Hima Jomo fragrances seem to be a portal into the nature. Every fragrance has an ingredient that is sourced from the eastern region and those individual ingredients completely shine in the fragrance and take you on a unique olfactive journey.
One of my favourites is Summer in Paro, which starts off green and woody, almost pine-forest like with a blast of spices in the opening. The scent transports you right inside an enchanted forest. It opens with a refreshing blast of Timur pepper (from Nepal) along with green notes dipped in honey and floral notes. This is honestly a perfume that’s hard not to fall in love with!”
HIGHLIGHT 2: VOYAGES IMAGINAIRES PARFUMS
“Voyages Imaginaires is founded by Camille Goutal & Isabelle Doyen. If you had told me two years ago that I’d have a chance of sitting next to Isabelle Doyen and smell ingredients and the accords she had created, I would have said that you were joking. It really felt surreal doing exactly that. With Isabelle’s creations for the brand, I realized how less can be more sometimes and how much beauty there is in simplicity. They helped me realize minimalistic fragrances have the power to take you on a voyage. The brand has 5 fragrances with strong character and depth but with an unapologetic elegance and class!
With Tea & Rock’N’Roll, I finally found my holy grail tea fragrance that delivers to its name. It’s an uplifting fresh and spicy citrus along with an earthy mate-like nuances that remind you of your last holiday on a beach. It smells quite natural like a freshly brewed bergamot tea with a touch of sweetness.”
HIGHLIGHT 3: OMAN LUXURY
“Oman Luxury is a fragrance house I related to right away solely because of my love for heavy, woody, incense-based fragrances (especially the ones that have a middle-eastern DNA). I feel that the brand has been very successful in creating high quality fragrances at a fantastic price point and I can imagine that people find these fragrances quite promising.
One of the most stunning fragrances is Khanjar, a woody aromatic perfume with beautiful touch of animalic oud. It’s not for the faint of heart, but for the fragrance connoisseurs who enjoy high quality oud in fragrances. A very classy and elegant citrus-oud combination that will make you smell like a million dollars. The heavy animalic oud is dipped in warm syrupy caramel and wrapped around velvety saffron, rose, and some other exotic florals. Khanjar is like pure bliss in a bottle.”
EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN BEFORE
“This was my second time visiting Esxence. I realize how over the years (along with my taste in fragrances) the expo has evolved and matured. Not only in terms the venue and the overall organization, but also the sheer quality and quantity of curated brands that one can find under one roof during the fair. It just gets better every year!”
MORE OF RAHUL
Instagram: @eternalscentjourney
YouTube: eternalscentjourney
