Eidesis; Eau De Love

We often hear in the present day talk about the concept of self-love. But does self-love mean love from within for oneself or love for our physical appearance? It’s not always an easy concept to love one who is inside but the warnings are there in history and myths of the dangers of loving one’s physical self. Who would have thought that one’s love for their own physical appearance would cost them their life? Think of the Greek Myth of Narcissus, his tragic story eventually has now led to perfume. Eidesis; Eau De Love

Who remembers the myth of Narcissus? The Self Lover in Greek mythology.

Many women fell in love with this young man because he was so attractive; he was not kind back to them. For being unkind and breaking the heart of one of his lovers, he was punished by Nemesis, the goddess of retribution and revenge.

She led him to a pool where he fell in love with his own reflection in the water. Though he was initially unaware that it was only a mirror when he did realise the image was not ‘real’ he became dejected that the love he felt could not come bare fruit he ended his life.

A story as relevant now as it was when it was written especially as we live in a time of ‘selfies’ however this is a timeless tale one with layers of human intrigue and a storyline rich in emotion; One that has spawned a modern new scent.

Eidesis Eau De Parfum by Aesop and their fragrance partner and nose Barnabe Fillion commemorates the fictitious worlds that lie under the surface of the mirror by using symbolism from the Greek myth of Narcissus. This perfume combines iridescent blossoms with an earthy, woody base while bursting with beautiful and fresh top notes of Petitgrain, and Black pepper.

Interestingly, Petitgrain Essential Oil is cultivated from the twigs and leaves of the bitter orange tree through a process of steam distillation, characterized by its potent and intoxicating aroma.

The perfume of petitgrain oil is sweet yet sour, with hints of floral and woody notes. It combines very well with oils that are flowery, citrus, and woody.

For centuries, black pepper has been the mainstay of the exchange of goods, and today it is the most widely used spice in the world, due to its inherent ability to not only improve the taste of food but also facilitate digestion. It is also very involved in perfume making because of the ability to connect the top and bottom notes of the perfume composition in a fresh, yet bold way; it can bring together notes within a scent.

”A smell, whether in the air, on our skin, or on our clothes, creates a world within our world that is both physical and imagined—a phenomenon that blurs the boundaries of past and present, real and unreal, here and there. A window into nature, so to speak, one that invites a dialogue with surroundings that we inhabit but often overlook.”

Barnabe Fillion

Furthermore, the heart notes combine spice, incense and wood through Cumin, Cedar and Frankincense, giving a sense of the more expansive wood notes and rich, welcoming earth in the base.

If you use a lot of cumin in your cuisine, its pungent scent may linger on your clothing, furnishings, and surroundings with an earthy aroma. Unless you frequently cook with cumin, this odour will soon go away.

Surprisingly, a lot of people find a resemblance between the smell of cumin and natural bodily scent. The aroma of cedar wood oil, on the other hand, is woodsy with a citrus undertone. It is known to be camphorous and has balsamic undertones.

Associated perfume descriptors for this fragrant wood scent include pencil shavings and elegant cigar boxes, both of which are frequently made of cedar.

Last but not the least, if you’re curious about what frankincense smells like, most people describe it as being soft, sweet, and lemony while also having an earthy, woodsy, piney, or balsamic aroma.

Woody, spicy, ambery, Eidesis is the perfume equivalent of gazing into a mirror but that mirror is outside, surrounded by woods and held in a liminal space. The opening burst of black pepper and darkly sexy Frankincense sets the mood of intrigue because almost buried along with it, squirrelled away the brightness of petitgrain. The perfumer Barnabé Fillion (a long-term Aesop collaborator) did a similar trick with Hwyl where he buried in the middle of the scent Vanilla Bourbon, which is almost undetectable but utterly makes the fragrance so genius and it’s the same here. Once the spice and bright petitgrain kick in then the sublime lightness of florals melds with light and dark woods and grassy divine vetiver.

Genderless and part of the Othertopias range sold in 50 ml bottles as an EDP. Understandably the perfume is calming to the mind and soul and is complex and beautifully balanced with the little surprises you would expect from this brand and the perfumer Barnabé Fillion.

The new EDP is available here at Aesop.Com.