Explore Asia Through Scents
Perfume is memory in a bottle, which is no surprise because olfaction is our most powerful and sentimental sense. It is the only one of the five basic human senses that projects directly to the limbic system, the emotional center of our brain, without need for rerouting. Even small intricacies in smell are able to trigger strong emotional responses, ranging from passion to repulsion to intrigue to nostalgia. Just as with books, movies, and music, the perfumes we align with and the perfumes we despise equally reflect our personal taste and lived experiences.
Following the Scent…
I like to think of fragrance as just another facet of an outfit. The reasons for choosing a scent are no different than our reasons for putting on specific clothes: weather, occasion, comfort, and mood. Perhaps you have a perfume you wear just on rainy days, or a perfume just for first dates because it makes you feel confident. Perhaps it’s a lazy day and you want a comforting scent for the day. Your choice might be something reminiscent of warm laundry or your favorite childhood treat.
And for the perfumers and the fragrance heads, perfumery is also a beloved art. It is a means of expression distinct from other art forms because it is both wearable and molded to our unique body chemistry. No one perfume will smell the same on different people due to the way our bodies interact with the scent chemistry. And no two perfumers can ideate and concoct the same perfume. Perfumers fashion fragrances after places they wish to return to, foods they’ve tried, and people they’ve loved. In turn, the user gets to bring their own associations to the scent when wearing it.
Admittedly, getting into fragrance is a slippery slope. First, you’re at Nordstrom trying to buy the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Next, you’re browsing fragrance sites for niche options…Then your personal collection has grown into the double digits. And as with most hobbies, the deeper you get, the pricier it becomes. Every perfume house mentioned can first be explored through samples from fragrance sites like Lucky Scent, Ministry of Scent, and Scent Split, or through discovery sets and travel sizes offered by the house themselves. Costs for discovery sets are often redeemable towards a full bottle. In-person testing is also available at niche fragrance stores such as The Scent Room and Scent Bar in Los Angeles, Ministry of Scent in San Francisco, and The Drydown in Carlsbad.
Whether you already have a diverse collection or are just dipping your toes, there is absolutely something for everyone if you’re ready to scour fragrance forums and smell until your nose needs a break. Perfume concepts can often sound too abstract or simply just too far removed from your own experiences. I’ve never experienced a Swedish summer even if it sounds delightful, but I certainly know my way around a good mooncake around the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Many AAPI perfume houses have been founded for the very same reason—to share our cultures, reminisce on our childhoods, and reclaim some of the smells that might’ve brought isolation in our upbringing. Founders are often diasporic, and their concepts lay on the foundation of their cultural roots while also reinventing those memories for new audiences.
Here’s a list of AAPI perfume houses to make that search just a little bit easier. Reserve a day, invite some friends, and happy sniffing!
RAHASYA (India 🇮🇳)
Founded by three 30-something year old Indian expats living in Singapore, Rahasya is rooted in the modern Indian experience and interested in pushing boundaries, challenging stereotypes, and exploring what the modern Indian identity feels and smells like. They currently have two collections, Debut and Magizhchi, that each offer wearable snapshots of Indian culture everyday life.
Captures… an Indian wedding, summer monsoons, a perfect cup of cha
My personal favorite… Rickshaw Rhythms. A strong opening of coconut that mellows out into lovely fig. The sleek suede in the base makes you want to let down your hair. Let the wind comb through it.
Image courtesy of RAHASYA
J-SCENT (Japan 🇯🇵)
J-Scent specializes in playful, yet wearable scents designed by Hironobu Kobayashi. As the name suggests, this house embodies facets of Japanese culture from food and drink to traditions, to abstractions like warmth and light. They have the normal J-Scent line and the higher-end J-Scent; Profound line which offers more nuanced and abstract scents.
Captures… the pop and fizz of Ramune, the aromatic hair wax of a sumo wrestler, light through foliage
A trusted friend recommends… Tsukishizuku. Imagine midnight in a cove. Ocean mist rendering everything hazy. Peeking through: the round and iridescent moon.
Image from ACROFAN
ONE DAY (Hong Kong 🇭🇰)
Founded by Michael Wong, One Day creates scents around the singular idea of tangible places and things. The swath of white on their bottles reflects their priority for simplicity and serenity. Their two collections are the transportive Ethos of Cities line and the photo-realistic Tea Exclusive collection.
Captures… a boat picnic, a steeping cup of jasmine, an island reprise
Need to get my hands on… Taipei. Steamed, glutinous rice. Lactonic, starchy, and creamy. It’s dinner time, and you make a beeline for the rice cooker.
Image from FRAGRANTICA
ELOREA (South Korea 🇰🇷)
Founded by Korean-American couple Wonny Lee and Su min Park, Elorea sources natural materials from Korea for each of their scents. They currently have four collections drawing from Korean heritage, tradition, phrases, and the flag, respectively. Their flagship stores in Los Angeles and New York have an attached café making drinks designed to pair with their scents.
Captures… the ache of missing someone, silk flowers, traditional hanbok
A trusted friend recommends… Fire (리). Sitting in front of a campfire at dusk, your hands warmed by a spicy cup of tea. The sun blinks away in the horizon.
Image courtesy of ELOREA from LinkedIn
The Himalayas
Hima Jomo was established during the pandemic by a team based in France and the Himalayan regions. Each bottle pays homage to the natural beauty of the Himalayan landscape and the diverse ways of living across the mountainous region. They currently offer three collections: Seasons, Treasures, and Journeys.
Captures… Himalayan pink salt, a forbidden city, resinous green forest
My personal favorite… Pashm. The delicate weave of pashmina under your fingers. Lingering spices of the person who wore it before you. A gentle, musky embrace.
Image from Le Nez Insurgé
STRANGERS PARFUMERIE (Thailand 🇹🇭)
Founded to cherish the life experiences of its Thai founder Prin Lomros, Strangers Parfumerie is an olfactory journal of food, journeys, and fading memories that draw inspiration not only from Thailand, but also abroad. Their sister houses Prisanna and PRIN offer a variety of sensory experiences at different price points.
Captures… a morning as golden as mango, the sweetness of first love, the hues of summer
Need to get my hands on… Salted Green Mango. A dark green mango best enjoyed underripe. The tang of salt and dried chilli. You can almost taste the sea.
Image from PRIN
With the sheer variety of perfumes, spanning the range of Asia and its diasporic communities worldwide, there is a scent out there for everyone. This crash course was just a quick snapshot of the fragrances available to explore, but the rabbit hole grows the more you sniff….
Is there an AAPI perfumery or particular fragrance you know about that we don’t? Inbox us @LotusMag on Instagram to let us know what we might be missing!