Iso E Super: love it or hate it, where do you stand?
TL;DRiso e super = synthetic woody amber that gives a smooth, slightly metallic, abstract velvety feeling. used well its one of the most beautiful materials in modern perfumery. used heavily, it reads generic or even sickly to sensitive wearers 馃
iso e super is one of those notes everyone in fragrance has an opinion about. some ppl wear Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 (essentially pure Iso E Super) like its the elixir of life. others claim it gives them headaches and that it has ruined modern perfumery 馃拃
where do u actually stand on Iso E Super, and how does that change the way u sample new fragrances?
7 answers
Sorted by accepted, then votesiso e super is one of the most fascinating materials in perfumery and it splits the room because of how it behaves on skin.
what it is:
- a synthetic woody amber molecule developed in the 1970s by IFF.
- on a paper strip it smells like a soft, smooth, slightly metallic cedar with a velvety, almost intangible quality.
- on skin, the magic is that it doesnt fully smell like itself. it amplifies and softens whatever else is in the composition.
why some ppl love it:
- creates an aura around the wearer that doesnt smell perfumey. ppl often say u smell good but i cant tell what ur wearing.
- its the spine of many beloved compositions: Dior Fahrenheit's drydown, Le Labo Santal 33's projection, Geza Schoens entire Escentric Molecules line.
- used at the right dose, gives a fragrance a kind of suede-like elegance that nothing else achieves.
why some ppl hate it:
- anosmia. roughly 20 to 30 percent of ppl are anosmic to Iso E Super at low concentrations and only smell it at very high doses. they experience high-Iso-E-Super fragrances as smelling like nothing or smelling thin.
- saturation fatigue. modern perfumery uses Iso E Super so heavily that long-time fragrance wearers have started to find it generic. after a year of sampling, u smell it everywhere and start to resent it.
- synthetic edge. cheap dupes use Iso E Super heavily and badly, contributing to a chemical printer cartridge character in their dry-downs.
where i stand: i love it in small to medium doses, especially when paired with sandalwood or amber. im tired of high-dose Iso E Super in cheap dupes. i wont buy a Molecule 01 bottle but i will appreciate Iso E Super used well 馃憣
indie perspective: when a craft perfumer wants to modernise a composition, they reach for Iso E Super. when they wanna make something feel personal and old-fashioned, they leave it out. that decision is one of the cleanest signals of where a fragrance sits aesthetically.
i prefer compositions that dont lean on it. Bruno Fazzolari's Lampblack, Slumberhouse Norne, anything by Tauer Perfumes. they feel more concrete because they use real materials with character rather than letting Iso E Super smooth everything out.
honest answer: i loved it for ten years and then i started to hate it for two years. now im in a complicated relationship with it 馃槄
the change happened when i started smelling it on every other person on the subway. the aura that was supposed to be subtle and personal is now ubiquitous. thats not the molecules fault but it changed my relationship with it.
i still like it in older fragrances. i avoid it in new releases.
long view. Iso E Super is an extraordinary tool that has been overused for two decades. the same is true of every dominant synthetic in perfumery's history (Hedione in the 1980s, calone in the 1990s). every era has its overused molecule.
the interesting question is what comes next. some perfumers are moving toward Cetalox and other woody ambers in place of Iso E Super. others are leaning back into older materials like real ambergris and natural musks (where ethical and legal). the pendulum will swing.
where i stand: i love the molecule in any composition older than 2005. im bored with it in compositions newer than 2020.
office reality check. Iso E Super's tendency to fill the room is real. in a small meeting room, even a moderate Iso E Super dose can become noticed by colleagues. new wearers should sample carefully in close-quarters environments.
useful self-test: spray Molecule 01 on a wrist. if u cant smell anything 30 minutes later, u r likely anosmic to Iso E Super at typical fragrance doses. if u r anosmic, u should pay attention because u may underrate fragrances that other ppl can clearly smell, and u may also under-apply fragrances yourself in compensation 馃
original asker. where ive ended up: i appreciate Iso E Super in fragrances that use it as one ingredient among many (Fahrenheit's dry-down). i avoid fragrances where its the entire idea (Molecule 01). the molecule is a tool. i want it serving compositions, not running the show.
best thread on this molecule ive read in any forum. mads, beautifully done 馃憣
- Akro Bake
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