Wednesday 23 July 2008

DEMETER: Singular Scents


An interesting little company that is on the international rise is Demeter... the US firm that manufactures 'singular scents' of everyday things. The concept is a clever one... by measuring the molecular structure of different odours in a laboratory, Demeter can re-create any one of them - and in doing so, they have built a Library of Fragrance which holds almost any single scent you can think of. 
Love the smell of fresh baked bread, cut grass, thunder storms or pina coladas? Then you'll be sure to find it here. There are literally hundreds of odours on the Demeter homepage that run the gamut from the divine to the downright dreadful. If Mildew, Turpentine and Beetroot are not your style, then perhaps you can be tempted by Cinnamon Bun, Creme Brulée and Sex on the Beach.
What is immediately striking about this comprehensive series, is how true they are to the original source. Whilst one can't truly imagine wanting to smell like a laundromat or earthworm, I have to give Demeter kudos for their meticulous accuracy. Whilst I wouldn't say many of these are particularly wearable for every occasion, I do have to make mention of one that has made a grand impact on me... Gingerale. I am astonished at how Demeter has captured the sparkling effervescence of the true carbonated drink. It prickles at the back of the nose with a familiar dryness. Packed with rich clove and zesty lime, this is an appealing feel-good fragrance that has done well in turning heads (in a good way, of course).
 
Everyone tends to have their own "favourite smells" which may have been influenced by past recollection or modern fixation, but whatever case may be, Demeter is more than likely to have catalogued it. For use as either a room freshener, a gag gift, or a personal cologne, I am confident Demeter will have something that will appeal to you too. Visit their website here.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very informative Dmitri, thank you for this post. I like their concept.
But, is that "Funeral Home" I see listed on one of the bottles. Now that is an interesting scent, or at least I think it would be. Demeter is a risk taking line,or at least it seems. Funeral Home...hmmmm. Supposedly Ungaro III is a "Gothic" scent and in its reviews had depictions of wet roses and wood coffins. I'm not sure if the Demeter scent would be anything like that, but I am certainly curious.

Blog Author said...

Thanks 'surfacing'.

Yes, I too cant imagine what "Funeral Home" smells like... perhaps a combination of dusty drapes and formaldehyde? Whatever the case, one needs to have a good sense of humour when exploring the Demeter Library. But amongst the quirky ones, there are some true gems to be had. If you do ever sample the "Funeral Home", please let me know what you think.

Anonymous said...

The "Funeral Home" is actually a mixture of white flowers.