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Lilac Dragons
We are playing in a slightly new and intriguing space for this week’s episode. Jinx Strange, the innovative creator behind Strange Fire and Fumery, is here to discuss their latest creative venture, known as Hero Scent. In this unique project, you have the exciting opportunity to purchase distinctive scents while also building your own roleplaying character and developing an ongoing character narrative through the artful layering of fragrances and personal experimentation. We had a wonderful time chatting about the many merits of Dungeons and Dragons, the influence of subculture magazines, the vast world of High Fantasy, and the profound connections we can find with plants and nature.
Fragrances mentioned:
Roll for Seduction - Hero Scent
Lilac & Gooseberries - Hero Scent
Books mentioned:
The Witcher Omnibus - Paul Tobin
Find Strange Fire & Fumery on
Instagram: @strange.fire.and.fumery
Bluesky: @strangefirefumery.bsky.social
Website: strangefirandfumery.com
Find Hero Scent on
Instagram: @hero.scent or on
Blueksy: @heroscent.bsky.social
Website: heroscent.com
Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records
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47. Story Keepers
01:09:06||Season 2, Ep. 47“The time I think of you the most is when the sun comes up. The moment before, the minute or two, when night yawns for morning and the sea starts to separate from the sky.”― Emma Stonex, The LamplightersIn this episode’s guests are Juliette Fournier and Richard Adamson from NSW-based Hart + Hedi. Juliette, a former fashion designer, and Richard, a brewer and part owner of Young Henry's, share their journey into the art of scent creation. They discuss how their backgrounds have influenced their approach to making fragrances, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and creativity.We delve into their personal connections to their fragrances, exploring how their artistic vision and passions shape their work. They reflect on how memories influence perceptions and relationships, making each scent a unique story.Hart + Hedi, founded by Juliette and Richard, is a modern, independent Australian fragrance house known for producing high-quality, unique scents. Using Australian native flora and carefully selected ingredients from around the world, their signature scents are the result of years of research, dedication, and numerous iterations.Hart + Hedi is also a purpose-driven project, committed to supporting vulnerable women in Australia by donating a percentage of profits to organizations that provide essential services to this community. Join us for an insightful conversation about the intersection of fragrance, creativity, and social impact.Fragrance mentioned (all Hart + Hedi):Cocktail HourSome Velvet Morning House of HeartRock’n’Roll Circus Coastal Fever Book mentioned: The Lamplighters - Emma StonexFind Hart + Hedi on Instagram: @hartandhediWebsite: hartandhedi.com Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records46. Resilience
53:34||Season 2, Ep. 46“Kya knew judgment had no place here. Evil was not in play, just life pulsing on, even at the expense of some of the players. Biology sees right and wrong as the same color in different light.” - Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads SingThis episode’s guest is Aysha Hansen, a passionate perfumer with a fascinating story. Aysha shares her unique journey from being a fragrance lover to becoming a professional perfumer. She discusses her early memories of scent, recounting how these experiences shaped her career in the cosmetics industry. A pivotal moment in her life led her to pursue perfumery, a decision that has since defined her professional path.Aysha also discusses her passion for teaching, which she channels through her popular perfume workshops and the upcoming launch of her own fragrance line, giving listeners a sneak peek into what to expect.The discussion shifts to resilience and finding beauty in tough times, exploring human behavior and relationships. It emphasizes nature's ecosystem, parallels between human and animal behaviour, and the complex issues of trust and isolation in communities.Fragrance mentioned:Golden Thread - Aysha Hansen Ambrosia - Aysha Hansen Ghost Lover - Aysha Hansen Norne - SlumberlandA Girl in Capri - Lanvin Volutes -DiptyqueTyrannosaurus Rex - Zoologist Book mentioned: Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens Find Aysha Hansen on Instagram: @ayshahansenfinefragranceWebsite: ayshahansen.com Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records45. Science and Play
39:46||Season 2, Ep. 45Smells s enrich our life experiences like colours on a canvas. When asked to reflect on their sense of smell, people often have many a story to tell… In this episode, we have a slightly different focus, thanks to the fascinating work of our guest, Erin Adams. Erin is behind Smell Art, a unique blend of art and science that explores the power of scent. Her journey into olfactory art began in 2007 at a Secret Chiefs 3 concert in Melbourne, where a captivating scent from the stage sparked her fascination with the sense of smell.In this episode, we delve into the science behind smell and discuss ways to make exploring this sense playful and fun. We also talk about the book "The Forgotten Sense" by Jonas Olofsson, which provides further insights into the importance and impact of our sense of smell.Join us as we explore how smells and scents enrich our life experiences and discover the stories and science behind people’s olfactory experience. Fragrance mentioned:Go outside and smell consciously. Let us know what you find! Book mentioned: The Forgotten Sense: The New Science of Smell—and the Extraordinary Power of the Nose - Jonas OlofssonFind Smell Art on Instagram: @_smell_art_Website: smellart.com.au Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records44. Futurism
01:03:48||Season 2, Ep. 44“Can you walk the road your dream goes?Sometimes. Sometimes I am afraid to.Who is not.” -Ursula K. Le GuinDr Caroline McMillan is a researcher, designer, speaker, olfactory art expert, and smell tech founder and we discuss science fiction and possible futures of olfactive design. Dr McMillan’s work has been featured at SXSW, Cannes Lions, CTM Festival Berlin, Holitopia Festival, the BR41N.io residency at Ars Electronica, the Digital Olfaction Society and the ACM International Conference on Tangible Embedded & Embodied Interaction (TEI), and for clients Tubi, Amplify, Soho House, Deutsche Telekom, WGSN London, H&M and Zalando. She now helps organisations design and implement scent experiences in a way that enhances connection. She’s studied the art of haute couture techniques in the métiers of Paris and won awards for her technology innovations. Her podcast, Sensuous Peripheries, explores the aesthetics of creativity, culture, and technology, described as an “audio delight” by Yosh Han, the pioneer of American Perfumery. Fragrance mentioned:Honey Blossom - Mandy Aftel Autumn 25 - Liminus Aurelius - Siuno Book mentioned: The Word for World is Forest - Ursula K. Le GuinFind Dr Caroline McMillan on Instagram: @__carolinemcmillian__Sensuous Periphery Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records43. Impermanence
01:38:45||Season 2, Ep. 43“To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest. To live fully is to be always in no-man's-land, to experience each moment as completely new and fresh.” Storytelling is key in creating fragrances and how scents connect to our emotions. Using Pema Chodron’s ideas on change and fear, Karen Gilbert helps examine how these themes relate to personal growth and perfume-making. Karen is a teacher of perfumery, hosting in person and online masterclass and is the host of the Perfume Making podcast. She has also studying meditation and incorporates these learnings into her workshops on brain training and personal rituals. We highlighted the intricate nature of scent memories—how one smell can trigger strong emotions and take us back in time. Karen shared her path to self-discovery, the difficulties she faced in staying true to herself in business, and the importance of accepting change. We also discussed how emotions and self-compassion can enrich our experiences with scents, highlighting the value of supporting artisanal fragrance creators and the joy that well-made scents can bring, especially in tough times. Fragrance mentioned:Poison - DiorNo. 5 - ChanelLipstick Rose - Frederic MalleHomme - Dior O’de Lancome - LancomeOriginal Cologne - 4711 Gilay - L.A CouchBook mentioned: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times - Pema Chodron Find Karen Gilbert on Instagram: @karengilbertWebsite: karengilbert.co.ukIf you are interested in the Scent Shift workshops : https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/the-scent-shift Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records42. Revisited
01:10:11||Season 2, Ep. 42“I should like to bury something precious in every place where I've been happy and then, when I'm old and ugly and miserable, I could come back and dig it up and remember.”Fliss Walton returns to the podcast to engage in a thoughtful discussion about Evelyn Waugh's 'Brideshead Revisited,' a novel that stands out as one of her all-time favourite books. Waugh’s has a beautifully light touch when it comes to the intricate themes of love, profound loss, and the weight of social expectations, examining how these elements intertwine with the experiences of the novel's characters. This enlightening conversation also touches on the bittersweet notion of nostalgia, the complexities of relationships, and the multifaceted nature of love, with a particular focus on the dynamics between Charles, Julia, and Sebastian. Fragrance mentioned:Figment - Amouage Fate Woman - Amouage Jicky - GuerlainShalimar - Guerlain Habanita - MolinardEdimbourg - Chanel Le Pavilion D’or - DusitaDeux - Trudon Wander Through the Park - Miller Harris Once Upon a Garden - La PerlaInvasion Barbare - MDCI Parfums Original - Eight & BobIncense Avignon - Comme de Garcon Bois d'Encens - Armani Prive Book mentioned: Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder - Evelyn Waugh Find Fliss on Instagram: @fliss_sniffs_stuffTheme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records41. Second Chances
58:44||Season 2, Ep. 41Life choices can be reflected in the narratives we create, But we can change the narrative at any time.This conversation features Diane Risopoulos, a perfumery apprentice in Rome and a graduate of the 5eme Sens school in Grasse. She also is the author of the blog Pixidis Perfumes. We talk about how literature and perfume connect, focusing on how scents trigger memories and emotions. Diane collaborates with the Aromata Prize, a new perfume competition in Rome that celebrates perfume as an art and explores its ties to literature. We also discuss the philosophical ideas of choices and fate in both stories and fragrances. The speakers share personal stories about their perfume journeys, the challenges of training in perfumery during the COVID pandemic, and how scent enriches storytelling.Fragrance mentioned:White Whale - Christian Alori for Masque MilanoComedia Di Mezza Estate - Edoardo Tacconi for Ateneo dell'OlfattoJasmin et Cigarette - Etat Libre d’OrangeLa Rose Jacqueminot - CotyShalimar - GuerlainNo.5 - Chanel Apres l'Ondee (After the Rain Shower) - GuerlainThe Nightingale’s Cup - Cult of Scent No. 19 - Chanel Infusion d'Iris - PradaBook mentioned:Life After Life - Kate AtkinsonPoem mentioned:Demain dès l'aube (Tomorrow At Dawn) - Victor Hugo Find Diane onInstagram: @pixidisperfumes Website: www.pixidisperfumes.comFind Aromata onInstagram: @aromata2024Website: liberostile.org/en/aromata/Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records40. Empathy
49:52||Season 2, Ep. 40Stories and fragrance are portals into other worlds. There are opportunities for connection and understanding when we experience both. In this conversation, I explore with Yosh Han the profound connections between scent, literature, and cultural identity, particularly through the lens of Octavia Butler's 'Kindred'. We discuss the serendipitous journey of discovering the book, the complexities of decolonizing scent, and the spiritual and physical connections that fragrance evokes. The dialogue delves into the impact of colonialism on scent, the role of fragrance in healing, and the power of literature to foster empathy and understanding. Ultimately, the conversation highlights the intricate relationship between personal experiences, cultural contexts, and the sensory world. Fragrance mentioned:Le Demimonde - Studio Scent More on the perfumer Candice Windrow Weekly Books mentioned: Kindred - Octavia Butler Find Yosh Han on Instagram: @scent_festival , @eaudeyosh , @scenttrunk (creative director) Website: eaudeyosh.com , scenttruck.com , Youtube: Scent Festival Netflix: Human: the World Within Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records39. Mythology and Artistry
47:58||Season 2, Ep. 39"We are nothing but the stories we tell ourselves..."In this conversation, Purvi Joshi, the creative director of Peosym, shares her journey into the world of niche fragrances, inspired by personal loss and the stories that shape our lives. We discusses the significance of storytelling in fragrance creation, the cultural inspirations behind her scents, and and how we change and grow when we move into new spaces. Our chat explores themes of loss, memory, and the evolving nature of language and identity, culminating in reflections on the narratives found in young adult fiction and their parallels to personal growth and understanding.Fragrances mentioned:Nirmohee - PeosymHorn Ok Please - Peosym Lost Wonderer - Peosym Books mentioned: Aru Shah and the End of Time - Roshani ChokshiThe Henna Artist - Alka JoshiFind Peosym on Instagram: @peosymWebsite: peosym.com.auTheme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records