Why I choose natural aromatic materials, what makes botanical fragrance so fascinating, and why the beauty of perfumery lies in understanding what nature creates.
A rose is never just one note
Imagine walking through a garden on a warm summer evening. You stop beside a rose and lean closer. There is the familiar floral sweetness, of course. But perhaps you also notice something green, slightly spicy, fresh or almost fruity. The fragrance seems to have several different personalities at once. And the longer you pay attention, the more interesting it becomes.
Now imagine trying to capture that entire experience in a bottle.
Not simply creating something that smells recognisably like a rose, but preserving all those delicate nuances, contrasts and unexpected details. This is one of the things that fascinates me most about natural perfumery.
A flower is not one aromatic molecule. It is an extraordinarily complex composition created by nature.
And although modern chemistry can reproduce many aspects of natural fragrances with remarkable precision, there is something I find particularly beautiful about working with aromatic materials extracted from the plants themselves.
Not because science cannot create beautiful perfumes. But because I want nature to remain part of the creative process.
What makes a natural fragrance so complex?
A botanical extract is rarely a single aromatic substance. Depending on the plant and extraction method, an essential oil or absolute may contain dozens or even hundreds of individual chemical constituents.
Some are responsible for the material's most recognisable characteristics. Others appear in tiny quantities, sometimes so small that we might easily overlook their importance. Yet even a trace component can influence the way we perceive a fragrance.
Consider rose.
Its aromatic character may involve compounds such as citronellol, geraniol and phenethyl alcohol, alongside many other constituents present in different proportions. Together, they contribute to the extraordinary richness associated with natural rose materials. And even the method of extraction changes the result.
Rose essential oil obtained through distillation and rose absolute produced through solvent extraction are not identical. Each captures a different balance of aromatic components. Neither is an exact reproduction of the flower as it smells in the garden.
This is something I find wonderful about perfumery: even nature offers different interpretations of itself.
When working with natural extracts, I am not simply choosing an ingredient labelled rose, sandalwood or frankincense. I am choosing a material with its own particular structure, character and sensory possibilities.
The extraordinary achievements of synthetic perfumery
Modern perfumery would not be what it is today without synthetic aromatic materials. Through chemistry, perfumers have gained access to an enormous creative palette. Some synthetic molecules reproduce aromatic compounds that also exist in nature. Others introduce scent effects that are difficult to obtain from botanical materials, or allow perfumers to explore entirely new olfactory possibilities.
And synthetic perfumery is not simply the practice of replacing a beautiful natural ingredient with one inexpensive molecule. A sophisticated synthetic rose accord, for example, may contain numerous carefully balanced aroma molecules. Creating such a composition requires real technical knowledge, creativity and skill. In fact, some of the most celebrated fragrances in modern perfumery would be impossible to imagine without synthetic ingredients.
I find this history fascinating, and I appreciate the innovation behind it.
But it is not the direction I have chosen for sense • studio.
My interest lies in working with aromatic materials that originate from the natural world (and not fossil fuels, for example), exploring their complexity and translating them into contemporary fragrance compositions. I don't see that as a rejection of modern science. I see it as a creative choice about the materials I want to work with.
Natural isolates: where nature and precision meet
There is an important distinction within natural perfumery that is often misunderstood. The difference between synthetic aroma molecules and natural aromatic isolates.
A natural isolate is an individual aromatic compound separated and purified from a natural source. For example, an aromatic molecule may be obtained from an essential oil and isolated for use in a fragrance composition.
A synthetically produced molecule can, in some cases, have exactly the same chemical structure as a molecule found in nature. And if the molecules are chemically identical, their inherent properties do not change simply because one was extracted from a plant and the other created through synthesis.
The difference lies in their origin and production process.
At sense • studio, I use naturally derived aromatic isolates alongside essential oils, botanical absolutes, woods and resins.
I find them especially interesting because they allow me to work more precisely with certain facets of fragrance while remaining within my chosen palette of nature-derived materials.
An isolate might contribute brightness, introduce a delicate floral nuance or bring greater definition to part of a composition. It is another tool in the art of formulation. And one that beautifully illustrates how traditional botanical perfumery can benefit from contemporary knowledge.
Nature leaves its signature on every harvest
There is another characteristic of botanical materials that makes working with them particularly interesting. They are influenced by the conditions in which they grow.
Think about fruit. Two strawberries may look almost identical, yet one might taste beautifully sweet and aromatic while the other is slightly more acidic. The variety, growing conditions, ripeness and harvest all contribute to the result.
Something similar happens with aromatic plants. Sunlight, rainfall, temperature, soil, geography and harvesting conditions can influence the chemical composition of botanical extracts. Even different batches of the same essential oil may show subtle variations. The material remains recognisable, but certain nuances may become more or less prominent.
Part of the skill of working with natural ingredients lies in evaluating them carefully and ensuring they meet the requirements of a particular formulation. A fragrance should retain its identity, even when some of its raw materials come from different harvests. But I find the relationship between botanical perfumery and agriculture deeply inspiring. Every extract begins somewhere. In a particular landscape, during a particular season, under conditions that will never be repeated in exactly the same way.
Nature doesn't manufacture identical moments. It creates materials shaped by the world around them.
From botanical materials to perfume architecture
Of course, using natural materials does not automatically create a beautiful perfume. The artistry lies in how those materials are brought together.
When developing a fragrance, I might work with forty or fifty individual aromatic ingredients. Each needs to contribute something to the composition.
A citrus oil might bring brightness. A floral absolute could introduce softness and complexity. A woody note may provide structure, while a resin adds warmth and depth. But the real work lies in their relationships.
A material can smell extraordinary on its own and completely unbalance a composition when added in the wrong proportion. Something that seems almost insignificant may turn out to be essential. And occasionally, removing an ingredient creates a more beautiful result than adding another.
I often think about this as perfume architecture.
The fragrance needs structure, proportion, contrast and harmony.
There is the technical architecture of the composition itself, built through carefully balanced aromatic materials.
And then there is what I call emotional architecture: the way a finished fragrance can become part of our experience of a place, a moment or a memory.
Creating that relationship is what interests me. Not simply reproducing a recognisable smell. But creating a fragrance with its own character.
Natural materials ask for something in return
Working with botanical aromatic ingredients is not always the easiest or most economical choice.
Some require years of cultivation before they can be harvested. Others involve labour-intensive collection or extraction processes. Precious floral absolutes can require very large quantities of plant material to produce a relatively small amount of aromatic extract. Certain woods and resins have their own challenges around availability, cultivation and responsible sourcing. And because botanical materials can vary between batches, they also require careful evaluation. All of this influences their cost.
But it is important to acknowledge that natural doesn't automatically mean better in every respect.
A natural extract is not necessarily safer, more sustainable or more environmentally responsible than a synthetic alternative. Botanical materials can contain allergens and other constituents that require restrictions or careful handling. And agriculture itself has environmental consequences.
For me, choosing nature-derived ingredients comes with a responsibility to understand them.
Their composition, their origin, their behaviour and their appropriate use. This is where contemporary science, safety assessment and formulation knowledge become essential. I don't want to romanticise nature by pretending it is uncomplicated.
Its complexity is precisely what deserves our attention and respect.
Why I choose to compose with nature
When I started creating fragrances for sense • studio • amsterdam, I knew I wanted to work primarily with materials that came from the natural world.
There was something deeply appealing about returning to woods, flowers, roots, resins and botanical extracts. I loved the idea that a fragrance could begin with materials shaped by sunshine, seasons, soil and time. And that through careful composition, these ingredients could become something entirely new.
Over time, this approach developed into five signature fragrances: Goldrise, Heartwood, Stillbreath, Velvetglow and Holysmoke.
Each emerged through experimentation, adjustments and an ongoing fascination with how aromatic materials interact.
Four of these fragrance identities extend across different product formats, while Holysmoke currently exists exclusively as an eau de parfum. Each expression requires its own formulation, because fragrance behaves differently in alcohol, oil, wax and burning incense.
This is the combination I am interested in exploring. Natural materials and contemporary formulation.
Traditional craftsmanship and innovation.
Intuition and precision.
The beauty of the raw ingredient and the creative possibilities of the finished composition.
I don't believe that using botanical materials makes a fragrance inherently superior. But it gives my work a direction and a philosophy that feel deeply personal. And that matters to me.
More than the sum of its parts
Perhaps what I find most fascinating about nature is that its beauty so often emerges from relationships.
A forest is more than a collection of trees. A garden is more than a collection of flowers. And the fragrance of a rose is more than its most recognisable aromatic compound.
Science allows us to identify, understand and recreate many of the molecules responsible for these extraordinary scents.
That knowledge is one of the great achievements of modern perfumery. But understanding the individual components does not diminish my appreciation for the botanical material as a whole. If anything, it makes me more curious. About its complexity. Its origin. The changes it undergoes through extraction. And the new possibilities that emerge when it meets other aromatic materials in a composition.
At sense • studio, that curiosity is at the heart of what I create.
I don't work with nature because I believe synthetic perfumery lacks beauty. I work with nature because I find its materials endlessly beautiful. And I want to explore what happens when those materials meet human imagination, knowledge and craftsmanship.
A single molecule can be extraordinary. But so can the countless relationships that make a natural fragrance what it is.
Sometimes, the beauty lies in understanding both.
Frequently Asked Questions About Natural Perfumery
What is the difference between natural and synthetic perfume?
Natural perfumes are formulated with aromatic materials derived from natural sources, such as essential oils, absolutes, resins and botanical isolates. Synthetic perfumes use aroma molecules produced through chemical synthesis, often alongside natural ingredients. Both approaches can create complex, beautiful fragrances. The main distinction lies in the origin and production of the materials, rather than an automatic difference in quality.
Can synthetic fragrance smell exactly like a natural flower?
Synthetic aroma molecules and carefully constructed accords can reproduce many characteristics of natural floral fragrances with remarkable accuracy. However, a botanical extract may contain dozens or hundreds of constituents, including trace components that contribute to its distinctive character. Reproducing every nuance of a particular natural extract can be challenging, although sophisticated synthetic reconstructions may come very close.
What are natural isolates in perfumery?
Natural isolates are individual aromatic compounds extracted and purified from natural raw materials. They allow perfumers to work with specific aspects of a fragrance while using substances of botanical origin. Some natural isolates are chemically identical to synthetically manufactured aroma molecules, even though their sources and production processes differ.
Are natural perfumes safer than synthetic perfumes?
Not necessarily. Natural aromatic materials can contain allergens and other substances requiring careful control, just as synthetic fragrance ingredients can. Product safety depends on the ingredients, concentrations, exposure and intended use. Responsible natural perfumery involves ingredient evaluation, appropriate safety assessment and compliance with applicable product regulations.
At sense • studio • amsterdam, I create fragrances using nature-derived aromatic materials, combining botanical complexity with contemporary perfumery and thoughtful craftsmanship. Each composition is developed in small batches, with attention to the character of every ingredient.