Claire Bernadette A. Mondares, DOST-STII

“I believe that fragrance, as an art form, is a work of the heart, more than the work of the brain.” This is what a renowned perfumer in the country, Oscar Mejia III said in a talk titled, “Bottled Masterpieces: Exploring the Art of Fragrances” on 26 February 2024.

The talk is part of a special event called Scents of Innovation: Local Art and Science of Green Fragrances, conducted by the Department of Science and Technology-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI), in celebration of National Arts Month.

“This event is not just about honoring our past, it is also about crafting the future,” said Dr. Rico J. Cabangon, director of the DOST-FPRDI in his message during the DOST-FPRDI Green Fragrance with Purpose Project aimed at developing fragrances from selected aromatic plant species using supercritical fluid extraction.

According to DOST-FPRDI, by studying the different Philippine aromatic plants and formulating fragrance products from their extracted essential oils, a wider raw materials base is expected to be uncovered, which can boost the fragrance industry.

Scents and Science

According to Mejia, people smell scents directly. Citing an example, he added that aromatic molecules of a flower directly enter the nose. These odor molecules travel through the nasal cavity, where there are olfactory receptors that relay information to the brain.

“Unlike other senses, which are processed on the cerebrum, or the top part of the brain, your sense of smell is processed in the limbic system which is in the lower part [of the brain]. And in the limbic system, that’s where also the emotions and memories are processed,” he said.

Moreover, since people are sometimes lost in words and are not able to describe scents and fragrances, Mejia said perfumers like him use notes to create scents.

“Fragrances like music, which is also an art form allow us to create a certain language of fragrances. Like music, these are also made up of notes,” Mejia explained.

In fragrances, perfumers use top notes (first impression); middle notes (heart of character; and base notes (body and longevity) to create scents. These notes help them to perfectly describe a scent.

Scent and Emotion

Normal people often associate scents with how they feel. According to Mejia, that is because scents are always related to emotions.

In his presentation, Mejia shared the design process he uses in crafting a specific scent for a client.

“The association we make to certain fragrances is molded both by our collective consciousness and individual experiences. Similar to viewing a painting, our appreciation of fragrances always happens in solitude and response to it is intimate,” Mejia added.

In the process, he started with profiling––asking clients to articulate preferences. He then creates a mood board, which contains inspirations to consider, based on the preferences of the client. Samples will then be sent to the client for evaluation where possible adjustments may be made to suit the client’s taste.

Mejia explained that when he creates a sample, he usually makes four. “The first one, I stick to the inspiration. It’s cerebral! It’s an intellectual approach. In the fourth sample, I call it a ‘god sample,’ because to me, it’s no longer me that’s working on it.”

“It’s no longer my mind, but it’s more of the heart. It’s an emotional process already where you just let your heart flow to create the sample,” Mejia said. According to him, 95 percent of the time, the ‘god sample’ is always chosen.

Making Scents of It

Mejia grew up on an orchid farm owned by his parents. They used to culture orchid varieties, thus his interest in perfumes started.

He said he used to pick flowers from the garden, boil them, and make scents as a present to his family and friends.

“To me, perfume was really an expression of how I felt, it is an expression of love and it’s a way of communicating to other people,” Mejia said.

Mejia spent his high school days at the Philippine Science High School in Davao City. He took Chemistry Material Science and Engineering in Ateneo.

With his passion for making scents, Mejia started a small perfume business. However, his biggest breakthrough in the perfume industry started when he joined the MaArte Fair at The Peninsula Manila.

Currently, Mejia is the Chief Executive Officer of Scentsories Inc.––a company that sells fragrance oils for candles, soaps, perfumes, and other scented products.

Oscar Mejia III features his masterpieces at the MaArte Fair held in August 2024 at The Peninsula Manila. (Photo from Oscar Mejia Artisan Fragrances Facebook page)

(Photo from DOST-FPRDI)