A fragrance-making primer from the Institute for Art and Olfaction (IAO) got me excited to make another iteration of my Hwyl.

This iteration feels much more mine, not just in the sense/scents that I mixed. I drew more from the earnest and scientific spirit of the IAO rather than the pretentious spirit of Aesop.

On materials:

We believe, at the IAO, that nothing is inherently more valuable than anything else in this weird, wonderful, multiplicitous world. In other words, no one way of working is superior to another. However, we tend to encourage people to try everything, to work with both naturals AND synthetics, to make use of accords if they want to, but always be open to changing their minds.

On philosophy:

We believe that there is no one right or wrong way to work with scent. As such, we try to present a variety of philosophies and methodologies, and keep an open mind about the many clever ways people can wield a pipette. However, when it comes to safety and basic terminology, there are a few industry standards upon which we can agree.

I put the next iteration of my Hwyl in a hand-picked, un-branded travel atomizer to carry with me in my backpack, just in case I need to lecture someone about my fragrance.