Unscented Candle by Jonah Simonak

odorous molecules | 50mL | Edition of 1

the experience of a scented candle, aromatically stripped of the typical signifiers that make candles scented

artist statement:

In part influenced by the artist Joseph Beuys’s work with limited materials, specifically wax, I developed this fragrance with the intent of highlighting wax as an overlooked aromatic in modern fragrance. Scented candles have flooded the home goods market for the past decade, with a penchant for maximalist, room-filling notes such as tomato leaf, sandalwood, and vetiver. With this project, I’d like to consider the host of those scents, the “carrier” material, as a contender worthy of olfactive exploration.

I created an accord using a number of materials that together evoke an experiential example of a wax candle, but aromatically stripped of the typical signifiers that make candles “scented.” To do this I used nine materials, including aldehyde c-9, manuka, sylvamber, heliotrope, cypriol, and beeswax absolute. The result is a linear, lean scent, but formulated to be modern, provocative, and highly wearable.