10 Interesting Houses to Explore

Source: www.pixabay.com

Good afternoon! I hope everyone is doing well today. It's quite windy here, so I am just lounging around the house and had an idea, so I thought I would do another article today. This one is based on mostly indie houses with a few niche ones. Most of these are creative houses that lean more artistic than practical. Although, some do have a few mass appealing and wearable options. Some of these houses I have tried and some I have not. I just thought it would be a fun one to do.

These are not in any sort of numerical ranked order. They are just numbered to keep the article looking clean. Let's get into it!


1. Imaginary Authors

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Imaginary Authors is a company that makes fragrances as the company name implies. They are short stories by perfumer Josh Meyer. With creative names like Every Storm a Serenade, Cape Heartache, and A City on Fire you know these are interesting fragrances.

What Josh Meyer does is create an author who doesn't exist and link it to some type of story about the author's life. A long lost love, a catastrophe, or emotions on paper are a few of his focal points around his fragrances.

I love fragrances that tell a story and have a dose of passionate inspiration behind them. I don't think anyone would short Josh on passion and creativity. I haven't had a chance to try any of his stuff yet, but I am looking forward to doing it at some point.


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2. Alkemia

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Alkemia makes a lot of perfume oils, but some come in a spray form. I have had the pleasure of trying out two of their creations and I will tell you, they smell very realistic. I was quite pleased with their quality, especially considering that they are the most affordable house on this list.

Their fragrances generally focus on a specific place. Such as a forest cabin in the winter, a dip in the lake in the summer, or a historical event. They can take you to whatever place they are trying to bottle easily and that is why I am a big fan of this house and I can't wait to try more from them.

I just noticed that I never reviewed the second fragrance I received from them. I will do that one very soon.

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3. Gallivant

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Gallivant is a fragrance company that seeks to bottle up a destination and bring it to you. All of their offerings are themed around certain cities around the world. The whole idea of destination-based perfumery excites me since I love traveling and exploring new lands and cultures.

From what I can collect for his descriptions, these are places that the owner, Nick Gallivant, has been to. So, essentially these are his scent memories we are exploring, which I think is really neat. Some of his offerings include London, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo.

On his website, he has vivid descriptions of the fragrances and what they seek to embody and why certain accords were chosen. It's always nice to know the story and inspiration behind a fragrance. We need more companies that are willing to do this.

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4. Zoologist

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What list of interesting houses would be complete without Zoologist? Quite possibly one of the most unique houses out there. Victor Wong, the owner of the company, seeks to recreate the habitats that animals live in with his offerings.

There is nothing else like what Zoologist offers on the market. Most companies aren't daring enough to do what Victor does and I have a ton of respect for him for doing what he does. Some of the fragrances offered here are Squid, Chameleon, and the feared Tyrannosaurus Rex.

These fragrances are mostly for people who appreciate art. A lot of them can be polarizing, but he has some more mass appealing fragrances like Squid, Panda, and Camel. I have only tried Squid and Rhinoceros, which from what people have said, are lighter offerings from the house. They are still completely unique and interesting.

I do look forward to trying more from this house because I am a huge animal lover and I think these fragrances to be enticing and captivating due to the stories you can associate with them. His next release is Bee, which looks to be very interesting as well.

Victor, if you happen to see this, I am still waiting on a Penguin or Polar Bear one. I want to see your take on the icy and snow-laden surroundings of an animal habitat.

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5. PK Perfumes

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PK Perfumes, named after the owner and perfumer Paul Kiler, is an indie house that strives to use the best possible ingredients while bringing you a completely unique olfactory experience. Paul Kiler also makes Zoologist Rhinoceros and he made the old formula of Panda. They changed the formula of Panda because of not being able to source the materials, not because Paul's creation wasn't fitting.

I would say Paul certainly accomplishes compositions that you won't find anywhere else. His fragrances don't carry a common theme like other houses. At least as far as I can tell. His creations seem to be born out of his own imagination and inspiration he interprets from the world around him. So, similar to Gallivant, Paul takes us on a journey into his mind and how he perceives things. Again, that is an awesome thing to experience.

PK Perfumes are often said to not be wearable. I disagree. Ere is one of the best foresty fragrances on the market and uses notes that no one else has even thought of. Cuir Moderne is a beautifully executed bad boy leather fragrance. Cafe Diem is a cozy coffee fragrance with smoke. Let his fragrances grow on you and you will understand them. I need to try out his take on some gourmands next. I think Paul is a genius perfumer and he should get more credit for his work.

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6. Gallagher Fragrances

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Daniel Gallagher is another perfumer who I would say is a genius. I don't mean the other perfumers on here aren't geniuses as well, but some of them I haven't had a chance to try yet, so I cannot rightfully call them that.

Gallagher Fragrances seems to rely on the theme of taking something pleasing to most people and putting a spin on it. Such as Rose All Dae, a sweet gourmand fragrance with stainless steel. Also, Carpe Cafe, a Christmas tree type fragrance with vanilla coffee. Who would have thought these would work and be balanced enough to be wearable? Daniel did and he made it work.

I will have to obtain a sample at some point and see what other things he thought up.

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7. Lush

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Lush is a fragrance company that relies on art and trendy subjects. Their fragrances are natural(they list every ingredient on their site and bottles and what is natural and not). They are also vegan and handmade in the UK. Have no fear, my American brethren, Lush is also available in the United States.

I had the pleasure of trying one of their fragrances because one of my readers decided to send me one. It was What Would Love Do?. Now, I won't spoil too much because I plan on reviewing it soon, but I was blown away by the quality and how long it lasts for a natural product. They are also very fairly priced for what you are getting. This is certainly a house that I want to explore more.

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8. The 7 Virtues

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The 7 Virtues is a company that is all about promoting positivity and enriching people's lives. That alone is something I can get behind. This is another one the reader who sent me the Lush fragrance sent me 3 bottles of.

Noble Rose of Afghanistan contains a natural rose that they pay a "fair market price" for to be grown in Afghanistan instead of the farmers growing black tar heroine. If you didn't know, Afghanistan the world-leading provider of heroine. So, they are taking something illegal and allowing these farmers to make a living doing something legal. That is pretty amazing.

Having a 7 Virtues fragrance feels like you are connected to something larger. Something that makes a difference. That alone is something to get behind.

Also, they use a lot of natural ingredients, so their fragrances have a lot of depth and character. Another house that I am looking to explore more.

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9. Olfactive Studio

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Olfactive Studio is inspired by a moment of inspiration from a photograph. Their fragrances seek to embody a sensation within that. I think it's a pretty cool theme. Photography has always been something I wanted to get into. Yes, I know, my camera is horrible, but someday I will get a decent one and be able to take nice photos for my articles.

However, that is not what we are here to discuss. Olfactive Studio did get a bit of hype a few years ago with Still Life in Rio. Their fragrances lean on artistic, but they are very wearable, from what I hear at least. I haven't had the chance to try them out, but I am certainly eager to do so.

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10. Perfumology

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Perfumology is actually a store that carries many of the brands listed here. Nir Guy, the owner of the store, decided to make his own range of perfumes that were inspired by his time growing up in Pennsylvania.  That is why I included them on this list.

I haven't had a chance to try any of them out, but I have seen some glowing reviews about them and it certainly piqued my curiosity. His newest release, L'ima was named after his grandmother, who tended a garden every day. I  think it's really inspirational that Nir decided to pay homage to such an important woman in his life.

He also just moved to a new location in Philadephia(I think?), so if you are in that area go pay Nir a visit. He's a passionate guy who loves to talk about perfumes.

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Conclusion

The world of perfumery is vast and expansive. One must wonder if we have enough time to explore even 10% of what is offered. There is a little something for everyone. These brands might be artistic, but don't let that dissuade you from checking them out. You might just find that one fragrance you have been searching for. Also, supporting small businesses that are very passionate is a noble thing to do.

I hope everyone has a fantastic day. Keep being positive and speaking positive words. You never know who is watching and how much you could help them. You might just save someone's life with a single act of kindness.

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