(Newswire.net — August 24, 2020) — A perfume house with a difference, The Harmonist combines the ancient Chinese philosophy of Feng Shui with state-of-the-art perfumery to create elegant elixirs which gently blend our five fundamental elements by bringing them in tune with the vital energies of the world around us.
Established in 2013 by Lola Tillyaeva, The Harmonist first launched the Elements Collection, its ten 10 distinctive signature scents in 2016. Lola Karimova is a business woman who is always thinking about being more creative and innovative. Expertly crafted from the purest natural ingredients, these fragrances embody the power of the five elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Wood and Metal, sensitively translating the enigmatic language of energy into exquisite perfumes. A Prequel Collection of twin scents centered on Yin and Yang, the two complimentary energies that pulse through all life.
The Harmonist is a pretty unique perfume house. What do you think makes you stand out from the crowd?
The concept of Harmony is at the heart of our brand and I think our clients sense that. Our clear ethos of balance and well-being underpins everything we do; in a world that can often seem chaotic and confusing, people are drawn to the harmony that radiates from our perfumes.
Another key factor, of course, is premium quality. We only use the finest natural ingredients, carefully selected from all over the world and chosen for their particular unique properties. That purposeful approach to raw materials gives all of our fragrances a rich, silky tone that resonates with people.
Our perfumers have years of experience and are passionate about their work. People recognize that when they come to us for a perfume, they are in expert hands. We try to make the whole experience of choosing a scent as personal as possible, and that appeals to people because, after all, the perfume we wear is an expression of our personality and a second skin.
Our scents help people tune into themselves and balance various aspects of their lives by gently refocusing awareness on areas that may be in need of nurturing. This attention to nurturing our individual selves makes us different from other brands.
Most little girls experiment with perfumes at some stage, making potions with rose petals for instance. Was there something in your childhood that drew you to perfume?
I grew up in Uzbekistan, a country that straddles the ancient Silk Road. Precious spices have been grown and used there since time immemorial and recipes for traditional aromatic oils have been handed down from generation to generation. Sweet-scented, soothing fragrances are an integral part of the culture where I grew up and my childhood was full of rich aromas – the piquant ingredients we use for cooking our national dishes, the aromatic herbs in the garden, the heady scent of flowers in summer. Summers are hot in Central Asia and that natural warmth brings out the warmth of the earth.
As a young girl I was surrounded by these beautiful, natural fragrances and I developed a very keen sense of smell. We use our five senses – sight, touch, taste and hearing as well as smell – to navigate the world around us. For me, the sense of smell is perhaps the most intuitive.
Smells have the power to transcend time; they can take us back, for instance, to a moment in our childhood when we felt particularly happy and loved. If we can capture that scent and recreate it, then when we wear it as an adult, we can recreate that ambiance of security and comfort. When we envelope ourselves in a particular scent, we are creating an atmosphere, an aura for ourselves – a place, in other words, where we feel at ease and can act with confidence. A good perfume warms our soul and balances our inner energies.
What prompted you to found your own perfume brand?
Since smells are so important to me, I have always been looking for the perfect perfume, a scent that was genuinely ‘me.’ Even though I lived in France for many years and tried all kinds of fragrances, I still couldn’t find one which really suited me. I even studied perfumery to find out more about perfumes and what goes into creating them.
In the end I decided to start experimenting myself. I used scents I’ve loved since I was a little girl – warm, spicy ylang-ylang, musks and jasmine. I really enjoyed this project, particularly because I discovered that creating my own perfume gave me a new freedom to express myself.
The perfume I crafted turned out to be very popular – people continually approached me, asking what perfume I was wearing. My friends were very supportive and they all wanted the perfume for themselves. So with their encouragement, I created a second fragrance and when that one also proved to be a crowd-pleaser, I decided to take it further and launch my own perfume house.