Inspired by Japanese
volcanic hot springs,
ONSEN evokes communion with nature.
This potion is mineral,
dynamic, ritualistic
& transcendent.
Top: Absinthe, Bergamot, Fennel, Rosemary, Thyme & Tarragon
Heart: Pine Needles, Cypress & Marine Notes
Base: Oak Moss, Vetyver & Ambergris
ONSEN introduces an herbaceous aromatic and invigorating freshness, featuring a sharp gin tonic effect and cool spice that offers a thirst-quenching sensation. The fragrance is maintaining a transversal sparkling freshness even into the base notes, culminating in a soft, gentle mossy texture with a hint of smoky vetiver that adds an elegant facet to the creation.
deadidol –
Onsen’s a delicate scent to discuss as I feel like it’ll be too easy to dismiss for those of us who lean toward more challenging perfumes. The main reason is because this scent is inspired by a Japanese volcanic hot spring so it leans appropriately toward a calming minimalism with distinctly clean notes; safe, bordering on pedestrian—at least on the surface. Furthermore, the fragrance reminds me of a popular men’s deodorant, and, if you know the scent, that might be where your associations take you. It’s essentially an earthy, mineralic affair with a scorched sliver running throughout. There’s a dusty facet that’s crossed with crisp pine and woody notes, but the scent never veers into true forest territory. Instead, it references the four classical elements via a washed-and-scrubbed effect with a touch of ash. As it develops, it becomes increasingly effervescent (feeling somewhat exfoliating), and a standard oakmoss base closes the blend.
Tresor –
Close to the place where I grew up there is a waterfall. It’s not mighty nor rapturous and loud but a place of peace, seclusion and serenity. My maternal grandmother (or “nana”, as I called her) would take me there as the leaves started to fall and winter’s breath of rebirth and decay began to take hold. The pine trees sang with their fragrant resin as if it were a blessing bestowed by the spirits of the forest themselves. The mineral spray of the waterfall meeting the delicate ripples below filled the air with ebullience and light, their droplets fracturing the soft sunlight into a million pieces. This a place of happiness. Onsen not simply a perfume, but a time machine and this sacred microcosm is its destination
Clayton –
Like most things Japanese, the beauty of Onsen lies in the paradox of its complex simplicity. A number of exotic natural raw materials create a textured scentscape of green. This swirling mist of green aromatics evokes my memories of pinecones in winter, a smell that makes me feel energized but also at peace. Abstract floral notes give Onsen a radiant glow, which trails off into a dry down of vetiver and a modern woody amber note. Like CoSTUME NATIONAL’s Cyber Garden by perfumer Antoine Lie, Onsen brings nature closer to its wearer under the lens of modern chemistry.
Lee-Ann –
An ethereal and wondrous like the magic of Christmas Eve. Onseen is a mystical and atmospheric scent to inspire.
Glowing Amber, the brightness of Bergamot, and the deep green notes of, Pine Needles, Cypress and Hinoki evoke a distinct festive feeling. But the presence of unusual notes of Absinth, Sulfur, and Minerals represent to me a sparkling snowfall on Christmas Eve, glowing in the dark like stars in the night sky. Oddly beautiful and still.
And to add a deeper level of introspection, dry Vetiver Root and earthy Oak Moss leave the wearer with an intimate scent that transcends the typical perfume experience.
Christos –
To my nose this a fruity citrus, the zest without the tangy zing. Clouds of creaminess surround the citrus peel. In what seems to be a common trait for all Min New York Scent Stories, there are two layers of reading to this story, superimposed and creating unexpected images, one casting its shadows on the other.