Molecule 01 Escentric Molecules for women and men

Molecule 01 Escentric Molecules for women and men

main accords
woody
musky
amber
animalic

Perfume rating 4.00 out of 5 with 7,931 votes

Molecule 01 by Escentric Molecules is a Woody Floral Musk fragrance for women and men. Molecule 01 was launched in 2006. The nose behind this fragrance is Geza Schoen.

Read about this perfume in other languages: Deutsch, Español, Français, Čeština, Italiano, Русский, Polski, Português, Ελληνικά, 汉语, Nederlands, Srpski, Română, العربية, Українська, Монгол, עברית.

Perfumer
Pros

Pros

141
8
Subtle and gentle woody scent
132
8
Unisex fragrance
125
8
Clean and fresh smell
72
6
Intensifies and enhances other fragrances
67
10
Long lasting scent
59
5
Contains unique Iso Gamma Super molecule
39
14
Elicits compliments and curiosity from others
38
18
Divine and intoxicating aroma
Cons

Cons

124
16
May not be noticeable to others
86
18
Can cause olfactory fatigue or anosmia
87
28
Expensive for an EDT concentration
40
38
Sterile and technical smell
33
32
Not inviting or warm
11
54
Synthetic animalic tone in scent
10
66
Masculine scent
10
68
Anger-inducing for some wearers

Note: The pros and cons listed on this page have been generated using the artificial intelligence system, which analyzes product reviews submitted by our members. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, we cannot guarantee the complete accuracy or reliability of the AI-generated pros and cons. Please read the full reviews and consider your own needs and preferences before making a purchasing decision.

Fragram Photos

Fragrance Notes


Iso E Super

Fragrantica® Trends is a relative value that shows the interest of Fragrantica members in this fragrance over time.

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Perfume longevity:3.33 out of5.

Perfume sillage:2.14 out of4.

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All Reviews By Date

Aqualunatic

Wow! Just bought a 50ml bottle from their actual website, and it's amazing! I wasn't sure if I would be able to smell it but I can. Sweet, woody, and weirdly comforting which I've never really thought of any other fragrance. And it's so light in the air, this is woody but not like a woody fragrance, it's so strange.
My dad smelled it all the way across the room with 1 spray on my hand, my mum says it's the best thing she has ever smelled.

RicardoLajos

Honestly WTF? It feels like some kind of fraud.

I’ve had several bottles of this and it was my trademark. I know how it should smell and perform, friends know how it should smell and perform on me and people at work know how it should smell and perform on me.

Now I bought a new bottle from the same large department store I always have and it is weak as water, disappears into nothing within minutes. I haven’t been so disappointed since Tiffany for Men was discontinued.

colcjf

It's got a magical quality to it...Some people can smell it, smells different on everyone and seems to flair up unexpectedly.

That said, it really shouldn't be priced that high. It doesn't last long, you need to apply a fair bit and is very linear (lovely) cedar smell.

Not a single person could smell it on me over Christmas

I'll buy some Timbersilk next to see how that compares.

Johnboy77

Does layering molcule 01 tone down the harshness of some fresh aftershave, as I'm not a fan of lemon

librashortcake

First it smells like I'm standing in the middle of O'Rileys or AutoZone and then it fades away slowly into a softer more sophisticated flannel burnt rubber smell.

fabG

Lots of people have this rated as intimate - every time i smell this on someone they’re like 3 meters away. Last for days on clothes

Noahperdue

@Wasswat I probably use 5-15 sprays, depending on where I'm going. But the atomizer does suck so a lot of those sprays are half air. Had the weirdest experience with M01 the other day. My boyfriend and I had just showered and he was still in the bathroom while I was in the bedroom getting dressed. I sprayed 15 sprays of M01 on my skin. When he came out of the bathroom, we were laying on the bed and I asked him what I smelled like. He said hmm, you don't smell like your usual cologne (M01), you just smell like the Dr. Bronner's soap you just used. I had almost literally just bathed in it and he couldn't smell it. 🤣 I could smell it no problem. He usually loves the way it smells. But sometimes your nose does not pick up anything. Idc, it's my signature scent and I love it. Very ethereal while also being realistic cedar.

pilotdc

Smells like a flowering tree on me. Smells like nothing on my gf.

Pscented

My signature scent for many years. Best when you smell it on your clothes days, weeks later. Hard to describe, just addictive.

Sammi4443

Legit smells like nothing on paper. I could see how it can be used to enhance an existing fragrance or just amplify your natural scent

Hennessy909

Wow! Just wow. It smells like nothing, and I mean nothing. Tap water smells like something; with all of that process and filtering and piping systems, it smells differently from river water, but this thing doesn't even smell like that. Absolute zero. I know that you have to wait or move around, so it combines itself with the smell of your body over time, and I did it. still nothing. I thought maybe I couldn't smell it, so I asked others. They couldn't smell anything at all.

I bet people who worship Apple would love this thing.

notTryHard

Faint musk smell but it smells practically nothing on my skin.

I think this is used for layering (for those who do that), but I don't see how that's a fragrance on its own.

mynosemynose

It's funny how subjective this all is. Most of EM's fragrances read like dusty expired incense to me, and this additionally ends up smelling like sharp, rusty metal. Need a tetanus shot stat

vipariously

Very faintly smells of wood. The faint smell that it has is pleasant. Most useful as a room fragrance.

theemasquerade

I'm not sure what I can add to the previous reviews that hasn't already been stated, but I'd be remiss to omit my rambling thoughts on one of the top fragrances in my collection. I truthfully had a couple follow me out of the airport lounge to ask what I was wearing. I've seen people at coffee shops turn as I walk by with just a quick spray on the wrists in the summer. This varies between invisible and catnip, depending on the person. The most important part: I like it on myself, and it smells amazing to me. It's not something I wear to make a statement or fill a room. It lasts for 8+ hours on my skin and puts me in a good mood. The Iso E Super drama is proof that we're all here because we love to research and contribute to the extremely subjective platform of fragrance.

It drives me *CRAZY* to come on here and see reviews of the Molecule series stating things along the lines of, "Anyone can make this. Money grab" etc. If you have similar credentials, training, same quality materials and environment as Geza Schoen to create your Iso E Super fragrance...go for it. Most of us don't have that access/desire/time nor feel the need to sit on Fragrantica to denigrate.

I thoroughly enjoyed Emma Vernon's series with Geza on The Perfume Room podcast. Give it a spin if you're interested. The segment about his creation of an evolving fragrance for his daughter was especially sweet.

ShaimaWay

This is a weird perfume. Don't get me wrong, I mean I like it a lot. But it's weird. I don't know how else to describe it.

lyhtac

sour milk on my skin ?-?
long-lasting even after washing hands multiple times

Cherryz

Well this is a weird one. I don't know what to make of it other than it makes me smell like a man 🤷 at the start it smells like a sports shower gel advertised for men.

At 2h it smells like musky wood chips. A bit animalic. I have become a male woodpecker.

At 3h I smell like a man who just used a sweet shower gel. It's very weak.

TapetumLucidum

if this smells like wood shavings in a cage then i am the chicest hamster on the wheel

goiemarius

It's not standard iso e super. You won't get the same result mixing iso e super and alcohol. But you can give it a try... Don't call them " molecular" fragrances. Every fragrance is molecular. At least say " mono molecular " or whatever but " minimalist fragrances " should be a decent description.
Of course it's not worth $100 from my wallet's perspective but if you like it... Who am I to judge?

samudex

When I smell the cap a basketball 🏀 comes to my mind.
This is the monosodium glutamate of fragrances. You can smell a light woody note and feel something else filling the space, but nothing in particular. It's not a smell, it is a feeling. Definitely not a blind buy.

Tshahb

I'm normally anosmic to smartypants molecular perfumes, so it's with great surprise that I've accidentally filled my whole living room with the very strong smell of Molecule 01 by applying one spray to each inner elbow.

It's great! It's very sandalwood leaning for me, but I'm excited to see how it layers.

Naoelyse

More of a feeling than a fragrance? Molecule 01 is fascinating to me. It's a mysterious fragrance- I often catch a lingering whiff on my sweater sprayed the previous day, but sometimes even immediately after its sprayed I lose it and can't smell anything. I wouldn't describe it as smelling like cedar or sandalwood, but it delivers a similar experience. I enjoy using it as a base under my musky or woody frags to deepen them. I also wear it alone on days when I want something subtle and simple.

Wasswat

@Noahperdue ,How many sprays do you use in one time? Thank you.

Adeptus

Literally just buy ISO E Super IFF formulation from The Perfumers Apprentice and some undenatured medical grade ethanol and mix your own. Smells exactly the same. This company is ripping you off

oubliette

My sample just smells like pepper on me. I seem to largely nose-blind to many of the "skin molecule" fragrances, so that I can smell anything at all is something.

Aco99lo

Disappointment, smells like a cheap fabric softener or detergent, definitely not for me.

solulszabolcs

Buy ISO E SUPER and dissolve it in alcohol instead. It's just good marketing. But if money's not an issue for you, get this.

Afc_Croatian

What a shame and what feels like a waste of money to me. I smell absolutely nothing. If anything maybe slight woods. I even mixed it with sauvage and maybe it helped it last longer but that’s it…

Noahperdue

As a nurse, I don't want to smell like cologne or really like much at all. You know how some people really smell like their laundry detergent? Like they have a scent that just smells like them? This is totally that same vibe. If you try to smell it, you almost can't. The way it smells up close is not where this shines, though it's still nice up close. It's the random whaffs 12 hours after spraying this that keeps me wearing it 24/7. It's so indescribably beautiful. Smells like my dad's workshop when he's sanding fresh cedar. Like I can't get enough of it, and it's impossible to get tired of it because it's so elusive! My signature scent. Also get compliments daily. Had to buy a FB for a coworker since I live right next the local perfume shop!!

AstralMatrix

I got a sample of Molecule 01 and I'm here to report I'm noseblind to Iso E Super, ha-ha. No scent whatsoever other than the alcohol and the smell of the paper test strip. Sprayed Aventus on my chest and 15 minutes later Molecule 01. No perceivable difference!

nichoa99

To me, this smells like the wood shavings they use in small animal cages. I associate this perfume with a pet store. I keep coming back to sniff my wrist, its unique. It doesn't smell bad, but I don't think I want a fb.

smelling.sniffing.swan

I love iso e as an ingredient.
Wonderful smooth, sunshiney, warmth.

Maybe I am missing the whole point here, but I'm just not sold on it being a stand-alone fragrance.
It just smells like it wasn't built to be enjoyed like this.
It's so fleeting, sometimes you cant even smell it on your arm and then you randomly get a whoft of it while doing something else.
I'm finding iso e a bit play-doh-y by itself.

VERDICT: I just feel that iso e is most beautiful in a supporting role not a lead role.

GagMyFrag

I'm really obsessed with iso E super and can't stop sniffing my arm. The clean pencil shaving vibe is definitely there, but to me it works as it's more crisp, peppery or fresh compared to the warmth of regular 'woody' fragrances which tend to be heavy. I stop noticing it a little while after applying it but other people can still smell it and take it as a skin scent, kinda like your body naturally just smells like this which i actually love.

Lasting power is hard to know since your brain forget's it's there very fast but i'd think 5hrs would pass before i'd need to reapply, longer on clothes.

TheEmpress

This reminds me of Hermessence Paprika Brasil by Hermès. On me this is spicy and peppery. It is a magnificent skin scent that stays on me all day unlayered.

Men at work

I'm not a painter, but this has the smell of wall plaster and semi-dispersion. Njesra.

franco90

This wasn’t created as a layering product like some influencers make you think. It’s a fragrance on its own and along with Escentric 01 it’s Geza Schön’s hommage to iso E super.

It’s one of the most amazing scents and kind of smells better than my whole collection put together, which is silly to say as it’s just one ingredient, but that all depends what you’re looking for, I came across it at a time where I’m tired of fragrances and I thought how outdated and egotistical it is wearing a scent with 47 notes. This is the answer to that, it’s no nonsense and smells incredible, you go anosmic to it but it goes and comes back all day and it’s a wow moment when you catch a whiff. You won’t smell much if you smell your wrists but it’s better to put it on and forget about it head out and watch the magic happen.

Anyway its a great concept and I think it would be a shame to layer this and lose that clean and modern Iso E magic.

Behram

I mostly heard it's for layering and had performance issues as a stand alone fragrance. BUT..... I had it on once for an early morning run, just for the sake of it. The fragrance got onto my gloves and I had put the gloves in my bag. It's bn close to a year and my bag still has a very noticeable amount of the fragrance, it's so nostalgic and comforting.

claudiatalaugon

Not too sweet, woody and airy. It's giving velvety smooth, minimal, linear, and cozy.

On my skin, the scent magically appears and disappears but when I do get a whiff of the fragrance from my movements or the wind around me - I fall in love again.

This is the PERFECT fragrance for the trendy minimalist, but I do recommend layering it with scented body lotions or other perfumes if people tell you that you don't smell like anything, because this is the type of fragrance that either does it perfectly for you OR just needs a little bit of help to open. I've sprayed this on my winter jacket a few times and headed out to a restaurant, got complimented and told that I had a scent bubble - now it made sense why people in the restaurant were staring me down, almost like they had something to ask me. They probably smelt the fragrance!

Also, I found that it was hard for me to recognize this smell at first... it's almost like you need to train yourself to identify it? That's how airy it is.

Fragriminator

I think I reviewed this once before here. I've had a bottle of this for almost a year now and I wear it occasionally- not seriously--I just put it on if I don't feel like putting anything on. I don't mind this scent. It smells to me like light lemon pepper baking soda. I won't be buying another bottle whenever I run out cause I feel that it's more of a novelty. The reason I'm writing about this now is because I put on a few sprays tonight just cause I saw the bottle while I was flossing. Withing 5 mins of putting it on my wife goes, "wow whatever you're wearing now smells so good like woody baking soda." I was shocked she could even smell it. She then told me she smelled it all over the house. I'm totally perplexed. I know it affects everyone differently, and I guess this proves it.

Cessarine

I had a friend who wore this, it was amazing on her. When I put it on it’s foul, like damp clothes that haven’t dried out properly, a bit foisty. Disappointing that my chemistry doesn’t turn it into something that everyone seems to compliment.

Mata-ratos

Soft, woody, smooth, ethereal, musky fragrance. This smells like the prettiest, airiest version of sandalwood you can possibly conceive. Like if sandalwood is the wood elf of fragrance, then iso e super is the high elf. Just a beautiful, intoxicating, creamy, soft wood. I detect only the tiniest hint of sweetness and it also almost has the smell of black pepper without the spiciness. This is a very smooth and soft fragrance. Elegant and ethereal. Completely unisex. I’m in love.

Longevity wise this one is very tricky as others have mentioned. It seems to want to disappear and then reappear every half hour or so, so it’s a little hard to tell how long it lasts. For me I was getting bursts of scent into hour 6 of wearing it until I stopped really noticing it. Several days later I decided to put on the cardigan I was wearing when testing this fragrance and I’m enveloped in wonderful musky woodiness again, so I’d say this fragrance has some surprising longevity.

My partner says he really loves this fragrance on me. I’m glad because I will definitely be buying a full bottle of this.

10/10

freya67

Boring, too light, leaves too much up to imagination.

batish

I feel absolutely nothing.

Ross_K

No sillage, no projection, had to press my nose against my arm to feel the smell. The smell itself is like the sterile laboratory was furnished with IKEA's wooden furniture. I can't call it unpleasant, but it's not deep either. And 95 pounds for 100 ml of this water, absurd? The weakest and least projecting perfume in my collection

naterían

Peppery, creamy pencil shavings, and the faintest hint of lavender. This smells great! I love my sample but I don't know if I can justify spending this much on a single note fragrance that can be replicated for so cheap... lovely fragrance nonetheless! 7.5/10

PapaTLooch

WARNING TO MIGRAINE SUFFERERS. STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS!

Hifza

Outclass fragrance! I have suggested this one to so many of my friends, male and female both. It always stay in top of mind as the best woody musk fragrance. This unique scent is suitable for winter, dark nights and have an amazing longevity.

Nate8796

Extremely variable wear day to day, can’t tell if it’s my nose or skin.
On it’s best day it’s musky, creamy pencil shavings, nostalgic

Claugregg

I love skin scents usually but this one didn't resonate with me. Smells like straight up cedar chips, even after it dries down. The scent also lasts for max 1h, and is incredibly weak. For this price point, I find it ridiculous : there are amazing skin fragrances that are way cheaper and that hold way more complexity than this one. With that being said, I'm aware that skin scents smell different on everyone. So if you were wondering about blind-buying it... maybe try a sample on Luckyscent first?

joshuacs

Honestly...I'm disappointed with how this smells on my skin. It comes off as very synthetic and metallic on my skin, and it reminds me of things I'd smell at a hospital. I absolutely love other skin scents that use Iso e Super (like Another 13 and I Don't Know What) but for some reason, this isn't quite doing it for me.

chanelnumerocinq

It's a subtle, simple, neutral, cedarlike scent. Agree that at times it seems like wearing nothing, only to unexpectedly catch a vaguely nice enveloping scent around you later. Warm but clean. Trendy and unisex. Wonderful scent for chic minimalists. What I like it for most is that I've been using my sample of it as a layering scent. It just seems to smooth the edges of any perfume I pair with it. Whether that's making a relatively cloying scent more fresh or a more biting scent gentler. A note about the manufacturer sample, it is rather faulty, and the sprayer sprays maybe a 1/4 - 1/3 of the time. I was close to buying a full bottle, but I think I will explore other Iso-E super or dupe instead. As much as I like it I'm not sure it's worth the cost.

update: bought the oilperfumery dupe, I like it. It's a little smokier somehow but definitely stronger and has a lot of the same kind of fresh-cedary smell. I'll continue to get a dupe instead because it has more presence.

update part 2: the oilperfumery dupe eventually dries down kind of rubbery. I went ahead and got Molecule O1 to layer with because the dupe wasn't doing what the original was doing as a layering scent it was too strong.

Coalita

It's so incredible! On my skin, Escentric Molecolye 01 smells like D&G Light blue!!! How is it possible - I don't know. I just grabbed the bottle in dark morning and spray it to myself and go to kitchen to make my morning coffe. I didn't know what is inside this small bottle. All morning I believe - I grab D&G, but I was so surprised, that it was Escentric Molecule 01!

Ttzy

3rd fragrance I bought with my own money, and had me thinking are fragrance reviewers paid to waffle? As I remember specifically searching up ‘great cheap fragrances’ and this being pushed into my face. An impressionable teenager fell hook line and sinker for it. It’s an okay fragrance but not memorable at all in my opinion. I believe it’s a great fragrance to layer (tried and tested with Prada l’homme) but the only time I wear it on it’s own if im going corner shop. It projects decently some of my friends notice when im wearing it but it when used by itself it doesn’t offer anything unique, even though the whole basis of the fragrance is that it creates a unique smell when interacting with your skin. Once it runs out from layering, I can safely say I won’t be buying it again, still don’t understand why this is so hyped. It’s so bang average

fangpili

I've no idea why I can only ever smell this perfume on my left wrist, but .... this is a cosy, comforting slightly addictive cedar scent, which is creamy but without the sickliness of sandalwood scents. Iso E Super can also be layered on other perfumes to give them more depth and woody creaminess. This is partially what makes scents like Antonia's Flower's Tiempe Passate (my favourite but discontinued) and Paco Rabanne 1 Million so comforting and attractive.

autumn02

very interesting, i can't feel it that much on me but my mom says it's strong! it's not that woody on my skin, but certainly it is a very clean scent. some people find it too simple, but i think molecule 01 is so simple that it makes it strong, like a short catchphrase!

Perfumer007

Mainly iso e super with more iso gamma with some transparent substances I think some muscone raw materials and TEC include in this in trace amount its faint ethereal cedary smell !

2/10

httrung32

This fragrance smells different on each person, so I don’t know how it is on others. On me, it has a warm, smoky and lightly sweet scent of amber and cedar wood, with a hint of green. I changed my mind after my previous review, because I couldn’t smell it well at first. But now, after wearing it several times, I think this scent is awesome. It is seductive on my skin and people rave about it. It is not a strong scent, but it creates a subtle and long-lasting bubble around me. Today, I wore it and everyone who passed by me gave me a look. Some people even complimented me on how good I smelled. It is like a natural manly scent. It boosts my confidence a lot. I still think it is a good scent for layering but on its own, it is a nice classy scent for the office and something casual. Like casual clothes and sneakers combo. You know, cool but not too cool. 😎

melimelo87

Woody, clean, pencil shaving kinda of smell, a bit peppery.
So sexy...totally unisex also amazing lasting power on my skin. Easy to wear, amazing to use as a layer if you want your other frags to last longer. Worth it for sure!

aromafantastic

A unique woody,unisex, clean cool scent.
I rarely use this on its own as I always layer it with something else. It’s great to cut through overly sweet, overly citrus, overly cloying scents and it creates the most incredible concoctions when layered.
However when I do use it on its own, i thoroughly enjoy the simple woody, clean aspect to it.
It’s performance it’s interesting because it keeps fading and coming back.
It’s a nice unique, sophisticated fragrance. I’ve repurchased many times for many years now.

angieangie992

unisex, clean, unique

Rip & Run

My introduction into niche perfumery began with the house of Escentric Molecules. I honestly believe that it was the absolute best decision I could've made. After sampling and experiencing dozens of well-known designer houses and fragrances, I felt that I was ready to step my game up. Well, I discovered that I had only scratched the surface because I hadn't realized that my nose needed further training. It took time and multiple wears for me to fully appreciate Molecule 01, as well as being able to smell it all day while wearing it. This experience made me appreciate this stage of my fragrance journey much more. Because of the molecular make up of Molecule 01, olfactory fatigue becomes a real dilemma when you're trying to enjoy and perceive the character of the fragrance.

Because of this experience, I have begun to appreciate my designer fragrances even that much more. This enlightened me to really take my time with each fragrance I experience and give my nose and the fragrance an opportunity to get acquainted properly. Experiencing a fragrance for the first time is the equivalent of meeting someone new. It's never proper to be quick to judge and create a formidable opinion about that person without spending time getting to know them. The same applies to fragrances.

I have truly enjoyed every fragrance that I've tried thus far from this house, and I luvv Molecule 01. Needless to say, I'm a fan of this house and I appreciate their unique place in niche perfumery. From their concepts, bottle designs, and fragrance catalog, I find it well done and worthy of sampling. However, I would thoroughly appreciate Mr. Schoen upgrading to better atomizers in his inventory.

If you haven't dived into niche perfumery yet and are wondering where to begin, I thoroughly recommend sampling the house of Escentric Molecules.

chloeiill

I've had this perfume for about a year and used to love it, but the more I wear it, the more I think it just smells synthetic, dirty, and sweaty. It has a weird sharpness in it which I don't like, and although it's unisex it leans too masculine on me. It layers fine with Diptyque 34, however.
It's not pungent but just doesn't smell great. I'd describe it as woody, pencil shavings, masculine musky sweat, and wet old coins (as crisppy1 said).

LiterallyCan'tStopSniffin

Insane how strong and pervasive this is. It's not a bad smell but it's not that great either. When it dries down on clothes it smells pretty good, on skin it's OK. Woody-ish type of scent. I wouldn't buy this again.

Smellzgood24

No brainer. Literally don’t have to think about putting it on as it’s suitable for every occasion. I do layer it from time to time but I thoroughly enjoy it on its own.

Faris.n

Long story short...

If you're a perfume collectier you must have it as it's unique and interesting for anyone who love fragrances.

If you're not, save your money and don't buy it.

Have a great day all.

poirot303

I wear Molecule 1 for all occasions and even use it to increase the silage and projection of my handmade perfumes. Yes, it does smell like the cleanest, freshest pencil shavings. I can typically still smell it on myself after two sprays and it’s so light that I can wear it for any occasion. The perfect scent!

mamufa

On me it's a wet mossy trunk. Wet wood. Old woody cabin somewhere, damp and forgotten. Pretty nice, if you slept in the woods on e or spent your vacation somewhere in a cabin at a lake. It brings me those memories back. But not a perfume, never.

crisppy1

On its own, I don't get it. Smells like wet old coins in a wood bowl. Dirty smell, I don't see how this could be universally liked or a non offensive smell. However, layering it does extend the life of anything with a woody base, but I don't see the point of buying this anyways, just get a travel container of what you are using and reapply. I had a sample, full bottle seems totally not worth it.

Esna

🧸 Smells like nothing, but nothing to me is like smelling your childhood cashmere teddy bear that is extra fuzzy because it’s been rewashed so many times. The sweet sparkling natural body dew from the suprasternal hollow of your neck.✨ Expensive lingerie that was worn for a couple of hours. Sublime dreams in another dimension while napping on clean silk sheets after a bath. All these make me naturally smell great without any perfume or lotion on and this perfume amplifies it; so the scent will depend on you. When I recommend it, many times I get complaints about me lying because it doesn’t smell like it does on me on them, or that it just doesn’t smell like anything at all. Such is life. 💅🏻

The OG of these types of scent. I purchased it many times since my early 20’s as an “equis nice” napping scent or perfect to layer and to amplify your other scents. There are now many scents like this so if this didn’t work out for you, try NOT ANOTHER PERFUME but the Super Dose, not the regular one.

Enrium

I only recently acquired a discovery set from this brand, but I have long been familiar with it. Escentric Molecules perhaps pioneered the trend of bottling a single aromachemical to sell as a scent - or at least the one that has seen most success. Billed as futuristic, indescribable and chemical in the best way, I remember that much of the selling point of Molecule 01 is that it was supposed to smell differently on everyone, depending on skin chemistry. This is not the case - it is instantly recognisable on anyone, because it simply smells like the lab-created aromachemical in question, Iso-E-Super. My aunt switched to Molecule 01 as her signature scent in the late noughties, and I associate it with her. A female colleague, several decades younger than my aunt, liberally sprays this everyday at work; a friend buys it for her mother for every occasion - the list goes on, and it smells the same on each person. Perhaps it is due to our PERCEPTION of this molecule - the difference being our noses rather than skin chemistry. This, of course, is much harder to test and compare.

I retain a dose of scepticism about such single-molecule scents. While a novel concept that is intriguing by nature, they are often overpriced for what they are. One lab-created molecule in a perfume bottle calls for no composition, no delicate balance of notes, no artistry in the classical sense - although it might smell good, it is cheap and easy to produce. The concept isn't to my taste (I collect vintage perfume), but I am curious to a fault.

Molecule 01 is pretty hard to describe, made all the more difficult by the fact that I become anosmic to it on my own skin fairly quickly. It is a cosy scent that reads grey-ish purple to me (sometimes I suspect I have synaesthesia). It is undeniably musky - amber-esque with a clean, grey, synthetic undertone. It is also slightly woody, and there is also a soft, dry sweetness that permeates this scent. It is not sweet in the traditional sense, but this is the best way I can describe it. It is warm, envelops its wearer in a synthetic haze (in the very best way). I get a hint of citrus, perhaps orange, on my skin. It is hard for me to tell the performance on my own skin. By asking others, my best guess is moderate sillage and longevity. It is a year-round day scent, and is unisex.

It doesn't develop much, and performs like a skin scent. It smells like a person, like warm skin, but in a very specific way, and this effect is lost once one becomes familiar with this scent (or with Iso-E-Super). I like Molecule 01, and appreciate it on other people, but I like to smell my own perfume, and prefer less synthetic, more complex compositions. 3/5.

madsoem

Did not work for me. I have tried so many times but I am never pleased with the smell, that ends up somewhat musky on me. Must be said that I prefer more floral, sweet scents.

francesco_grieco

Molecule 01 by Escentric Molecules is an unconventional fragrance that challenges traditional norms. Upon application, it presents a unique quality - a subtle, almost ethereal scent that blurs the lines between distinct notes. It carries hints of musk, wood, and a touch of amber, yet it maintains an elusive, transparent aura. This fragrance manages to garner attention and compliments, intriguing for its ability to project the natural magnetism of human skin.
For those intrigued by the Maison's distinctive concept, Molecule 01, which contains solely Iso E Super, proves to be an ideal choice. Moreover, its versatility makes it an excellent choice for layering, allowing for personalized and unique scent combinations.

Andavie

Hello fragrance enthusiasts,

I recently acquired Molecule 01 from Escentric Molecules as part of a perfume membership, and I must admit, I had high hopes. The concept of a single fragrant note intrigued me greatly, and it was the September gift choice for me. Unfortunately, my experience with this fragrance has left me a bit disheartened.

Upon first opening the vial, I expected to be enveloped in gorgeous scent that was described in the reviews, but alas, I found myself struggling to detect any scent at all. There's a momentary whiff of ethanol as the essence leaves the vial, but it vanishes within seconds. It's almost as if my senses are playing tricks on me, reminiscent of the way cilantro tastes soapy to some. This lack of fragrance is disappointing, especially considering my genuine eagerness to embrace this unique concept.

Now, I find myself at a crossroads. I genuinely want to love it, and the entire idea behind it resonates with me. However, I'm left wondering: is this fragrance enjoyable for others? Should I brave it and wear it, hoping for a different experience on my skin? Or is it best to tuck it away, patiently waiting for another day when perhaps my senses will be more receptive to its subtle charm?

I remain hopeful for the day when this fragrance and I find common ground, but for now, it sits in my collection, its potential yet to be realized.

ceezus92

smells like a pool in autumn, or a sexy water bottle & falling leaves.

dzb

It’s really cool to smell a single ingredient that is used in almost all modern perfumery.

Great when you don’t want people to think you have cologne/perfume on but think to themselves, “damn, why don’t I smell as good as them?”

Fresca

It smells like a hamster cage. It's cedar chips and a hint of pepper. The cedar is fuzzy and it floats over something I can't smell at all, so there's this constant sensation like I'm missing something. Iso E Super is a scrubber for me.

smoothVTer

Cannot smell this at all. Smells like exactly nothing to me, complete lack of any impression whatsoever.

Scentfrommanna

The most enigmatic perfume in my collection!

I bought this because I have a colleague who wears it and it smells incredible on her. Like this woody, aquatic wave of smooth perfume!!! The sillage for her is huge as well, it will fill a room. I’ve also smelt it on other people. However on my skin, hmm not so sure. I can obviously smell ISO E Super or I wouldn’t have smelt it on my colleague surely. But I cannot smell it on my skin at all and only on clothes and hair the next day. It confuses the hell outta me!!! I’ve also doused myself in this and got no compliments at all. My colleague said she gets bombarded with compliments about this scent and a family friend said she was once stopped multiple times in a shop when she wore this.

With other molecular perfumes like Not A Perfume and Glossier You I have gotten compliments and also with Another 13 (although You and Another both have other notes blended in so maybe that isn’t a fair comparison).

I can only assume it’s this particular note that doesn’t work on my skin. The only discernible smell is a faint pencil shaving kind of smell, but I think this is one of those perfumes that probably doesn’t work smelt up close but is meant to be smelt at a distance in the air. I also smell this in wafts if I am outside. Maybe you only smell it when you move, goodness only knows LOLLLL!!!

Again, another however, sometimes I get a beautiful smell from this when I open the box, pretty much what I smell on my colleague, but other times not.

I am prone to ear infections which I am pretty sure mess up my sinuses, also my sense of smell took a long time to get back to normal after I had covid. There were beloved perfumes in my collection that for a while smelt peculiarly bad to me and made me retch. Maybe this is what it is 🤷♀️

When I can smell it it is beautiful, a woody, airy, fresh delight that if I was able to perceive more often would make it my summertime and work signature without question. And yet, I will always have this in my collection in the hope it might work on me one day. I should add that I’ve ordered discovery sets from Escentric Molecules and their customer service is excellent, they always throw in extra samples!

Koocnosila

Love this scent. On me it turns into a very subtle woody scent. Unfortunately, it gives me a rash so I can't wear it.

frag_nostalgia

I simply just love the smell of Iso, and I'm thankful that someone had the sense to make it a scent on its own. This will forever be my quick reach, de facto, layering staple; and I'll never be without a FB in my collection. I get so many compliments on this, and it is so strong that it remains in cotton fabrics even after a hot wash and dry. I think it's amusing that under the AI generated cons it states that the smell of it "can be anger inducing to some" 😂. Unfortunate to be them, I suppose! Anyhoo... Molecule 01 also has the capability to enhance the notes, plus extend the longevity, of pretty much all of your favorite fragrances. Again, staple. 🤍

korleis

Hardly noticeable on my skin — for me. Yet it is my most complimented fragrance. However if I spray it on my clothes it’s powerful even for me. I love it!

aliquidengineer

i like it as a stand alone and for layering scent but it should be cheaper

lindainoz

Stunning. Just stunning. And magically sneaky. I sprayed this once, couldn't smell a thing, gave it to my boyfriend. I'm a newbie to niche fragrances and like to do my research. On investigation I discovered that if you keep trying most likely your brain will learn to recognise iso e. This is my third try and after spraying on pulse points at 9:30am (it's now 3:30pm) I am still getting gentle nose smacks of smokey, then nutmeg, then vanilla, then some kind of timber. Divine, I am sold. How very clever.

Rizaibb

My first niche perfume and it didn't disappoint. Sure, it comes and goes but it's what makes this masterpiece all the more mysterious and beautiful. On my skin, it smells of fresh green tea leaves and sweet woods. They said it's good for layering but for me, it's perfect on its own.

V4Velociraptor

Overall, I like this scent. I think get whiffs of it now and then. It smells like sweet, kinda creamy cedar. I can't decide if I'd buy a full bottle. It's an easy reach on the days I don't know what to wear and it definitely helps the longevity of my other scents. It's good, but is it $100 good? Undecided.

I purchased a sample after reading all the reviews about compliments and have yet to receive any from this. 🤷

cubanelle

Wanted to love this one because I love novelty - but _woof._ Spraying it on, I immediately got a hit of industrial lubricant. Extremely chemical and strong. As it dried down, this receded to a soft, sweet cedar with a powdery quality... redolent of moth balls. I've scrubbed fingertip to elbow and can't get this off of me. Definitely not my vibe.

happy-knight

The nozzle for the sample spray I received from Luckscents barely works for this , but in the blue moon I can successfully spray it on me , I can’t detect it on me very well - kind of comes and goes - but was noticed immediately by others. It’s nice honestly.

ajibola

I'm part of the few that can't smell this, my partner could but I couldn't.

Zactel

A great fragrance when you wanna wear a fragrance but you work in a place with someone that complained to HR of fragrances, promting them to ban, hand lotions, scented hand sanitizers, candles, scent diffusers or even worse a fragrance. You wear this to show corporate you will not follow rules and if someone asks if you’re wearing something, you tell them that’s just your natural scent. Iso e super can smell different to many people, to my nose it smells of musky wood, to others pencil shavings, some people say it’s like a second cozy skin, whatever that may mean. In the end it’s a great transparent fragrance that is also used for layering weak fragrances (I have my doubts if it actually really helps, at all).

haddock

At first, it starts with a cumin-like smell. After 5 minutes, the smell of angelica is added to cumin, and finally, the smell of geranium can be smelled behind the previous smells. In general, I think that ISO E Super should be placed in the spicy category, not woody floral musk.
After half an hour, the above notes form an accord that has a nice and slightly astringent smell.




در ابتدا با بوی زیره مانندی شروع میشه. بعد از ۵ دقیقه بوی گلپر نیز به زیره افزوده میشه و سرانجام بوی شمعدانی در پس بوهای قبلی به مشام میرسه. در مجموع فکر میکنم که ایزو ای سوپر رو باید در دسته ی ادویه ای جا داد.
بعد از نیم ساعت نتهای فوق آکوردی رو تشکیل میدهند که بوی خوب و کمی گسی رو ایجاد میکنه

Mara_Diaz

Amooo este perfume, ya sea solo o junto con otros perfumes. Si causa anosmia( dejas de olerlo), el olor va y viene, y regresa con mucha potencia. La gente pregunta a que huelo, yo lo siento limpio, salado, acuático unico... como un aura!...

Aquí les va una mezcla rara que se me ocurrió y quedó algo super delicioso y único.
Angel thierry Mugler + Molecule 01 = 😍

Jemmcy

This is a barely there smell but probably great for layering to add dimension to other fragrances. To me it has an undertone of mechanical oil. Not a favourite alone.

feuermaiden

This is such a ghost of a fragrance I wouldn’t bother buying the full bottle. But… I really like it. A lot.

Granted I can only smell it when I literally bury my nose into my arm, but the actual fragrance is beautiful - a soft and comforting musky wood. It’s just barely there, so if that’s what you’re going for, you might think it’s worth it to buy the full size. I don’t think anyone else would smell you in passing.

I love ISO E Super added to other things, so I’ll stick with gems like Another 13 or Apres L’Amour No. 4.

Overall, a 7/10 - simply for no strength and projection.

Research

I am so baffled by this one. I know there is a lot of hype and people rave about it but I sold mine. I can barely smell it on me and for $100 I need more. Perhaps others could smell it on me????? Some people are suggesting buying straight ISO-E Super online and saving yourself money. Please sample first.

Takuuuya

噂の人によって香りが変化する香水。自分の場合、ほぼ香りませんでした。香っても僅かにウッディな感じなので色々と期待しているのとは違うかもしれません。私はIso E Superに興味があったので購入しました。初めて香水を購入する方にはおすすめは致しません。
5.8/10

pinkavocado

I can smell it slightly when i spray it but after that nothing. I tested on husband. Nothing. I don’t know is it me or people here are suggestible.
Edit: few days later and i can detect it on me. It is wonderful, i wish it has better projection. But this is really nice
Edit part 2: i am hooked. I was told i smell divine and i never get compliments when i wear perfume
Edit 3: i got molecule 02 and i use them for month (also could not smell on myself) while i waited for molecule 01 to arrive. When i got new bottle, my god it last all day and project so good. After 5 times i wore it, again i get nothing. Now i am sure i am becoming nose blind to it.

Beanie Anne

Just got a bottle of this from Jomashop. The reviews are all over the place so didn’t know what to expect. I love it! It smells so good on me. Kind of woody and citrus. I also think this will be perfect for work or even the gym.

Grifford

Glad I got a sample of it, just to check.

Iso E Super seems like it's the cilantro of fragrance, you either can or can't smell it.

I'm not sensitive to this, I'm in the camp that gets maybe the barest wisp of citrus.

goosemusk

The first thing I noticed it resembled was freshly cut plywood sawdust on a construction site. Overall it smells like an ordinary scent that doesn't seem like you're wearing perfume. I think this would be a pleasant aroma to wear daily at work or with friends as a "good natural human smell"
Smells like you're walking through a deciduous forest in North America along a creek on a warm summer day.
- Minimalistic outside nature woody smell that is subtle.

ShanerD

Art. Pure art. If you are on the fence about this. Get it. This is a litmus test for all fragrance lovers. Smell it, let your mind bring you to places. Ignore what other people say about it, some people have said it smells like latex, pencil shavings, fresh skin out of a shower. Ignore them and let your nose come to its own conclusions. This fragrance elicits so many different emotional reactions. Childhood memories, past love, heartbreak. None of the other fragrances from Eccentric Molecules can even compare.

This isn't a traditional fragrance, this is different. If your nose has been blinded by the mainstream, The Sauvage, Eros, JPG, Armani, give it a rest and indulge in minimalism made art. Price tag is hefty but I have not looked back since.

Sassafras23

It’s a ghost of a fragrance. When smelling from up close, what I can detect is a slight aroma of something like latex gloves or an unscented condom. I think I can also smell something even less definable from an arm’s length. And I’ve sprayed my arm four times. … Okay, you can call it woody. To RepairYourNoseBro, you know who’s genetically privileged in the way you value? Dogs. Your review (06/23/23) reminded me of that episode from the Australian TV series Wilfred where Wilfred the Dog tells his freshly showered owner that he can still smell his shit.

ava96

I am mostly anosmic to this - I get something really really faint, but it is so faint that it might be my imagination. I will pass my sample on to someone else.

willh0p

I used to wear this religiously but now I wear it more as a primer for other scents. It’s nice on the skin and does tend to get compliments in smaller rooms, outside it will be undetectable. I will probably continue to have a bottle in my collection forever though.

Marisu

Is it possible that I only smell it properly on the cap? On my skin, it gives me a barely detectable woody scent, whereas on the cap I can smell a beautiful laundry detergent.

Liisa7

For me, it smells like a sauna. This isn’t a bad thing, but I would wear it out on a few very specific situations. Also, I think it’s more of a masculine scent and I would personally prefer something more feminine. It lasts on clothes for a long time, but on skin I couldn’t tell you, because after 5 minutes of wearing it, I can’t smell it on myself at all :( Others can smell it though.

eithernich

this smells like a pot of india ink to me, which makes sense considering that encre noire ("black ink") has a ton of iso e super in it. i haven't seen anyone else make the comparison, then again i guess not that many people have stuck their nose in an inkpot before. it's that kind of peppery, cedary, musky, natural but not natural, slightly toxic chemical scent. you know when you truly love a person and you find yourself becoming fond of their body odor? it also kind of has that quality. don't get me wrong, though; it's not "stinky". you just have that feeling that you're inhaling pheromones and you're experiencing more of your brain's primitive chemical response to it rather than i don't fuckin know what else. it has a sliiiiight bloody tone to it too? in the way that it can be a bit metallic but also because of the aforementioned bodily reasons. think sweating while holding an iron flail sexily. but this is just how it smells on myself. obviously the very nature of this fragrance molecule is that it's gonna smell different on everyone's skin

Go4buck

Eau de H²O. Better get this if you like the smell of water. A very expensive water.

ughhabbie

i’d been saving up for this for an age. i love iso e super and ambroxan. until i got my hands on it i’d been buying bottles of ambroxan from perfumers on ebay for like €12. definitely give that a go before splurging as most people find this an underwhelming scent. i personally love it. it’s the best part of all the perfumes i hold dear and i love being able to layer them with even more ISO E for that musky kick. This pairs very well with the new reformulation of Glossier You as i find it’s not as good as it used to be. molecule 01 gives it that kick it’s lacking now.

leminigemini

On me, this smells like a fizzy lemon pepper concoction, it reminds me of sweet and salty nimbu soda/ lime soda. Perfect for summer.

Dragonfly_spirit

This is amazing how good and sex appeal this scent is. Unbelievably hot. I like to smell it on myself, but also appreciate to smell it on guy. wawawiwa!

Love & fragrance#01

This smell is amazing! It is so fresh, a little warm, woody and super comforting. It smelss soo freaking good. Especially when you wear fresh clothes which just got out of the laundry and still have the laundry smell on it. The scent bubble it creates is amazing and is so addictive. It should be a crime to smell this good. I can smell whiffs of it. For those who can’t smell it, try to wear this to the gym or on a really hot day (shower before and dont spray it on stinky body odour..), hopefully you will get whiffs of it then. It is so simple but oh so good.

fisken23

@RepairYourNoseBro stfu 😂

RepairYourNoseBro

To all those people who complain about smelling nothing, talk about overhyped products, moneymaking and ridicule others for praising the smell of water:
I feel very very very sorry for you because you are genetically underprivileged and forced to never experience the missing link character and subtle beauty of this picture perfect smell.
You may very well be the same annoying persons who can be smelled from three blocks away because your nose is basically broken if you can‘t even detect Iso-E-Super.

TLDR: Do yourself and the people around you a favor and stop your new hobby if you can‘t smell this.

fisken23

This is my most complimented fragrance, by far!!
Go figure, because I can’t smell it myself 🤔

Somniferum

The only issue with molecule 01 is that once you isolate and identify it, you begin to smell it everywhere.

Airports, restaurants, church. The candle and potpurri section. The laundry aisle. It’s even clearly discernible when you walk into that enormous floral wall in the middle of Macy’s.

This frequency bias does nothing to diminish it for me, I love M01. It smells good to me and on me. I like it alone or in things that I really like. It never fails with that deep, clean thrum of woody goodness. I stop short of calling it the ultimate layering fragrance because it's already in so many of my favorite formulations. It may turn out to be a tragic victim of it's own ubiquity as "that one perfume smell."

I have to admit I wish there was a “natural” note that does all that Iso E Super does for me but that's just a romantic notion. I will say other sources for Iso E Super are inferior. This is the one if you’re going to surrender to it.

derliesl

In lower concentrations Iso-E is alright and can add depth to a fragrance. However, I DREAD Iso-E in high concentrations. To me it smells like a plastic/metallic synthetical version of a wet, fungal tree stump. It's not a happy scent, and to be honest, the smell makes me feel sad and detached.

Many people are (semi-)anosmic to it and tend to overspray, at the expense of those around who can smell it fulltime. I'm waiting for this trend to be over.

MrSwags

this is the one single frag I will be using til the day I die to layer any other flavor of the week scent with. it gives everything a little powdery, cedarwoody, a very slightly sour/bitter kick, making any frag worn on top of it a bit more alluring.

admittedly it is extremely faint by itself, but even if I just wear it like that, the whiffs I catch throughout the day are divine. I tried all the molecules but this is the only one I hold in such high regard. I don’t care for the escentric ones or the + line, but pure iso E super is a scent everyone should wear for a day to see if they can appreciate it, a dab on your wrist is not nearly enough to see how it works with your chemistry.

get a sample, use a generous amount in the morning, and see how you feel about it by the end of the day. then the next day use it to layer your favorite frag and see how it changes its scent profile.

Trunte1234

I cant smell ANYTHING at all. So disappointing

KatyaWolf

I got a sample of this from a friend. I'm torn because I love Cheeky Smile by Jusbox and it has a ton of ISO-E Super but when I sprayed this on myself I knew straight away what I was smelling. Coke straight to the brain. The smell of it in your nose. The taste of it on your tongue. The increased heart rate and dry mouth. So haha if that's what you're going for this is your frag. Granted I seem to be the only one drawing this conclusion so either all of you folks are good girls and boys or my sniffer is broken with this one.

LynneFaubert

Pencil shavings. I don’t get it. Will try to layer with other unsuccessful scents, nothing to lose…

Wildsense

I love this...even though i cant smell it on myself but other people like how it smells on me. I suggest wearing this after a shower

AleMHS

This was a blind by for me, as I was hoping I would get the creamy goodness that so many people have described. It really is down to how your individual nose comprehends this molecule.
Unfortunately, it is a rather large regret as all I can detect is a very masculine pencil shaving scent that I actually find a bit unpleasant.

Afc_Croatian

I am genuinely conflicted with how I feel about this one.
I can barely smell it, super subtle woodiness.

I was told to mix this with a fragrance and helps it last longer? Interesting.
I paired it with my Sauvage EDT, yeah it didn't seem to improve longevity however it did give a woody vibe to it, that's all.

I can't tell if I have been finessed or not.

2/10, but if it ends up improving overtime then it's a 7/10 if it helps with my other fragrances.

CC.Porcelain

I blind bought this and really wish I didn't. It wasn't worth any money at all, because once it's on you can't smell a thing. If I spray this on my clothing maybe 5 times, I can slightly detect it throughout the day at random, but very barely. On the skin it disappears after 5 minutes (if it was there in the first place) never to be seen again. I just cannot for the life of me understand this weak synthetic wood water and its popularity

mysterywhitegirl

Smells different on everyone, but on me it just makes me smell like a post office.

denisa_iv

I've been testing this and I don't really get the hype, so I would not purchase a full bottle. It's a clean, woody scent on me, that is also sweet, I almost detect a sugar note. It sits close to skin, barely noticeable and is obviously linear. I don't really get it and I don't feel enticed to wear it on its own. If layered with something else, it will not really change the other perfume in a noticeable way imo. As per the other claims about pheromones, who can say. I would rather spend the time, energy and money towards purchasing and wearing something that gives me some sort of olfactory experience.
Later edit: I kept playing with this layering it with another perfume on one arm, and keeping that perfume as is on the other arm. I believe it can change the other perfume a bit. I've encountered both situations where it slightly changed the perfume for the better (making it lighter, more airy, a bit more sweet, and sitting closer to skin if the original perfume was too heavy for my taste) or for the worse, for example mixing it with something that I love just as is so, naturally, I ended up not liking the change. The claim that it makes the original perfume last longer could also have some truth to it, or it could have to do with just wearing more perfume in total (I don't usually wear more than 1-2 sprays, so by using 2 perfumes it does add up to more). All in all, if I had unlimited resources and space I might consider adding it to my collection. Just in case and for those situations where I would like the mix. But I could also get something similar as a scent, without the pheromone claim, for much less.

wendylavonne

On me this smells like a very clean, linear cedar (or similar wood). Nothing particularly special, but a nice scent. I like to wear it alone on days where I want to wear a fragrance, but I don’t want to smell like I’m wearing one. I’ve tried layering it with other scents, but haven’t noticed it’s made much of a difference.

dj71

For me, it is odd because I can smell a somewhat sharp woody scent in the decant mini bottle I purchased to test, but the moment I put it on my skin I smell basically nothing and I even let it sit on my skin for a good twenty minutes or so to see if I would smell something later on, but nope. No fragrance ever popped up for me on my skin. For that reason, this is a fragrance that everyone should test on their skin before buying a full size bottle. You will have no idea how it will smell on your skin or if you will be able to smell it at all.

mad_mal

Dry, airy, clean, woody. Resembles a bit to sandalwood. Understated, and as such, a great layering scent! I get that "pencil shavings" note, but this is pencil shavings done beautifully - IMO. I like it.

At first try on skin, I just get that faint woody note, and I thought that was it. But I sprayed it on my clothes and then it's a whole different story. Very inoffensive, safe, and recommended for new niche perfume explorers.

Flared Maple

This is the best layering scent.

Someone called this MSG for fragrances... and I really can't agree more.

Also is great for the gym, the office, baby showers or any other place you want to smell inoffensive and just nice.

For being such an inoffensive fragrance, it is strong and somewhat mysterious. It mostly smells of cedar and some sort of citrus scent, but it has this sort of "olfactory illusion" aspect to it.

Its like when early AI generated images kind of had a sort of uncanny valley effect to them. Don't look too close, or it will get blurry and confusing. The same can be said for Molecule 01.

You cant smell it too directly and will just have to enjoy it in the moments during the day that your get a whiff of it as the wearer, because you go anosmic quite quickly.

A trick to remedy this is to spray further away from your nose, so like behind your knees or on your wrists only.

oliviakatecouture

I couldn't smell this at all for the first 15-20 minutes and was really bummed. Literally nothing. Then bam, it's there. It's a woody, warm, floral. Very comforting scent. For those that couldn't smell this....I would leave it on and come back to it in 20 minutes. It has to sit on the skin. I think it smells really nice actually.

Lmhester

I get no wood notes at all, but the scent is DELICIOUS. I keep sniffing it, it’s sweet and intoxicating on me. After first spray it has become one of my all time favorites.

amgenus2015

This is a very delicious clean woods fragrance. Scents like this smell so good on me and I can’t help but crave a full bottle. This is the ultimate comfort scent. In terms of similarities, i reminds me of Pillowtalk poet by Pinrose. However, that one leans very soft and powdery whereas this one is a cleaner woody scent.

VanirCO

A masterpiece.
However, this fragrance, more than any others, is massively reliant on your skin chemistry. As it's entirely Iso E Super, how this synthetic compound interacts with your skin will determine the smell, to a much greater degree than any other fragrances. Don't test this on a test strip, as it won't give you an accurate idea of what it'll actually smell like when you wear it.
If you're lucky, your skin will work well with this compound, and you'll be left with anything ranging from citrus to ozone, sandalwood to amber, and many other potential notes. If you're unlucky, you could be left with a chemically scent that's harsh and acrid. You have no way of knowing until you try it. There likely isn't another fragrance out there that varies this dramatically based on the chemistry of who is wearing it... but that's what makes it so unique and exciting. Because it's SO dependent and SO different based on who is wearing it, it truly becomes your scent - a smell no one else can replicate, even if they wear a spray from your bottle. That's the genius, that's what makes Molecule 1 a triumph.

KerriZ

Simple. Pure. Understated. It lasted several hours and held close to the skin for me. I can see how people would like this as a quiet sexy. Kind of like a big cat prowling on the savannah in the dark of night. Just sneaks up on you with beauty and elegance. Personally I would use this is a great layering fragrance to give something a bit too floral a hint of erotic undertone.

Ryanmmas26

I adore this stuff although admittedly it wasn’t until I started to receive positive attention from it that I started to like it as in the beginning I could barely smell anything.

What this smells like off my skin is a very smooth,light, but also rich and soapy smell !! I’ve been complimented on this and when I asked what it smells like those were the adjectives described. I don’t smell this often on myself but when I do it is quite pleasant and it also really brings alive any body wash I may have used earlier in the day !!

Like others have mentioned this is great by itself but also perfect for adding a little umph to any colognes that may need an edge scent wise or longevity wise. It’s great for cheaper colognes that may be missing that extra pop or smell great but only last 2-4 hours.

Performance on this is great as it lasts 12-16 hours and on clothes lasts until you wash them next !! Also great for work as it’s light but noticeable and smell isn’t overwhelming

Overall rating -9 out of 10 !! This may not be for everyone but this stuff just always gives me confidence and my 2nd most complimented fragrance next to Aventus

ferdiny

I bought M01 today as a blind buy after smelling it on a guest at an event. He smelled like sharp sage, vetiver and sandalwood, almost Byredo-esque but it was impossible to place the scent. I kept catching myself trying to find the source, and after asking what he wore he told me M01 and I knew I had to try it.

Like many others, I catch whiffs at times when I least expect it and can't smell anything else than an elusive note of sweet, dry, powdery wood when smelled on skin.

It reminds me of hugging my father as a child when he returned home from business trips, a faint sweet skin/sweat scent mixed in with crisp starched cotton collars on his dress shirts that still carry the traces of his morning cologne. Or my mothers cashmere sweaters carrying her perfume and skin after a day of being worn. I adore it, it makes me nostalgic without being sappy. It makes me think of both being close to my mother and father, paradoxically at the same time. A truly unisex fragrance.

It will be interesting to see how the fragrance is perceived by others. There are three men around in my life currently, all of whom intrigue me for different reasons (physical, intellect and humor) and all which have wildly distinctive unique scents. It will be interesting to see if they all perceive M01 the same, and what that might tell me about their perception of me. No scent is magic och sorcery, but M01 might be the closest we'll come.

Walkingwisti

Bought a sample. Smells like sweet cardboard. Weird. Probably won’t buy a bottle but we will see when I’ve used up the sample.

niemyt

I adore Molecule 01, I have been wearing it for almost 10 years now and I never get bored of it. It was the first fragrance I fell in love with. I cant smell it on my skin as much as I used to, but I feel thats because Im so used to it. Regardless I almost always get complimented when Im wearing this. Its also wonderful to layer with and to help the longevity of other fragrances, while making them more unique to you. I highly recommend picking up a bottle though I would say, as always, go and try some on the skin before you do.

aflakes

I layer this with every fragrance I wear. It has that nice little woody cedar scent that elevates the scent of my fragrances. This is definitely one of my top fragrances for life and will always be a staple in my collection. I love it!

AngeLkatelyn00

First day wearing this! Thankfully I am not anosmic to this because it’s beautiful. I catch wafts of it at the most random of times. I haven’t rated the sillage for this yet but it’s at the very least moderate in sillage if not more than moderate! Longevity is phenomenal, I just want to wait to rate sillage until I’ve atleast worn it for a week or two. I will probably come back to edit this but I agree with a lot of the other reviews that just when you think the fragrance has worn off, you’ll get a whiff of it and be reminded that it’s still there!!!!
EDIT——— meant to add that YES this does smell a lot like glossier you! Would be perfect to layer with YOU or any other scent!

Tyler2004durden

It smells like cardboard on my skin.
I don’t get the hype…

subaiteagne

Very unique scent! I love it! On me it lasts 2 days!

LaMiaRosa

Wow, when people said "pencil shavings" they weren't joking! Occasionally I hear people use that term in reference to fragrances, and I heard it a lot about this one, but I had no idea what that really smelled like. After all, I haven't used a pencil in about 20 years... I sprayed this on and I was immediately taken back to my infantile years. This is exactly what pencil shavings smell like! At first it smells like fresh pencil shavings. Then as it dries down it smells darker, like those charcoal pencils you use for sketching.

Honestly, this is the weirdest thing I've ever sprayed on myself. I'm definitely open to the "not a perfume" genre and I like those musky skin scents, but this is really a new one! A bit too quirky and eccentric for me, but I can imagine this being a cool scent for an artist or a designer. It's definitely unisex but I do think it leans masculine, if you choose to classify fragrances by those dichotomies. It's definitely... interesting. Unique. Wear this to the office, or anywhere really, and I doubt anyone else will smell like you! They won't register it as a perfume either.

It's not my taste but if the above sounds intriguing to you then I'd definitely recommend you try it. Wouldn't recommend this as a blind buy because it apparently smells different on everyone, but basically all the reviews I watched said "pencil shavings" and I can confirm that's true for me as well.

Edit: Had to wash this one off as it was burning my nose and making me feel uncomfortable with such a strong wood smell. Even after I scrubbed it off though, I could still smell it, and that was just one spray... It's definitely strong.

NecessaryExistence

I absolutely love molecule 01. I bought it for my wife after extensive research looking for something I thought would suit her. She likes natural and light scents. To me 01 is dry woody, slightly musky, light and alluring. I love it on her and she loves it too. In my opinion 01 is unisex but leans feminine. I tried it on myself and don’t like it nearly as much as I do on my wife. I can see this as an appropriate scent for just about any occasion. But perhaps it’s a little too light and subtle for winter. This lasted over 12 hours on my skin however sillage was moderate. I’m not sure if it lasts nearly as long on my wife though.

Maynard_James_Krawczyk

Unfortunately my nose cannot detect it, but my mom said it smell very pleasant so…

Chakra Zulu

I just received this fragrance today and I definitely can smell it. I could smell it in the box and when I sprayed on myself. As noted everywhere, it’s a very airy and woody type of scent. I definitely get whiffs of it as well!! It’s very interesting and I’m excited to see what it does as it evolves throughout the day. I also can’t wait to layer with it! I imagine you don’t need to spray a lot of this because I did two sprays on each arm and it’s prominent!

TheSniffer

Honestly, reviews on this scent really are quite pointless. Everyone seems to experience this differently, in terms of smell and performance, so you really do need to try this one for yourself. Don’t blind buy.

torres_jake

Albeit subtle, I can smell this on me all day, and it’s present all day as well. I don't understand what other people say about only catching whiffs of it from time to time.

On me, it smells like wood and is a little animalic, but inoffensive. Luckily, I don't get that BO smell some people get when they have this on.

I've tried layering it with Jazz Club, and it made it last longer. Great for layering. I'm not sure if I'd go out wearing just this, only because I prefer something stronger and a bit more complex than this.

cheringer

The reviews on this one intrigue me. I smell Molecule 01 from a mile away and, when I have this on at work everyone, literally EVERYONE asks me what I am wearing. Also, it doesn’t happen often, but I can definitely recognize this fragrance when someone else is wearing it (and it actually happened today). So, I don’t get when people say this is supposed to smell different on everyone, that it accentuates your natural scent etc. To me, it smells the same on everyone. And it projects, and it lasts! Unless you are nose blind to this scent.
This is an easy, likeable scent. It won’t bother people at work, you can wear it at home after shower or to run errands. It’s nice, but also different. I can’t compare it to anything else.

boffin1979

This is my basic scent; my dumb reach for the office, which I have on my desk. I use it during the day to resurrect the fragrance I put on before leaving home; it's like msg for fragrances. It's even great by itself, albeit weak. I love that nice timber aroma that is reminiscent of a furniture store or a carpentry shop.

A synthetic and scientific masterpiece!

viewDidAppear

Love this. It’s subtle enough that I can wear it in an office in Japan where people complain about fragrances. Different people think it smells of something different whenever they smell it on me, and it always seems to be something they like.

I get great results when I layer it with a tiny bit of a complimentary scent - usually a Tom Ford.

Eibextario

I have to dislike this, simply because I can't smell it. Is it good? Is it bad? For me, it smells like nothing, and I dislike that it smells like nothing. I have smelled "regular" iso-e super before, which smells like pencil shavings. So I guess it really is true, M01 is a specific isomer of iso-e super. Or maybe there's just alcohol in my sample - I probably wouldn't know.

MediaevalWench

I was gifted this scent for my birthday today and I love it. Its one of the scents I've wanted to try after reading all the comments. One spray has me hooked. I can smell instantly a floral fragrance then a woody fragrance that lasts and lasts and last but in the background evolving each time I notice it. I've sprayed it a couple of times since this morning, and it just gets better and better. My mam could smell it, but my daughter couldn't. Months later I spray it only once, which is enough.

SneezingWizard

Clean synthetic scent that reminiscence of powdery, wood smells. My first time smelling Iso E and really loving it. Pretty weak sillage and doesn't overpower the room, perhaps its good as a layering agent than anything else.

derby2169

Passing by the Escentric Molecules stand at the department store I noticed several customers buying Molecule 01, a whole 100ml bottle of it. I still don't know what compels people to do so. Iso E is a canvas to build on, on its own it is a ethereal cedar note with a distinct almost paint-thinner like quality to it as it dries down. There are also several types and grades of Iso E Super, so smelling this one doesn't automatically mean you can spot Iso E in other formulas as they could be using another form of it, so the whole concept is definitely more of a gimmick.

Overall perhaps something to sample for overall knowledge of raw material, but wearing this is like hanging an off-white canvas on your wall.

Snifftastic

So this fragrance has very interesting reviews... A lot of people say they cannot smell it and that could be because realistically it's not a heavy-hitter scent. It's very light, but thankfully I can pick up the scent which made this blind buy a mild win as I love sniffing these overpriced juices to experience them myself.

It smells reminiscent of wood sage and sea salt but lighter and this stuff really can help certain perfumes to project better or perform better -- but the scent has to go with that salty woodiness that Molecule 01 has. This also smells a tad like Glossier: You, which isn't great either to my nose (sorry y'all it is what it is).

I think this is a tad overhyped as I don't have the best nose nor do the others around me (some even have major allergies and are hardly able to smell most perfumes which are considered beast-mode) and they can smell this and are just as unimpressed as I am.

If you want a woody/salty fragrance I'd say go for Jo Malone's Wood sage and sea salt -- it's much stronger and to be honest, smells better than this.

If you want to experiment with mixing fragrances and just experience this because you love scents I'd say go for it if you can catch it for a decent price.

This is not a safe blind buy as I think most people who can smell this and have a decent collection will not think it's anything unique or groundbreaking. And for the others who cannot smell it at all, they will just be horribly disappointed due to the nature of the scent.

Onto the next hyped fragrance!

Michelle12345678

Woody, subtle. Perfect for wearing to work. The co-worker who complains about fragrances probably won't even notice it - try it out. So light and close to the skin.

FragZappa

I just got my nose on this and I do see a comparison with Encre Noir. I'm guessing EN must have a ton of iso E in it? This smells like a clean whisper of encre noir. Dusty, dry and... well you can't put your finger on it.

Others have said the nose adjusts to this fragrance so I'll give it a few proper wears before I try layering. I'm excited to experiment with this.

KadenKep

This one is difficult to describe. To me, it starts off with a slightly peppery cedar, and as it dries down it becomes a soft, ethereal, mysterious, inviting woody musk. Absolutely unisex and smells wonderful on anybody.

This stuff lasts on me. I’ll put it on in the morning before work, forget about it, and when I hit the gym and start to sweat after work, it comes back full force.

Compliments are plenty with this one in my experience. I’ve had a couple “I was wondering what that smell was”(in a good way) and “is that you?!” (Also in a good way). It doesn’t smell like a perfume or a cologne, but a pleasant “scent”. Wearing this is fun, because whenever someone gets a whiff of it, I know they’ve never smelt anything like it before.

Ps. On first sniff, I knew I had smelt this before. It was encre noir. That peppery cedar backbone is the iso e super.

beardeparfume

This only has two uses, do not purchase for anything other than this:

1: for layering

2: rainy day/chill at home type of days

elnaz_sn

so literally just got this and dug up my Fragrantica account to read about it. Am confused. Have read raving reviews, and can feel a haze of scent around me almost, but might be imagining it. Tried it on male friend and they did not smell anything specific, then pepper, and slight cucumber yogurt smell. Bizarre. Cannot say to its "irresitible" reputation, Ive had far more male compliments on Midnight Fantasy than any other perfume (which speaks volumes), will update this if chased by hoards of men down the street

Jukatr

Does it enchance performance layering with weak fragrances? Anyone tested it?

hc123

I get a very light wood smell but it's like breathing in softness, almost a tactile vs olfactory experience. I can see this being used for laying which is why I bought it initially. After wearing it a bit I can also see it being used as a scentless scent to enhance your skin scent and give you a pleasant aura to the nose of others. My only marks off would be way too expensive for what it is I wouldn't pay retail.

fairymeist

This smells like a brand-new fancy wooden cabinet when you open it for the first time.

Edit: My husband absolutely hated it, he said it stank of mould. 🤔 Now it smells of mould to me too.

tumblingdice

Out of my whole collection, Molecule 01 is oddly the one I get the most compliments on. There's something about how it mixes with your skin chemistry that can make it absolutely alluring. Despite this, I use it mainly to soften the edges of fragrances that come off too loud as it does a great job doing so.

Cory Alexcoco

All around winner lMHO

Soft woody musk that is subtle yet very present.

Even if you can’t smell it, people around you are perceiving it. I promise.

10/10 I will always own a bottle

PixieDevil

I sprayed this & have no idea what’s happening. I smell nothing & yet my nose is tingling as if I inhaled some black pepper. I don’t smell pepper. I smell the hand soap I used prior to spraying this on my wrists and neck. I smell the detergent in my T-shirt & the incense I burned an hour ago. If my dog gets too close, I smell her, but not anything I would define as a fragrance. And yet something is there, like a quiet ghost that occupies its time by politely watching you from the corner. There’s no proof that it’s real, and yet you feel it. It follows you around without definition. I’ll have to study this one a while. Maybe it will reveal itself, or maybe it will remain shy and elusive. Only time will tell.

Specialsplash

Just got this in and tested it out on my skin and you really can’t smell it to good when you mute your nose to the place you just sprayed but as your moving around you get these whiffs of it pretty often and it smells “Amazing” to my boogerbox lol Gonna test it out around others to see if they can pick it up but I really love what I’m getting from it!

NonScents94

A very interesting scent, nice enough. However doesn't live up to the hype / mystery where I've seen people going on about how it changes so much with different skin, wafting in and out of nose blindness.
It opens with an alcohol note that settles to a basic wood scent (like someone else commented wood working class esque).

kefirchik

When I first tried it on in a shop, I loved it -- a soft, comforting, warm, sweet-ish smell. I was constantly smelling my wrist. But then, I bought a sample and tried it again. And there was something very chemically about the smell, all of a sudden. I wanted to love it, but alas.

SEA CA

Love the subtle and pleasant smell. Great for those lazy uneventful Netflix and chill days.

I add about 5mls to my unscented lotion and it works wonderfully as base to support other fragrances. Helps extend longevity on some lower performing fragrances

francesca_

I really like this one! It’s a subtle comforting scent, I pretty much just pick up cedar wood. It does seem to come and go over the day and I think it’d be difficult to offend anyone when wearing this. I’ve sprayed this over other perfumes I want to give an extra woodsy note/warmth to, and it does a good job mixing without overpowering. I wouldn’t say it makes them last longer though. Overall, a lovely cedar-like scent that’s nice alone or layered - but worth trying a sample first to see if your nose agrees (or can even smell it).

morejmh

I’ve tried other formulations of ISO E Super and this one beats them all. I love it using it alone or in addition to other woody fragrances. I’ve gotten more compliments with it than any other.

FallenLeaf

Genuine questions for those who use this for layering to prolong perfumes.

1) Can you layer it with ANY perfume for that purpose?

2) Do you put this on first or the perfume you WANT to smell of?

3) If anyone has blended it directly in to their perfume, does it make any difference?

4) Do dupes of this work in the same way, or just have the same 'scent'?

Thank you in advance for your answers & any extra info you can add :)

Lukasssss

To me it opens alcoholic, and quickly dries down to smelling exactly like sawdust.
Reminds me of woodwork classes in elementary school.
It is a minimalistic, woody, and clean scent that can never go wrong.
I use it only for layering other fragrances with

cpsottak

At first i liked it because it was so faint it just had a clean smell, but after a while it’s like i became sensitive to it and two sprays was too much. I ended up not liking it and selling my bottle

klioux

What does it say about me that the elusiveness of this dumb molecule is something I can't get enough of? Maybe it's because in this game of hide-and-go-seek I get something a little different every time - first it's woodsy, then a little creamy, then a hint of citrus?

I'll keep wearing the sample to yoga for my own entertainment, but can't justify spending money on this disappearing act.

katieejh

It smelt like fresh laundry at first, then dried to a delicate powdery incense. It smells like a still clean, worn hoodie - not your own, but someone else’s. That comforting scent of someone familiar's clothes. Clean cotton diluted with their natural smell.

Baby powder, printer paper, a new book with glossy paper, pencil shavings - all accurate too. A mix of those scents.

SenselessReviews

The first question we ask about "Molecule 01": Is it possible for a fragrance to be perceptible to everyone except the wearer?

The second question we ask: Will wearing "Molecule 01" further our goal of sexual relations with Howie Mandel?

Let us start with the first question. Science proves that certain fragrance components, including those which comprise "Molecule 01," are detectable only to certain people. Research from the National University of Singapore confirms that only 15 per cent of people have olfactory odor receptors sensitive enough to recognize the subtlest of scents in our environment.

Perhaps you have a friend or relative who is unable to wear deodorant or hairspray due to headaches or nausea. Odds are this person has sensitive odor receptors (though there is a small chance they suffer from a rare thyroid condition). You can think of your olfactory neurons as a carpet. The thinner the carpet, the fewer cookie crumbs, spills and, yes, smells it will effectively absorb. The odor-sensitive 15 per cent among us have thick carpets (much like my wife when we met in the 1970s, but that is another story!). Even as fragrance enthusiasts, we must respect the odor-sensitive.

Let us move on to the second question. It is every red-blooded American's dream to "share the sheets" with Howie Mandel, the shaven-headed TV personality with a penchant for quips and acrobatic bedroom maneuvers. Available data suggests Howie is more of an "Office by Jeremy Fragrance" guy. But he is also a germaphobe, wearing yellow rubber gloves and a breathing apparatus each time he poops. Given his sensitivity to germs, Howie may well be odor-sensitive -- and thus appreciative of "Molecule 01"!

Summary: "Molecule 01" is no gimmick; fragrance can indeed captivate only a small percentage of the population. Those who can detect "Molecule 01" all rave about its bright, uplifting notes. It is also quite likely that "Molecule 01" will be of benefit for those attempting to bed television host Howie Mandel.

Sources: National University of Singapore, Entertainment Tonight

Liljekonvall

Huge sillage on this and you smell fresh and clean to next day and still some👌😅I love it,one of my dumb reach❤️👌

KELIZ

I’m one of those that cannot smell this fragrance on myself and neither can anyone else.

Fragriminator

I received my bottle of this yesterday from fragrance net and have given it a full 24-hr test. First off, I have no problem smelling it, and can smell it whenever I want. My wife, son, mother and the three co-workers I had sniff me today could all smell it. To me, it smells of mild cedar and a bit of sandalwood. I also do get the light lemon pepper references. I think it might also be the note that people who think it smells like body odor are detecting. I doused myself in eight sprays upon receiving it (neck, arms, and cotton shirt). The scent is light, and generally pleasant to me. I also feel that this is way overhyped. It’s not some magical thing. I think it’s unique for the fact that the fragrance is very light, but still capable of projecting some due to its molecular composition, as well as being able to create a heavy sillage, but of a very light fragrance. These two extremes typically aren’t encountered in a fragrance, and so perhaps this is the thing that makes Iso E more unusual. Supposedly Molecule 01 uses a captive “gamma” form of Iso E Super that is less prone to bioaccumulating, i.e. being absorbed and stored by the body’s cells like regular Iso E can do. That sounds sketchy. I have no idea if that’s what makes Molecule 01 different that regular Iso E. In any case, I woke up and sprayed at least a dozen pumps all over me—skin, hair, clothes. At work—in the elevators, on my floor—nobody mentioned my smell. I could smell myself all day, although it was very light. I sprayed another 6x before the gym. I sweated heavily for 45 mins, and then a 200 degree sauna for 15 mins. I actually didn’t notice much of a change in projection, and nobody mentioned anything. When I sweat normally many of my other frags start booming. Later in the afternoon, I had to drop something off at my parents’ house and my mother asked me if I was wearing a fragrance. I asked her why or what she thought I smelled like. She said, “I’m not sure, but it reminds me of church when I was a kid.” So there you go. Maybe the cedar. I do think it prolongs life of frags layered onto it. I sprayed some Cobra and Canary from IA (one of my favorite frags) onto my arm that I’d previously covered w Molecule 01 and I was still smelling it on my skin a day later. No big thing though because it only kept the C+C to a skin scent. Also, I decanted about .75 ml of Molecule 01 with a total of 2ml combined Demeter’s Pineapple, Vetiver, Cannabis and Ginger mixed in, and I couldn’t tell the difference between that and the same concoction without the Molecule 01. I will likely continue to buy Molecule 01 on discount just cause it’s a weird idea and I sort of like it, but I don’t think it’s some sort of wizardry in any way. Lastly, comments about smelling a blast of alcohol upon opening should be ignored. Of course you smell only the perfumer’s alcohol first thing in such a mild fragrance. It’s always the top top top note that evaporates in a few seconds.

FleurDe

This little powerhouse. Wow. Yes, you will receive compliments. No, you will not be sure why because you can barely smell anything. For me, the best part of this fragrance has been layering it with other favorites. I have mixed it with Santal 33 and L'Air Du Desert Morocain and it greatly improves longevity and revs the other fragrance up to max sillage. I haven't tried layering it with anything other than something with a woody or resinous base, not sure how it would work with a gourmand or something light. I love the smell of dirt so much I could eat it, and did when I was a child and didn't know better. When I smell it on my coats it smells dirty in the best way. I will continue to use it alone and to maximize the longevity and sillage of more expensive fragrances.

Anton Constantinou

A phantom of a fragrance with a slippery character that morphs on skin. If Molecule 01 were a real person, it would be a ghostwriter. A shadowy individual who adapts for the occasion but remains undetected. A great scent for those who like to layer their perfumes.

fisken23

This one is a really strange ”scent”!
I have worn this a number of times the past year. No layering, just this one. My wife, which is picky with her perfumes, has not once told me she likes it. Yesterday, after my shower, I sprayed two sprays with Molecule 01 and all of a sudden she was all over me.
”Wow, what is that!? Is it new? You smell so good!!”
WHAT?! I can smell it, but to me it’s a mild and comfortable scent.
I guess it’s more for people around you to smell and enjoy than the wearer.

ismellsomething

This smell throws me back in time when I was as kid building wooden shed with my grandpa. It smells like freshly cut evergreen wood from high mountains.

MelissaKS

It projects well and lasts on my clothes, but if I try to smell it on my skin, I can’t. Bizarre, but pleasant. Similar to JHAG Not a Perfume on my skin. I really like it. I’d wear it when I don’t want to pick a scent.

Edit: I love this scent. I took it with me to Europe along with some other fragrances and I wore this most of the time. It’s one I can’t always smell on my skin, but I get whiffs of it when I move and on my clothes. I’ll definitely buy a bottle when my decant is gone.

santeripe

It's worth mentioning that this fragrance uses a patented Iso-E Super variant called Iso-Gamma Super. Nobody outside of the fragrance industry has access to it. I've actually made my own blends with all the publicly available variants: Iso-E Super / Timbersilk / Sylvamber. I can tell they're "home-made" because none of them smell quite as clean as Molecule 01. They either don't perform as well, or they smell peppery and harsh in the air.

There's a clear explanation to this, involving chemistry and molecular isomer ratios. An article called "What’s Hot, What’s Not: The Trends of the Past 20 Years in the Chemistry of Odorants" explains it in detail for those interested. But basically, you're not paying for creativity or packaging here, you're paying for a patented superior raw material that's only exclusively sold through this fragrance.

There's also something cool in the concept of a fragrance with no creativity behind it. Nobody blended this smell from raw materials like a typical perfume, so nobody owns "copyright" to it. It just appeared in a lab by random. The only blending happening here is with the wearer's skin, so I guess you do own the "copyright" to how you smell while wearing this!

Latetothescene

ISO E super. Boring to me. Blind buy fail a year ago. Now the only thing i smell in wood, Sage and seasalt is ISO E super. It is super dominant. I agree with some reviews. Geza Schoen is laughing all the way to the bank.

Having said all that...I use this to clean out my travelsprays. Pump up some ISO E super, give it a good shake, spray away (on myself or whatever) and my travelspray doesn't contaminate the next fragrance with the leftover juice, because ISO E super is pretty much in every fragrance or atleast doesn't fight the next fragrance like some drops of fragrance left in the spray sometimes do. (And ruins it). I actually don't regret buying this frag one bit now. Hope this helps some of the blind buy fails. 😉

ca$hm3re

Bought this blind and was instantly reminded on someone I knew in the past who must have worn this scent and so it felt odd smelling like them unfortunately 🤷

I think the scent is amazing though, but probably one I’d prefer to smell on a man anyway, so I gave it to my boyfriend, who recognised as his favourite smell of all time that he’d never been able to place before, except now he’s nose blind to it and literally can’t smell a thing anymore, even when he wears it. He’s very sad about it😬.

It’s just a prime example of your skin but better… people will be drawn to you and not know why, it has that instantly attractive factor to everyone. If your looking for a scent to have people lean in closer to you, this this is the one (man or woman).

persb010

As good as it gets. Minimalistic, present, and cedar musk. I have a fond memory with this. I went night swimming on a warm night at this girls house I went to high school with and this was blasting off my skin. It ebbs and flows and there’s moments it’s very present, and moments it’s not.

I recommend sincerely. A pleasure to wear with my Xerjoff fresh fragrances (Nio, Torino 21)

venusingemini

It really sucks for the people who can’t smell or understand this scent. I can’t smell it when i spray my wrist or if i’m trying to but when i wear it i get wafts whenever the wind blows and I ALWAYS get complimented on how I smell. The performance reminds me a bit of BR540 in that is kind of comes and goes but somehow people always seem to notice it. It’s soft and woody and reminds me of how a trendy hotel might smell. I love it!

Stoic

Based on my experience with M01, the right name should be 'Erratic M01' ! On its own, sometimes it's there and sometimes it's not. If it's there, I get a soft clean woody note with average longevity, low projection and sillage with an occasional whiff out of nowhere; at these times it's quite pleasant but nothing special. Layering is another issue: with some citrus fragrances it performs satisfactorily, boosting notes and longevity, but not projection/sillage. For perfumes with other notes, the layering does not perform well, or in case of some marine notes dampens them. M01 seems to perform individually on people, as confirmed by other reviews here and so the value is not there, it's overpriced. I'm pleased for the lucky people for whom it works just fine.

Update April 2023: just tried Maison Alhambra Monocline 01, similar (said to be a clone) but better, particularly in terms of performance but also as a composition. Pleasant lime balsamic highlight with a nice aromatic cedar wood base.
Unfortunately the Monocline Line is not presented on Fragrantica.

a.kittilsen

I cant smell it... i have no idea what it smells like... :(

clairedaloon

I had a sample of this and wore it off an on for about a week. I’m torn, falling on the dislike side a bit more.

The opening scent is a very fizzy citrus blast, almost like those sherbet lemon hard boiled sweets. Gorgeous. But then as the scent develops on my skin it just becomes very acidic and sharp. I could smell some greenery and grasslike smells in the early stages, which was pleasant but after that, all I could small was a screeching loud synthetic citrus that became very flat and one dimensional.

It does however work well as a layering scent, I wore it with V&R Bon Bon and TF Lost Cherry and it complimented both well. With Bon Bon it seemed to boost its longevity and added that lemony sherbet scent, which almost toned down the musky sweetness that Bon Bon seems to develop into on my skin. With Lost Cherry, it was more subtle, but the citrus definitely added something to the cherry almond scent, almost freshened it up and improved longevity somewhat.

However, this alone is not enough to purchase the fragrance. If I already had it or was gifted it, I would use it as a layering scent but unfortunately do not like it on it’s own.

QuincesI

Many people can't (or can't very well) smell Iso, indeed. I have a bottle of pure Iso E Super straight from IFF, and it has the same effect on me: I smell it for a few seconds, and then nothing (then a little bit again, then nothing again).

But it's still a note that I love, and that has turned modern perfumery on its head in many ways. Molecules 01 is one of the perfumes that revolutionized my understanding of the world of perfumery, and I think for that reason alone, everyone should smell it at least once. I think it's important to understand why it's so talked about, and how it was the cornerstone of a major turning point at that time. Besides, even the most neophyte certainly already knows the note without knowing it.

On the other hand, it's not a fragrance I think is particularly pleasant to wear - well, it's not even unpleasant, far from it, but it is indeed very harsh to smell once the nose gets used to it. It has its place in all collections as it has been so much of an event, it also remains a good educational tool, which deserves to be valued. But in terms of the purely olfactory aspect, it has mostly benefited from a nice marketing coup.

On the other hand, it is very good at layering.

uk2587uk

Clean, woody scent that is fine in it’s own but works fantastic when layered with other scents. Experiment and you’ll find it to be true. Also seems to enhance the scent trail of whatever other fragrance you’re wearing!

sterob3

Finally managed to test this today in a shop. Probably the strangest fragrance I have come across. I sprayed twice on my hand and twice on a test strip. I was then in two minds of what I could smell. I was smelling either nothing, or I possibly could smell paper, if that makes any sense at all. I met with my wife about 30 min later and expected her to say she couldn’t smell anything, but she could, and she said it smelt nice. A couple of hours later I kept getting wafts of something and realised it was molecule 01. The test strip now smelt nice, but if I dug my nose into where I had sprayed on my hand I still couldn’t pick anything up. I kept getting the wafts for hours though and loved the smell. Strangely, it reminded me of Armani Code Edp For women which I really like, even though I wouldn’t want to wear it myself as a man. However, even though it reminded me of it, this was definitely something I wanted to smell of. I just wish that it was stronger to my nose. Would I like a full bottle? Yes. Can I justify the price on something that is barely detectable to me? I’m not so sure.

 
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