Inside Esxence 2025: Scents and Unforgettable Encounters
Written by Sima Keijzers-Puodziute
For the last few years, I have tried and failed to join Esxence—one of the biggest international artistic perfumery events/fairs in Europe. I could not believe that this year, 'all cards' played out well, and I finally had the chance to be there myself instead of watching stories and reels of others experiencing it.
Sima Keijzers-Puodziute / Photo from personal album
I will not be mistaken if I say that Esxence is a real heaven for fragrance lovers, (niche) perfumers, and industry experts. There are so many (new) brands to discover, master classes/panel discussions to attend, new perfume releases to try out. Here are some of my key highlights from Esxence 2025.
One of the most exciting aspects of Esxence is uncovering emerging trends in the world of niche perfumery. This year, several of them stood out to me:
Musks: More and more brands are embracing musk-based scents, often featuring ambrette seeds, powdery amber-musk accords, helvetolide, muscenone, and cashmeran. Some releases I tested were Musk d’Hiver by OHTOP and Filthy Musk by Borntostandout, though only blotters. Since musk-based scents interact uniquely with skin chemistry, it's essential to experience them directly on the skin. I have yet to see how they develop and perform on mine.
Photo: Sima Keijzers-Puodziute
The ‘New’ Gourmands: This year’s gourmand releases move away from the traditional praline, chocolate, and caramel notes, instead exploring sesame,matcha, cereal, milk, and basmati rice accords. As someone who isn’t a big fan of overly sweet gourmand scents, I found this trend way more exciting. My favorite discoveries in this category were Tonka Latte by Dusita and Rococo Pie by Sarah Baker.
Sima Keijzers-Puodziute
Earthy Notes: I also came across many perfumes featuring earthy, vegetal accords reminiscent of gardening, mossy landscapes, and dense forest undergrowth. It was interesting to explore Bohoboco’s ‘Polish Potatotoes (by the way, their stand was one of the most creative ones), Sarah’s Baker’s ‘Prism Head’. I am not sure if I would wear those scents myself, but as creatives outlets, I really appreciate them.
Photo: Sima Keijzers-Puodziute
People Make the Experience
Trends may come and go, but what truly made Esxence special for me was the opportunity to connect with people—the creators behind the brands, fellow content creators, and passionate perfumers.
Some brands were more approachable than others, but the ones that stood out this time for their warmth, authenticity, and enthusiasm in presenting their work were Maison Incense, Thomas de Monaco, Racyne, Cepages, FumparFum, Versatile Paris, Maie Piou, The Different Company, Pernoire, and E.P.C.
Photo: Sima Keijzers-Puodziute
Engaging with the minds behind these fragrances gave me a deeper appreciation of their craft, their inspirations, and the stories they bring to life through scent. Whether discussing the creative process, the challenges of niche perfumery, or simply sharing a mutual love for fragrance, these conversations made the event truly memorable.
The team of PlezuroMag. From left: Ally Santos, Angel Hoque, Kristina Kybartaite-Damule, Sima Keijzers-Puodziute / Photo: Darius Damulis