For many, perfume is a form of expression – an extension of the self, if you will. Yet, for Initio Parfums Privés, it runs far deeper. The French perfumier views scent as an object of power, drawing connections between the olfactory world and modern-day alchemy. It’s a stance that echoes the artistic director’s accreditation of Patrick Süskind’s Perfume: a novel that explores the close relationship between sense of smell and extreme emotion. So, next time you resume your quest for a signature scent, put your faith in this powerhouse. Initio Oud for Greatness is loved for its fresh and majestic register, while a spritz of Side Effect settles with a softer, more powdery drydown.