Catherine Tope Omai is an award winning perfumer/scent creator. Her award winning fragrances broke into the United Kingdom fragrance market when she became the first and only African perfumer to exhibit at Italian perfume exhibition. The type of fragrance she created, the materials used to create the fragrance, the quality of the fragrance, the packaging and story behind it, did not just make a buzz around the brand, it attracted different international buyers.
Now, the passionate perfumer, who hails from Edo State, Nigeria, has her name listed among elite niche perfumers in 7 countries around the world both in Europe and Africa. Speaking with Body and Soul about Niche perfumes and why fragrances are essential accessories to respect, Catherine who recently unveiled her latest fragrances called ‘Contagious Range’ shared a few tips to note. Niche perfume Definition: Niche perfume is an independently created fragrance, for a selected few people or perfume artistry.
The perfume artists are people that understand the composition, formula, DNA of fragrances. Niche perfumes are not mass produced. It can be commercial but just enough number to make an impact in the perfume industry.
2. Fragrance is a part of you. It defines your person in a way that nothing else in the world does.
Fragrance gives you an ability to express who you truly are. If you create a fragrance, like a niche perfume like I do, there are certain elements of that fragrance that can tell a story about you. The elements will tell stories about either your personality or a memory you have as a child or something that ignites certain kind of feelings.
There is nobody that will have that emotions beside you. 3. Fragrance is supposed to change as you wear it through the day.
It’s supposed to develop. The way it starts is not the way it will finish. It is taking you on a journey.
That is what a genuine created fragrance should do for you. Your body scent will also interact with the fragrance. It will still have the same feel but the fragrance will interact with the natural scent that comes from your body.
For example, If you are someone that eats Garlic a lot, it will come through. The end note of the fragrance on the body of someone who eats Garlic a lot will differ from another person, because the skin composition will interact with the fragrance. 4.
The power of fragrance goes beyond what you are creating. It’s the experience you give people. 5.
Many will be surprised that unexpected ingredients like spices, leaves can be used to create good perfumes. One of Catherine Omai’s newly unveiled perfume line, The Contagious Green, which is her best-seller in the range has a little of Efirin (scent leave or the African Basil leaf) in it. Scent leave is the heart of the fragrance.
Catherine Tope Omai explained her new three in one fragrances, The Contagious Gold, Contagious Rose and The Contagious Green like this..
