Dominique Roques, "The Essence Seeker".
"The Essence Seeker", Dominique Roques
We spoke with Dominique Roques, a natural resource finder for fragrance houses for 30 years, about his book "El buscador de esencias. A journey to the origin of the world's perfumes" (Editorial Siruela) and the vision it reflects on the sourcing of natural raw materials for perfumery.
How does your story with essences begin?
My story began 35 years ago, when I set up a rockrose derivatives factory in Andévalo, in the province of Huelva. It was the first stage of an incredible journey towards finding many other products with origins in different countries.
What do you think has been your greatest achievement as a seeker of natural resources for fragrance houses?
Discovering, respecting and valuing the human side of this business. The encounter with the communities is fundamental and magical. They are the ones who have allowed mythical products, such as Somali frankincense, to be sustained over 5,000 years.
What have you learned over the years about the whole ecosystem of companies that are part of the perfumery value chain?
The fundamental importance of the producers. Without these companies, natural extracts could not exist. For a long time, these companies have not had the recognition they deserve. Since 15 years ago, things have changed rapidly and they are becoming more and more important, and there is even a great interest from perfumers to visit the fields and learn about the distillation processes in many countries.
What is the value of natural essences for fine perfumery?
They are essential for making high quality perfumes. It is a fundamental contribution. Moreover, natural ingredients have become a kind of "dream source" for perfume consumers. They have tremendous importance for brand marketing.
How can we translate the relevance of natural ingredients to consumers?
In my opinion, by talking about what is real; that is, by trying to visit the sources of the products to embark consumers on a real journey, which makes sense and gives them a realistic picture. Also, insisting on what scents bring to a fragrance, which requires honesty when talking about the contents of a perfume bottle.
How do you see the future of essential oils?
More and more producers are appearing, some from new generations, with a lot of passion and a desire to work in an ethical and sustainable way. There are examples of this in many countries.
Brands are increasingly looking for such companies and want to rely on the quality of a job well done.
The whole industry knows that it absolutely needs a high quality network of natural producers to maintain the palette of its perfumers and, at the same time, reflect an image of magical perfumes that are responsible for the planet.
The essential oils recognised in the CLP Regulation, for the time being…
On 30 June, the last day of the Swedish presidency, the Council of the European Union adopted a proposal to support the future of natural ingredients in fragrances and cosmetics. The Council has asked the Commission to prepare a report, four years after the entry into force of the CLP Regulation: the aim is to defend the classification of essential oils as NCS (Natural Complex Substances) against the initial proposal to consider them as MOCS (More Than Component).
Why does the perfume industry advocate the classification of essential oils as natural complex substances (NSC)?
Essential oils are 100% natural in origin. They are obtained directly from aromatic plants by physical mechanisms such as steam distillation. All their constituent molecules are natural and do not contain any chemical additives.
If they were to be considered as MOCS, the assessment of the essential oil would no longer be governed by the REACH registrations made in the last 10 years, but a calculation would have to be made based on the composition of each of its components without taking into account the REACH dossiers. The regulatory change would also lead to unjustified alarm for consumers (as they would be identified as potentially toxic ingredients), possible safety assessments and the relabelling of products containing essential oils.
"We hope that policy makers across Europe will build on today's decision to develop an efficient revision of the CLP regulation. This will support more informed decision-making on future classification rules for substances with more than one constituent", said Aurélie Perrichet, IFRA's regional director for Europe.
Paco Rabanne becomes Rabanne
On the verge of celebrating 60 years of history, the legendary brand Paco Rabanne is entering a new phase in which it is simplifying its name to just Rabanne. In this way, Puig wants to strengthen the link between fashion, beauty and lifestyle and continue to nurture the brand's history of great successes.
Calandre perfume, the first fragrance launched by Paco Rabanne (left) and visual of the first make-up collection launched under the Rabanne rebranding (right).
The name change is accompanied by a new visual identity and a new logo that pays homage to Monsieur Rabanne's avant-garde heritage while respecting the brand's heritage. The new typography is inspired by the maison's archives and its first fragrance, Calandre, launched in 1969. The silhouette of the monogram "r" has been softened, while lower case letters are used to emphasise its disruptive and groundbreaking character.
The first launch of Rabanne's new phase is a make-up line with high-performance formulas that fuse unexpected shades with textures inspired by the fabrics of fashion collections.