Last Thursday, I was invited by Marionnaud to an intimate press lunch at George Bar & Grill in Zurich to discover exclusive perfumes by renowned and new brands that enrich the Marionnaud portfolio. Among those beautiful novelties, I found one niche fragrance house that has truly impressed me: ELEMENTALS, a collection of active perfumes, created according to the ancient chinese theory of the five elements, water, wood, fire, earth and metal, that create a connection and inspire a heightened sense of well-being. Only the most noble essential oils have been macerated in organic alcohol to transmit the beauty and energetic poser of each element in its natural state.
At lunch with Deana Wyland-Fries, Founder of ELEMENTALS
The brain behind the brand is Canadian-born and German-based Deana Wyland-Fries, feng shui consultant, teacher and master in Chinese horoscopes turned alchemist. She has lived on and traveled five continents, speaks five languages fluently and shares the memories of her journeys through the visualization of scent. ELEMENTALS is the quintessence of 20 years of experience along with 10 years of research and development. The result is a yet unseen marriage of ancient wisdom and the art of perfumery, with the sole purpose of enhancing the life force within you.
«Feng shui is the study of humans and the environment in time and space. Using scent to enhance energy in the context of feng shui and Chinese astrology did not occur to me until one fateful day in my garden in Dubai. I had just eaten a tangerine and absent-mindedly picked a kumquat blossom. I squeezed the two together and inhaled the scent. It was at this moment that I realized that I had created pure Wood Chi. It suddenly hit me. I wanted to use the power of scent to balance the elemental constellation in my client’s horoscopes!» – Deana Wyland-Fries
That was the beginning of a fascinating new journey and 10 years later, in September 2018, the lifestyle brand ELEMENTALS was born that is transforming the perfume landscape by taking the physical and emotional attributes of the elements into consideration using rare woods, florals, herbs and spices to create perfumes that are not only divine, but also envelope the individual in an immediate sense of well-being.
The ancient theory of the five elements – water, wood, fire, earth and metal – is fundamental to feng shui, as well as and Chinese horoscopes, traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts. Each direction of the compass, every hour, every minute, each organ in the human body as well as our emotions can be allocated to an element. What’s more, each individual is born with an element that governs his or her life. It is the constellation of the elements and their intricate relationship of growth, depletion and conflict that governs our lives. If our self-element suffers an imbalance within this constellation, so do we. We become stressed and off balance. We can, however, alleviate that imbalance by introducing the element that we need into our lives.
Deana states: «The secret to happiness, health and success is maintaining a perfect balance of the elements both around and within us. The olfactory is the strongest of our five senses as it is intrinsically linked to the brain. There are many tools we can apply to enhance the elemental balance in our bodies and our lives. My experience has shown that there is no faster way to enhance a person’s energy or sense of well-being than through the beauty of fragrance.»
Throughout our lives, we are instinctively drawn to the elements that are key to our well-being. This is the fundamental premise for choosing your ELEMENTALS fragrance. ELEMENTALS are not about which element you are. They are about what element you need at present. Deana asked us to smell the five fragrances and to choose our favorite one. Without her telling, she afterwards made an analysis taking our birth date and hour into consideration. It was absolutely fascinating how the choice each of us made was linked to the element missing.
Personally speaking, I was really blown away as Deana told me I am a rare five element child, meaning I have all five elements in balance and can choose. The scent I was most drawn to was Earth which made sense for me at the moment. I am a balanced individual with all five elements present within me but different circumstances bring out their different properties.
So let’s get started and let me introduce you to the five fragrances. The smelling part you have to do yourself at Marionnaud. Listen to your body, it will show you what it needs! By the way, ELEMENTALS are gender neutral.
EARTH
Earth is central to everything. Under the right conditions, Earth gives us all that we need to nourish our body and soul.
ELEMENTALS Earth is a warm embrace that transports us to a calm, healing and balanced space. A nurturing and soothing fusion that cocoons and grounds body, mind and soul.
Heaven notes: Acanthus Flower, Chamomille, Mimosa, Immortelle, Maté
Human notes: Broom, YIang YIang, Beeswax, Nagarmotha
Earth notes: Ambregis, Guaiacum, Silver Birch, Sandalwood
Eau de Parfum – Made in France – 100ml – € 155 / CHF 179
WATER
Water is essential to all life on Earth and represents the height of Yin Energy.
ELEMENTALS Water conjures up the clarity and freshness of a mountain stream gushing through the hills after the first melt of snow. An uplifting yet calming blend of herbs and spices combined with florals and aquatic notes that nourish the soul.
Heaven notes: Black pepper, Wormwood, Angelica root
Human notes: Lavender, Clary Sage, Violet
Earth notes: Ambregis, Seaweed
Eau de Parfum – Made in France – 100ml – € 155 / CHF 179
WOOD
Wood represents Spring and the rising Energy of the East. It is about growth and creativity.
ELEMENTALS Wood awakens your senses like a walk inthe woods on a sunny Spring morning. Precious woods are combined with bold florals and uplifting citrus notes to kickstart your Chi !
Heaven notes: Bergamot, Cedar, Grapefruit
Human notes: Iris root, Tagetes, Geranium
Earth notes: Patchouli, Palosanto, Guaiacum
Eau de Parfum – Made in France – 100ml – € 155 / CHF 179
FIRE
Fire is the pinnacle of Yang Energy. It is about power and passion. It is sensual, fickle and explosive.
ELEMENTALS Fire is a warm spicy blend of naturals that ignite your sensuality and gently caress the soul. Splashes of Ginger and Bitter Orange combined with luscious blossoms, energizing spices and rare woods awaken your spirit.
Heaven notes: Pink Pepper, Ginger, Bitter Orange and a touch of Cinnamon
Human notes: Rose Otto, Neroli, Geranium, Cloves
Earth notes: Cistus, Frankinsence, Hysopus Oil
Eau de Parfum – Made in France – 100ml – € 155 / CHF 179
METAL
Metal is the clear, crisp, yet sometimes unsettling air of Autumn. It is a time of year when we look inward and reflect. Metal is about wisdom, true leadership and introspection.
ELEMENTALS Metal sparkles with the brilliance of courage, strength and inner wisdom. An innovative marriage of pungent herbs and spices, infused with a hint of Birch Tar that melts into a sea of white blossoms, revealing a bold olfactory experience that is both regal and divine.
Heaven notes: Coriander, Cardamon, Fennel, Birch Tar
Human notes: Casablanca Lily, Tuberose, Jasmine
Earth notes: White Musk, Silver Birch
Eau de Parfum – Made in France – 100ml – € 155 / CHF 179
«I have three treasures that I guard and hold dear:
The first is love;
The second is contentment;
The third is humbleness.
Only the loving are courageous;
Only the content are magnanimous;
Only the humble are capable of commanding.»
– Lao Tze – from the Tao Te Ching
A new addition to the five ELEMENTALS collection is QUIAN.
The I Ching – otherwise known as the Book of Change uses Hexagrams to speak to us about the quality of time, space and movement. The 15th Hexagram is one the most beautiful of the I Ching. It is comprised of the earth trigram on top and the mountain trigram below. It speaks of finding the treasure within through cultivating humility.
Qian envelopes you in a beautiful, comforting and harmonious blanket of love, contentment and humility expressed through the power of simple, yet noble florals, resins and spices.
Heaven notes: Bergamot, Cypress, Violet Leaves, Saffron
Human notes: Rose Otto, Tolu, Labdanum, Nutmeg, Pink Pepper
Earth notes: Aganwood, Nagarmotha, Frangipani, Peru Absolute
Qian – Eau de Parfum – Made in France – 100ml – € 189 / CHF 219
Thank you to Marionnaud and my friends for this crazy journey last Thursday!
At ELEMENTALS, ethics, sustainability, integrity and purity of intent at the core of its operation. All packaging is hand made from virgin fibre in Europe by a small family manufacture in Germany. Only the finest raw materials are used macerated in organic alcohol to allow the purity and power of the elements to shine through. ELEMENTALS are gender neutral, vegan, cruelty free, phthalate free, humankind and bee friendly.
ELEMENTALS Home and ELEMENTALS Spa are currently in the pipeline… stay tuned!
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of Marionnaud / ELEMENTALS and © Sandra Bauknecht
Handcrafted from silver, semi-precious stones, and natural materials, PRADA’s first jewelry collection plays on the relationship between primeval artifacts and the relentless progression of so-called civilization. The unisex line is made up of rarified elements, each uniquely coarse in shape, lined with fibers and locked into exquisitely refined silver moldings.
