Interview with a Perfumer – Rodney Hughes Makes Sense of Scents

Rodney Hughes, Founder of Therapeutate

By Eric Claiborne

I sat down with an enterprising gentleman, Rodney Hughes, founder of Therapeutate (www.therapeutate.com) – a company that specializes in custom Pure Essene Oil Therapies, Parfum au naturel and natural Rx remedies.  In our conversation he revealed the inspiration behind the creation of his line and the secrets of a long lasting fragrance.

EC:  After graduating from one of the most prestigious design schools in the country – Pratt Institute School of Art and Design in Brooklyn, NY; what experience in product development did you obtain? What types of products outside of aromatherapy had you developed?

RH:  Early on I worked as a Designer for various fashion companies then in 1992 I designed a “break out” collection of men’s active and underwear under the label Primitive Pour Homme. The line was featured for several years in specialty boutiques in NYC, Miami, Washington and Atlanta.

In 1997, I started consulting in the fashion industry in many capacities, some the companies would include Fila Sport, Liz Claiborne, Macy’s, Gap, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. While apparel development was my main expertise, I continued to explore other creative outlets.

Throughout the years I have designed a number of interiors both residential and commercial.

EC:  What sparked your interest in aromatherapy?

RH:  Traveling the globe, I realized I was prone to catching colds after being exposed to the recycled air on planes. So I started experimenting with the use of ionic fresh air devices and essential oils which helped assist in recovery or to ward off the early sins of impending cold all together.

EC:  Why do you prefer to specialize in natural fragrances and oils over manufactured scents?

RH:  Simple, I believe to truly live a healthy life that awareness should touch every part of your daily routine. Not just what you put into your body, but what you put on it as well.

Besides for me “natural” means no petro-chemicals, animal testing or bi-products. That’s as “green” as it gets! 

Our skin is the single largest organ on the body; this awareness should change how we handle such a resource. After all, when you smell what a real rose, jasmine or sandalwood smells like there is just no comparison. I have even found that after using naturals, I can no longer tolerate most commercial fragrances.

EC:  Having varied interests in fashion and interior design, what lead your desire to become a Reiki Practitioner? How has this desire fueled your drive to start a fragrance line?

RH: Ever since I was a kid, I have felt this pull to be a person of vision and healing. I was never sure what that meant, but my early understanding was that I would be a minister. But I didn’t want any parts of that, as a young person I felt the responsibility too grave.

People have often come to me to help them sort out things and to assure them that all things will work out. But I wanted something more tangible to give them in their journey.

I use to own this vintage BMW that stayed in the shop all the time and it was costing me a great deal on money for the mechanics to figure out what was wrong with it.

Long story short, I was leaving the gym one day after my workout and ran into an acquaintance who I offered a ride home. Needless to say, the car wouldn’t start, so he offered to give it Reiki and it started. I was very skeptical, but hey it worked and I just had a “ah- ha!” moment.

I didn’t jump right into the study of Reiki, it took a while. After I had taken my first class at the New York Open Center it was such a profound experience I continued through to the advanced studies.

EC:  How long ago did you establish Therapeutate (www.therapeutate.com)?  What is the significance of the company’s name?

RH:  I began developing the core line (Pure Essene Oil Therapy) in December 2007; we are now entering our second year. Presently the line has 3 categories: Pure Essene Oil Therapy, Parfum au naturel and Rx remedies.

Therapeutate means “healers”, this ascetic branch of the Egyptian Therapeutae began with Tuthmose the 3^rd. He was one in a line of sage kings from the 18^th dynasty ruling right after Queen Hatshepsut.

EC:  Are there certain scents that last longer than others? Or does the length depend on a person’s body chemistry?

RH:  Fragrance notes are broken down into “top”, “middle” and “base” and have lasting quality based upon what notes dominate the fragrance blend. Citrus notes are considered top notes which last the shortest amount of time and woods and roots generally being base notes last the most amount of time. There is tons of variation in between and the possibilities are endless.

EC:  What are your favorite fragrances from Therapeutate for men and women? Which would you recommend for holiday 2009?

RH:  My favorite fragrance would have to be “775 Reserve” for day and the “Extreme” version for evening. This fragrance is very complex and mysterious.

Since all of the fragrances on the line are unisex they can be worn by either sex. The trick is finding one that works well with your body’s alchemy.

Specific to women, my holiday suggestions would be HD Extreme, Vodka 5 or Chakra 2 these have a floral life that’s quite expansive.

775 Reserve

HD Extreme

 

 

 

 

 

 

EC:  Where are your fragrances made? How many products are in your current line?

RH:  All the fragrances are bespoke and consist of 30 or more selections. Custom fragrances can also be created for that person who is interested in having a signature scent all there own. 

A good example of what can be created for a particular personality is “une rose pour Sharon.” This Perfume was created for celebrity stylist Sharon Pendana. She has been a friend and Angel to my creative life and was interviewing me for a feature on her blog. To say, thanks, I just wanted to create a fragrance that reflected her strong yet gentle nature as a woman. It was my way of thanking her for always reaching back and having a heart of gold.

Vodka 5

 

 

 

 

 

Chakra 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 EC: What are the ranges in pricing for your fragrances and oils?

RH:  The prices range from $27.50 for .5 oz of Pure Essene Oil Therapy – $275.00 .85 oz of Haute Parfum au naturel.

EC: What difficulties if any have you encountered in starting your business?

RH:  I started the business in 2007 at the onset of a very slow economy, so that has been very challenging for us. Therapeutate is a “luxury” line and this sector of the market was probably the hardest hit in the past two years.

Having acknowledged a depressed market, we have not been deterred. I have managed to find clients with discerning taste and those who prefer “green” and “natural” products.

EC: What advice would you give someone who aspires to what you do?

RH: 

• Take all of your life experience and make it work for you.
• Understand how all things work together, even when others can’t understand or just don’t get it.
• Hunger for information, read every book you can possibly find on the subject and don’t be afraid to experiment.
• Take a formal course of study to be assured you are on the right track and to expand your knowledge.
• Learn to manage as many aspects of your business as possible. It’s not enough to just be creative you must have a head for business.
• Don’t be afraid to hire experts to help you fine tune your vision.
• Finally, be patient, it takes time and a great deal of effort to build a world class business.

EC: How do you choose scents to mix in order to create a finished product?

RH:  First, I have an idea in my head of the direction I’d like to take. For instance, if I want to create a scent that’s sexy or mysterious I use my scent memory of essential oils and explore notes that might build on this idea. Then I use my knowledge and intuition to choose the notes that will assist me in achieving my end goal.

Sometimes it’s a drop by drop layering of essentials oils. Other times, I might approach a fragrance by creating accords of top, middle and base notes. Either method chosen must be gently cultivated towards the direction of my vision. There is also that rare moment when it takes on a life of its own. In that case, it cultivates me and the fragrance becomes more than I could have imagined. This is really where the magic of perfumery happens.

Being an artist, I see this process much like painting a landscape layering color upon color or writing poetry line upon line with the metaphors in between. It’s like crafting a spell.

 Rodney’s aromatic spell is definitely one that we’d like cast upon us.