"We Are Turning Scent into the Invisible Language of Emotions and Branding"

Report: B. Serhat Cengiz

CBR Unique Esans positions fragrance not merely as a chemical compound, but as a creative field at the intersection of science, art, and human experience. Drawing inspiration from nature and merging it with scientific research, the brand is shaping tomorrow's fragrances today through AI-assisted fragrance design and sustainable production techniques. In the interview we conducted, Cabir Çobanoğlu, founder and general director of CBR Unique Esans, shared the company's story with us.

Could you briefly introduce yourself and CBR Unique Esans?
CBR Unique Esans is a fragrance design house that positions scent as an emotional language and the most invisible yet most powerful element of brand identity. Our foundation rests on the approach of "creating character through fragrance." Today, our focus is delivering signature scents that are brand-specific, timeless, and memorable across perfume, personal care, and home environment categories. Our aim is not to create trendy fragrances, but to establish a lasting, emotionally resonant and aesthetically coherent fragrance legacy.

You emphasize the impact of scent on emotions and memories. How do you incorporate this dimension into the design process when developing a new fragrance?
Neurobiologically, fragrance is directly connected to memory and emotion. It is no coincidence that a scent—whether in top, heart, or base note form—can revive a memory in a person. We place this scientific reality at the core of our fragrance design process. The process begins with a brief, but not in the conventional way. Rather than asking brands "which fragrance family do you prefer?", we ask "what emotion or memory should this fragrance awaken in the user?" Sometimes this emotion is "summer evenings in childhood," sometimes "the scent of earth after spring rain," sometimes "the freedom of escaping the city." Because fragrance is invisible yet the most lasting brand signature.

After this emotional map is established, the fragrance architecture is built. Aromatic families corresponding to emotions such as tenderness, elegance, confidence, and tranquility—along with the balance of natural and synthetic raw materials—are crafted with refined coherence across top, middle, and base notes. Each note functions as a scene in the impression the fragrance leaves in memory. We then move to the sensory testing phase; samples are evaluated across stages such as "first impression," "middle phase," "diffusion," and "fragrance transformation," from both brand and user experience perspectives. Necessary revisions are made while maintaining emotional consistency. In the final step, the formula is scaled for production; longevity, stability, certification, and regulatory requirements are applied meticulously. Thus, each fragrance becomes a signature experience unique to the brand, carrying both technical excellence and emotional resonance simultaneously.

How do you position your product portfolio? Which fragrance types do you use to address which target audiences?
CBR Unique Esans' product portfolio is structured around three core categories. In the Fine Fragrance segment, we develop high-concentration essences that transform brand identity into a strong signature in products such as perfumes and body mists. Our target customers here are niche perfume manufacturers and cosmetic brands that view fragrance as a form of expression. Our priorities are character, longevity, and emotional resonance. In the Personal Care & Cosmetics category, we design specialized formulations compliant with IFRA standards in products such as shampoo, shower gel, cream, lotion, and deodorant, ensuring skin compatibility and cohesion with the product matrix. In this segment, fragrance is not merely a pleasant component; it is a sensory signature that ensures continuity of the product experience.

In the Home Ambience category, we focus on compositions that transform the spirit of a space and create emotional atmosphere in room sprays, candles, textile fragrances, and automotive scents. The most critical criteria here are long-lasting diffusion, spatial harmony, and emotional tone. While niche perfume brands seek uniqueness and narrative, personal care brands prioritize consistency and quality balance, and home fragrance brands emphasize atmospheric and emotional coherence. Therefore, we conduct separate intensity structures, different testing periods, and tailored research for each segment.

What trends are emerging in the fragrance world as we enter 2025?
As of 2025, a distinct paradigm shift is occurring in the fragrance world. Consumers no longer simply want to "wear fragrance"; they want to express themselves. Fragrances are evolving from an aesthetic element into an experience integrated with personal identity, emotional balance, and lifestyle. We not only observe this transformation but also shape our new collections according to this awareness. The quest for personalization and signature scents is intensifying. Brands and individuals want to create a character of their own rather than wearing repetitive fragrances. Natural, transparent, and refined compositions are coming to the foreground, while users demand no compromise on performance. At this point, we design fragrances with both high longevity and a strong "clean" perception by balancing natural essential oils with high-purity modern aromatic molecules. Modern minimalism is replacing intense and complex formulas with simple yet deep compositions. Sophisticated interpretations of woody and mineral tones are particularly noteworthy. Fragrance is becoming a ritual that regulates mood; scents that are "calming," "focus-enhancing," or "energy-boosting" are becoming part of daily practice. Ambient fragrances too are transcending being merely pleasant elements, now carrying the meaning of ambiance design. Candles, room sprays, and textile fragrances are now chosen to "transform the spirit of a space." In addition to all this, sustainability is no longer a choice but now a standard. Environmental responsibility—from raw material sourcing through production processes, packaging choices, to logistics chains—is at the forefront. We embed energy-efficient production models, ethical sourcing, and waste reduction systems into the foundation of our working principles.

You speak of a "quality and eco-conscious products" approach. What path are you following on the sustainability side?
At CBR Unique Esans, quality and sustainability are two complementary core principles. We select our raw materials based on traceability principles; we use a balanced combination of natural ingredients sourced through ethical harvesting from renewable sources and high-purity synthetic components with low environmental footprint. Our production system, built on modern extraction technologies that consume low solvents, forms the foundation of our sustainability approach. Our production facility applies energy-efficient systems, waste reduction processes, and rigorous quality control protocols. All our formulations are developed in compliance with IFRA standards and are rigorously evaluated for both human health and environmental safety. Additionally, we work with our business partners on refillable packaging models and recyclable product systems. For us, sustainability is not merely an environmental policy but a comprehensive production culture embedded in the fragrance's character.

How does the process of developing "signature fragrances" for cosmetic brands proceed when working with them?
Every collaboration we undertake begins by understanding the brand's story. In line with the brief received, we clarify the target audience, product category, brand language, and desired emotion. Our R&D team transforms this narrative into a sensory identity. Initial formulas are created, sensory tests are conducted, and if necessary, note transitions are adjusted. Throughout the process, we maintain continuous communication with the brand because a signature fragrance is the product of collaborative creation. After testing for longevity, diffusion, safety, and cost optimization is completed, the production process begins. The result is not merely a fragrance but an emotional and unique experience representing the brand.

What innovations await CBR Unique Esans in the coming period?
We are expanding our R&D center and transitioning to more sophisticated extraction methods in natural essential oils. In the near term, we aim to strengthen collaborations particularly in the Middle Eastern and European markets and develop limited-edition special collection series for niche brands. Our goal is to create a strong fragrance culture originating from Turkey and speaking its own language on the international stage.
As CBR Unique Esans, we want to elevate fragrance design from being merely a production-based process into an experiential field where scientific data, creativity, and sustainability work together. Thanks to our upgraded laboratory infrastructure, we analyze raw materials not only by their olfactory profiles but also by their volatility, stability, and combination behaviors. Through this, we make our formulations more stable, environmentally friendly, and balanced in performance. We are working on "neo-natural" fragrance series where we draw inspiration from nature while using modern synthesis technologies. Our goal in these series is to reinterpret nature's scent with laboratory rigor.

We are also taking strategic steps to strengthen our export network. In Europe, we work with brands in Germany, France, and Italy; in the Middle East with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia; and in North Africa with Morocco and Tunisia through our specialized fragrance solutions. We analyze each region's cultural scent preferences and shape our formulation strategy accordingly. In the near future, we aim to position ourselves not merely as a fragrance manufacturer but also as a strategic "fragrance consultant." Today, brand impact is being strengthened as much by sensory identity as by visual identity. Therefore, we are working on data-driven analysis systems, fragrance trend maps, consumer behavior modeling, and AI-assisted formulation technologies. We now care not only that a fragrance is "beautiful" but that it reaches the correct target audience with the intended emotion.

Additionally, under our sustainability strategy, we are developing projects on recyclable packaging, low-carbon production processes, and refillable fragrance systems. Our goal is to sustain an environmentally sensitive yet innovative production model. In summary, as CBR Unique Esans, we proceed with a brand vision that does not merely "complete today" but "designs tomorrow's fragrances today." For us, innovation is not merely creating a new formula; it is redefining how fragrance touches the world, people, and brands.