Inspired by a story, a saint, and a scent
Since antiquity, mastiha has been harvested and even pirated for its rejuvenating properties.
Mastiha is a plant resin that drips from the trees of Chios, Greece, and was once worth its weight in gold. Long used for medicinal purposes and widely recognized as a superfood, it is traditionally employed today in confectionery, chewing gum, liqueurs, and skincare products. Yet its distinctive woody aroma, akin to pine and cedar, has rarely been explored in perfumery. SIDO Fragrances, named after St. Isidoros, captures the ancient essence and refreshing qualities of mastiha for a contemporary audience.
As a Greek-American with roots from the island of Chios, I grew up experiencing mastiha. My grandmother, Yiayia Eleni, was born on Chios and always cherished it deeply. Her roots and her stories drew me to the allure of the island’s sacred mastic tears. And on my childhood summer trips to Greece, I loved indulging in mastiha gelato. Nothing else tasted or smelled so authentic, natural, clean, and pure.
The love of sweet and fresh scents is also in my blood. My grandfather, Michael Tsoucalas, was a pioneering chemist at Avon, and he experimented with scents and their longevity. Although he passed away before I was born, I recently rediscovered his work, and it has reminded me that my own journey with perfumes and subtle scents is part of a much older family story. In many ways, this project continues the work he began by giving voice to scents that might otherwise fade away.
The past few years, I've been ruminating on mastiha’s potential as a central ingredient in fine fragrance. While many other Greeks have recently crafted it into liqueurs, few perfumers have experimented with its resinous aroma. I believe its piney, balsamic, spiritual warmth holds more to be revealed.
