Purple line
Perfumer: Elise Benat
***
The Sniff on Affecting Mind by Mint:
"Once the ginger and cardamon have stopped their fight, the perfume settles and opens beautifully on skin. The most gorgeous, intoxicating hazelnut note blossoms and you can almost taste the sweet, woody, and slightly earthy texture of the hazelnut’s flesh. This was the single most beautiful moment of a very good perfume to us. The hazelnut smells toasted, and continues with the dryness which began in the top."
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is the kind of scent that sits close and draws people in rather than announcing itself across a room. It suits a composed, thoughtful setting where warmth matters more than volume: a quiet conversation, a late afternoon indoors, the sense of being noticed for texture and presence rather than flash.
How to wear
Best in cool weather, when its spice and nutty woods can unfold without feeling heavy. Apply lightly to skin and clothing for a smooth, intimate trail; on warmer days it stays more discreet, while in cold air the hazelnut and vetiver read richer and drier.
Who it’s for
For those who like woody-spicy scents with a gourmand twist, especially if they prefer hazelnut, cedar and vetiver over syrupy sweetness. It will appeal to wearers who enjoy textured, slightly dry compositions with a warm, intimate feel.
Release year
2016
The nose
Elise Benat is a French perfumer at Firmenich known for composing scents that feel emotionally legible and atmospheric rather than merely decorative. Raised in the South of France, she often draws on Mediterranean landscapes, aromatic herbs and the sensory memory of travel, translating them into fragrances with a clear, tactile structure. Her work tends to balance warmth, texture and restraint, which suits Affecting Mind well: the fragrance moves from spice into a nutty, woody heart and keeps its dry, skin-close character rather than turning loud or sugary. That emotional clarity is very much in line with Benat’s approach to perfumery as a way of shaping mood and thought.
Collaborators
Helen Mints and Serge Mints shaped the brand’s creative direction, building M.INT around emotionally charged, imagination-stirring fragrances; for Affecting Mind, that house vision frames the perfume’s concept and presentation, while Elise Benat is the perfumer who translated it into scent.
MINT’s story
M.INT is a niche Italian house built around fragrances that aim to provoke feeling and memory rather than follow trends. Its identity leans polished and imaginative, with color-coded collections and a clear preference for distinctive compositions that combine sophistication with a playful, emotional edge.
Affecting Mind (Discontinued)’s concept
Released in 2016 as part of M.INT’s Violet Line, Affecting Mind was conceived as a woody-spicy composition built around contrast: bright spice at the start, then a rich hazelnut heart and a dry, earthy finish. The fragrance is presented as an autumnal, comforting blend that bridges oriental warmth with a more restrained Western elegance.
Extra info
Affecting Mind belongs to M.INT’s Violet Line and is still in production. Reviewers often single out its hazelnut note, describing it as toasted, sweet and slightly earthy, and some comparison tools place it very close in style to Natura’s Vôvô.
Purple line
Perfumer: Elise Benat
***
The Sniff on Affecting Mind by Mint:
"Once the ginger and cardamon have stopped their fight, the perfume settles and opens beautifully on skin. The most gorgeous, intoxicating hazelnut note blossoms and you can almost taste the sweet, woody, and slightly earthy texture of the hazelnut’s flesh. This was the single most beautiful moment of a very good perfume to us. The hazelnut smells toasted, and continues with the dryness which began in the top."
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is the kind of scent that sits close and draws people in rather than announcing itself across a room. It suits a composed, thoughtful setting where warmth matters more than volume: a quiet conversation, a late afternoon indoors, the sense of being noticed for texture and presence rather than flash.
How to wear
Best in cool weather, when its spice and nutty woods can unfold without feeling heavy. Apply lightly to skin and clothing for a smooth, intimate trail; on warmer days it stays more discreet, while in cold air the hazelnut and vetiver read richer and drier.
Who it’s for
For those who like woody-spicy scents with a gourmand twist, especially if they prefer hazelnut, cedar and vetiver over syrupy sweetness. It will appeal to wearers who enjoy textured, slightly dry compositions with a warm, intimate feel.
Release year
2016
The nose
Elise Benat is a French perfumer at Firmenich known for composing scents that feel emotionally legible and atmospheric rather than merely decorative. Raised in the South of France, she often draws on Mediterranean landscapes, aromatic herbs and the sensory memory of travel, translating them into fragrances with a clear, tactile structure. Her work tends to balance warmth, texture and restraint, which suits Affecting Mind well: the fragrance moves from spice into a nutty, woody heart and keeps its dry, skin-close character rather than turning loud or sugary. That emotional clarity is very much in line with Benat’s approach to perfumery as a way of shaping mood and thought.
Collaborators
Helen Mints and Serge Mints shaped the brand’s creative direction, building M.INT around emotionally charged, imagination-stirring fragrances; for Affecting Mind, that house vision frames the perfume’s concept and presentation, while Elise Benat is the perfumer who translated it into scent.
MINT’s story
M.INT is a niche Italian house built around fragrances that aim to provoke feeling and memory rather than follow trends. Its identity leans polished and imaginative, with color-coded collections and a clear preference for distinctive compositions that combine sophistication with a playful, emotional edge.
Affecting Mind (Discontinued)’s concept
Released in 2016 as part of M.INT’s Violet Line, Affecting Mind was conceived as a woody-spicy composition built around contrast: bright spice at the start, then a rich hazelnut heart and a dry, earthy finish. The fragrance is presented as an autumnal, comforting blend that bridges oriental warmth with a more restrained Western elegance.
Extra info
Affecting Mind belongs to M.INT’s Violet Line and is still in production. Reviewers often single out its hazelnut note, describing it as toasted, sweet and slightly earthy, and some comparison tools place it very close in style to Natura’s Vôvô.