From Fragrance Factories to Farm Fresh Perfume: An Interview with ESAS NYC

In this compelling episode of Outta the Cage, host Roy Thompson sits down with Seda and Amanda, founders of Esas, a groundbreaking clean fragrance company that’s disrupting the toxic norm of the industry. From the polished boardrooms of the world’s largest fragrance corporations to humble beginnings blending formulas at home, these two women share how chronic health battles, cultural heritage, and relentless curiosity led them to revolutionize the way we think about fragrance.

They discuss the hidden truths behind the perfume industry, their bold departure from corporate life, and the power of reconnecting with ancestral wisdom. From sourcing ingredients directly from local farms to involving family in production, they break down what it means to create products rooted in integrity.

Links & Products Mentioned in the Episode:

• Grab the Regenerative Health Toolkit 

• Follow Roy on Social Media

• Brand Website: https://esasnyc.com 

• Product Highlighted: Hamam – Spa on the Go

• Fragrance kit: Esas Assorted Discovery Kit

• Book: The Bulletproof Diet by Dave Asprey

• Fragrance name mentioned: Sea Salt & Sage

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: Why Outta the Cage exists
00:55 – Meet Amanda & Seda of Esas
02:00 – Roy’s first impression of Esas products
03:00 – The fragrance industry’s dirty little secret
05:00 – Amanda’s background in cosmetic chemistry
08:00 – Seda’s grandfather, Turkish remedies & inspiration
11:00 – Lyme disease & health turning points
13:30 – Discovering the Bulletproof Diet & the power of food
15:45 – Shifting perspectives and values
18:00 – The meaning behind the name Esas
20:00 – Turkish baths, hammam rituals, & product naming stories
23:00 – Creating spa-on-the-go products for real life
26:00 – Building a vertically integrated clean fragrance company
30:00 – Parallels with regenerative farming & transparency
33:00 – Chaos of corporate life vs freedom of entrepreneurship
36:00 – Mental/emotional toll of the old job vs new journey
41:00 – The struggle to own your message publicly
44:00 – Big fragrance = few players, massive control
47:00 – The power of family support in starting a business
52:00 – Friendship origin story & business partnership
57:00 – Outro & final thoughts

Key Takeaways

• Fragrance industry is controlled by only a few companies, with little transparency or consumer awareness.

• Clean ingredients matter, even in things you apply to your skin like perfume and deodorant.

• Health crises often catalyze life change—both Amanda and Seda left their careers after chronic illness.

• Family involvement can be powerful in entrepreneurship, even if they're not experts.

• Transparency builds trust—Esas sources from local farms and controls every part of their process.

• You don’t need to do things the way they’ve always been done. Challenging norms leads to innovation.