Will Southard
Will Southard built Third Eye Fragrance Co from a kitchen experiment into a boutique house that now turns heads at ScentXplore. He entered the American perfumer series in 2022 as its 183rd nose, earning a spot on ÇaFleureBon’s spotlight. After years of tinkering with raw materials in his New York studio, he launched Red Rum, a smoky, amber‑rich scent that earned praise for its unapologetic edge. Critics note his willingness to mix unconventional accords, while collaborators admire his relentless testing routine. Southard credits a chemistry background and a love of vintage vinyl for shaping his sensibility. Today he mentors emerging noses and curates limited drops that reflect his belief that fragrance should provoke as much as please.
The hits
Notable creations
The signature
How Will composes
Southard favors raw, unrefined ingredients that retain a natural edge. He layers smoky woods, resinous amber, and bright citrus before anchoring the blend with a grainy leather or a hint of fermented tea. His technique relies on high‑ratio accords that reveal each component within seconds of skin contact. He often employs micro‑distillation to capture fleeting aromatics that most houses overlook. In the lab he records every proportion on a whiteboard, then builds the scent in small batches, testing on blotter and wrist alike. The result is a fragrance that shifts subtly throughout the day, rewarding patience and curiosity.
Philosophy
What drives Will
Southard approaches each bottle as a conversation between memory and material. He starts with a single scent memory —a rain‑slick street, a cracked vinyl record—and translates it into a formula that respects the original feeling without mimicking it. He refuses to follow trends; instead he asks what emotion the raw ingredient can evoke when paired with an unexpected partner. Sustainability guides his sourcing, and he insists on transparent lab work that lets him tweak a note until it lands exactly where he intends. For him, perfume is a tactile narrative that invites the wearer to rewrite their own story.
The houses