Xyrena is a compound of two terms - XY (the male and female chromosomes) and RENA (from the Latin word renascor which means "to be renewed or reborn). It also means “enchanter” in Old Greek. The company specializes in cruelty-free and vegan products certified by PETA, Leaping Bunny and Vegan Awareness Foundation. Xyrena describes itself as "a defiant cosmetics startup that includes the world's first celebrity-partnered on-demand perfumery."
According to Xyrena's website: Shutter™ is the first and only fragrance of its kind. Xyrena's Killian Wells collaborated with perfumer Carlos Torres to create a fragrance that captures the essence and excitement of opening a new pack of instant film or sniffing a fresh film canister. Sweet, metallic and acidic, it also conjures memories of other analog favorites like VHS video, cassette tapes and vinyl records.
Desperate for a virtual time capsule of the official scent of photography before real-world samples were rendered unviable, they used deadstock instant, 35mm, and medium format films from decades past (1981, 1998, 2001, 2006-2009) from around the world. Some had sat at room temperature and others were kept in refrigerated storage for years. The collective aroma of the various films olfactory qualities inspired Shutter's formula, which includes ingredients like acetic acid and camphor, historically used in both perfumery and photography applications.
While instant photos have made a comeback in recent years, the chemicals used in film production have changed, and the treasured classic scent has disappeared. But with Shutter™ it doesn't have to. Shutter™ is an extrait de parfum.
