brendan murdock
On the first Sunday afternoon in May, I stumbled into Anatomē’s gorgeous Chiltern Street apothecary. It was a happy accident that I got to briefly speak with their founder, Brendan Murdock, who happened to be passing through just as I was warmly welcomed by lovely staff. Brendan and team introduced me to Anatomē’s aromachology products lining the shelves, their wellness range of supplements and teas, and of course some of their personal care products filled with botanicals sourced from around the world. Now, let’s dive in with Brendan to learn more about the brand, the products, and the kind of lifestyle he promotes and practices, himself.
MM: Anatomē is trying to reinvent the apothecary for the modern world harnessing the time-honoured power of botanical extracts, specifically essential oils. How did you first begin to implement them into your lifestyle? Define aromachology for us.
BM: Aromachology was something I became aware of about 4/5 years ago, as I was seeking out aromatherapy brands and couldn’t understand why many of their formulas were not scented in a meaningful, sophisticated manner or using interesting, innovative extracts. The approach was somewhat stuck. I realised from the perfumer I work with that aromatherapy as a practice doesn’t necessarily focus on ‘scent’ or the specific origins of ingredients, how they are grown, the climatic conditions that integrally impact on scent.
So aromachology is the science of phenomena linked to scents, more particularly the influence of scents on the behaviour and we always look for the tangible emerging research behind the scents, it’s a a path apart from aromatherapy because essential oils are used for the action of their scent on the psyche and emotions in particular.
MM: Although aromachology is at the centre of everything you do, you’ve recently launched a range of ingestible: supplements and teas. Walk me through the discerning steps you took to make sure these were formulated effectively and in consultation with specialists in those areas.
BM: We work with a wide team of experts developing these formulas. We have an internal nutritionist Winder Ton Msc, and external advisors, so what we do well is source really unusual adaptongenics, botanicals (that help the body adapt to day-to-day challenges) not part of the day-2-day diet, alongside data based ingredients. We manufacture our products only in FDA approved facilities and where possible using organic extracts.
MM: With many aromatherapy products, one can see the full INCI list disclosed online. Because yours are bespoke blends, one isn’t able to see all that is contained within the formulas. Does Anatomē use solely steam-distilled, solvent-extracted, and CO2-extracted pure essentials?
BM: Yes, we create blends of up to 28 extracts of essential oils in each formula. To answer your question like a fine wine or couture perfume it’s important that we keep our complete formula recipe somewhat a secret, the perfume industry for good reason is very secretive and at Anatomē we adopt the sample principle. We don’t’ want people to copy our magnificent formulas!
On your question on extraction, there are very different processes to extract oils depending on the flower or plant, e.g., ginger is extracted by co2, our lavenders are steam distilled, resins and delicate flowers are solvent extracted, some botanicals lose their scent if heated, such as citrus fruits.
Rest assured we are extremely careful only using natural extracts, and as we source globally from small farmers in the Himalayas through to cedar from the Virginian mountains, we are extremely careful. Our oils are stabilised in a coconut carrier oil used with in all the formulas, we carefully consider how each extract works alongside each ingredient, to preserve the structure of the scent so that there is a have precision to the stability of and performance of the scent, that is why so many traditional aromatherapy oils often don’t smell good and can go off quite quickly.
MM: In a world that can often feel littered with new brands and old brands, all competing for our shelf space and dollars, how is Anatomē different? What’s in the jar, bottle, or roller of an Anatomy product, that you simply cannot find anywhere else?
BM: I don’t’ know any other aromatherapy or what we call aromachology, as we discussed, company using the complexity of ingredients that we do, and the focus on structure, top, middle and base notes of the oil blend. I truly believe in 10 years everyone will be wearing essential oils through the days as people want scents that enhance their daily lives. Remember the 20th century perfume industry changed the perception of perfume, historically the ancient Greeks and Romans all wore and inhaled precious essential oils to support their wellbeing, that was the perfume of the day.
Far too many aromatherapy brands are using simplistic formulas with rather ordinary ingredients that really can’t support wellbeing in the way they are marketed, so I think that at the core is what makes us different. We focus completely on how our formulas are scented, so in our sleep oil for example we use 3 different types of lavender alongside a host of other extracts. That said the market is changing and people are beginning to realise the future of perfume lies in essential oils, what people wear on their skin matters, and it has to have other benefits beyond pure sensory pleasure.
MM: As a creative and entrepreneur of many different business endeavors, what advice would you offer the next generation of movers and shakers?
BM: Oh, I think visual outcome, try to be very clear in your mind about what you are creating and why, of course adapt as you learn about your customer, but remember it’s a long tough road for most entrepreneurs, and that the visual embedded in your mind is important, how you visualize the brand, the stores and the customer is all key.
MM: Give us a window into a day in the life of Brendan Murdock. First up: Diet/Nutrition?
BM: In the morning I try to get up at 6.30am, take my Men’s Daily Essentials and Biotic + Gut Support supplements and generally do some exercise, either with a trainer or I run or play tennis.
Breakfast is yoghurt and muesli and filter Monmouth coffee. Then I generally take the dog to walk or cycle to work depending on my partner, Mark’s movements. Lunch is a salad with some teas (Anatomē Balance + Stability tea) or coffees in between and dinner is generally a relaxed affair of seasonal ingredients and relatively unfussy. In normal times, pre-pandemic, I would like to get to the theatre a few times a week, and our weekends are spent in Suffolk, in our cottage in the typical English countryside where you can truly relax.
MM: Now for skincare/body care?
BM: Well Anatomē takes care of most of my needs as we have a strong bath and body collection, but outside of my favourite product, the illuminating avocado facial oil, I like Kiehls face wash and Toms deodorant, and I love most of the Santa Maria Novella collection.
MM: Weekly practices for the body, mind, and soul that have really stuck for you?
BM: Walking is a big part of my week, so if I am in countryside, I will often have 2-hour walks alongside the coast, and if I am in London, I spend a lot of time cycling or running. All great ways to clear the mind. Theatre, opera and music and engagement with art are truly enriching for me so I need to engage in some level with broader culture in the week, and that is the joy of London.
MM: Finally, how do you wind down and transition into one of the most important parts of the day: sleep?
BM: Sleep I like to have about 45 minutes no tv and silence before I sleep around 10.30/11pm, so dim lights, a calm room, a book or magazine alongside my Anatomē oils of course, but that really does help you relax and decompress.
MM: The best skincare advice I would offer is...
BM: Hydrate the body with essential oil-based products, they are so highly absorbent, and many extracts promote collagen synthesis so I would always seek out essential oil based organic products as they will naturally enhance and enrich the skin
MM: Best life advice you were ever given?
BM: I’m not sure, I think it was good to hear Natalie Massenet in a talk at Net-a-Porter speak about visualisation, something I practice, but understanding other more successful entrepreneurs do the same was affirming to hear.
MM: What fills your cup?
BM: Walks in the countryside with my partner, Mark and dog, Dodger. Delicious lunches, knowing my parents and extended family are all well and finally music, lots of good music.
MM: Everyone should visit…?
BM: I really liked Ischia which was a recent holiday, across the island are natural spas, and some extraordinary beaches and a quick hop to Capri and Naples, so I think that was a memorable joyous holiday I would love to do again.
MM: My Desert Island Discs would include...
BM: Oh, some musicals, Sondheim’s Company or Bernstein, some Irish memories, Puccini’s La Rondine and maybe some Murder on the Dance Floor or Killers to remind me of dancing in London’s nightclubs in my fun filled 20’s and 30’s. I think everyone should discover Phillip Glass or William Grant’s still ‘Summerland,’ and Rosey Chan’s piano pieces.
MM: What brands sit on the shelves at your own home? Favorite fragrance? Favorite Menswear? Etc.
BM: I love Anderson’s shepherd haberdashery, Inis Meåin knitwear, Cire Trudon candles, Contemplate Art and my partner is an avid hoarder of books of every description.
MM: My favorite places to shop locally are...
BM: I have a great organic store ‘the grocery’ which I do love and in Suffolk we are lucky to have a great butcher in the next village called Peasenhall, ‘the craft butchers’ and ‘Emmetts. I also shop at Ben’s Grocers.
MM: My favorite places to shop globally are...
BM: I love Le Bon Marche Paris, and any old school Italian menswear store.
MM: The best restaurants in town are...
BM: Oh, The River Café for a really delightful treat and locally the Rochelle canteen in Shoreditch is relaxed, delicious and unpretentious, as food should be.
MM: The Anatomē product I reach for the most is…
BM: My sleep oil scented with chamomile
MM: What do you envision for Anatomē over the next six months, year, five years?
BM: I hope we become a global brand, we are opening across Hong Kong and North America really soon and so I think we are starting an exciting journey. Along the way we will ‘refine and refocus’ and hopefully make Anatomē greater each year and distinct.
MM: What do you know for sure?
BM: That happy moments need to be sustained every day and that requires effort, through and consideration
MM: What gives you hope?
BM: Change, I think everyone has the capacity to change and evolve, that makes society better, never give up hope on anyone.
If you want to take the first dive into the beautiful Anatomē range, I offer from personal experience, their phenomenal foaming Hand + Body Wash along with my favorite of their bespoke oil blends, Energy + Strength. I’ve also really enjoyed their Probiotic which I take a capsule of right before bed and upon waking up.
