The Perfume Society

Atelier Cologne eFestival with Charli XCX – get your FREE ticket!

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 10:55:35 GMT

Get set to enjoy the Atelier Cologne eFestival with Charli XCX: 9pm on the 29th of October!

One of the many things to have been cancelled or postponed this year are the various music fetivals and live performances we so love in the U.K. – but the fabulous fragrance house Atelier Cologne are collaborating with the British recording artist Charlotte Emma Aitchison (professionally known as Charli XCX) for a FREE online eFestival to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home!

Celebrating the recent launch of Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus, Charli will be performing (suitably enough) some love songs LIVE on Atelier Cologne’s website, at 9pm this Thursday, 29th October 2020.

Charli is one of three artists who’ll be performing around the world, and you can travel right to the shows from your sofa:

#ateliercolognefestival

‘Perfumes are just like a music song, when you press “play”, they have the power to make you travel in time and space in just one spray.

On October 29 and 30, a selection of international artists – Doja Cat, Charli XCX, Henry Lau and Videoclub – will perform, right from their home in Paris, Los Angeles including Séoul, only on ateliercologne.com, on replay for a 24H window only.

Get a chance to win a private access to meet the artist or unique hand signed bottle.’

We could certainly all do with some extra love (and fun!) in our lives right now, and music and fragrance are two of the most emotionally connective art forms we can engage our senses with.

Osmanthus also happens to be one of our very favourite fragrance notes here at The Perfume Society, and Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus is perfect introduction to this stunning, so-versatile peachy-creamy (or even leathery and suede-like) scent. Here’s what we thought when we first sniffed Atelier Cologne’s version…

Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus
The gender lines are well and truly blurred here, with a fragrance swirled with narcotic osmanthus that is pitched by Atelier Cologne as being ‘unisex’, and composed of 93% natural materials. (We’ve noted more and more than perfume houses are sharing with us the percentage of naturals in their blends.) Alongside peachy-creamy osmanthus, you’ll have your olfactory interested piqued first by lemon, with the new-pencil-case woodsiness of American cedarwood.
£55 for 30ml Cologne Absolue
feelunique.com

Whichever artist you choose to tune in to, we hope you’ll be reaching for your favourite fragrance to spray and play in fragrant harmony…

By Suzy Nightingale

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Latest Launches: Chic to Chic

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 06:00:22 GMT

This week’s latest launches will add more than a touch of chic to your fragrance wardrobe. From Art de Parfum Joker to Yves Saint Laurent Capeline, these sleek flacons smell as good as they look with notes of musk, amber, patchouli and saffron to name but a few. Round off your day with a trip to Strada Parfumerie Sloane Street with its opulent oud and supple leather.

ART DE PARFUM
LE JOKER
What a multifaceted character this one is! There’s a sense of a traditional fougère about the opening – Timur pepper’s bouquet of bitter herbs among a lemony, frost-tinged freshness. A backstage pass to a dressing room brings illicit love letters and lipstick kisses; motes of face powder caught in the curls of a cigarette’s smoke, the effervescence of passionfruit touched by salty tears of ambergris. You’ll be ready for your close-up wearing this, for sure…
£114 for 50ml extrait de parfum
artdeparfum.com
ÉDITIONS DE PARFUMS FRÉDÉRIC MALLE
PORTRAIT OF A LADY
Of course this isn’t ‘new’, exactly. POAL has been stopping strangers in their tracks for two decades, now, sparking thousands of ‘What are you wearing…?’ conversations. For a limited time, it’s available in this special edition bottle – one of seven fragrances whose 20^th birthdays are celebrated this autumn (others include Musc Ravageur and French Lover). Its rosiness is accented by berries, sandalwood, patchouli, musk, amber and benzoin – unchanged, unmistakeable and unforgettable.
£245 for 100ml eau de parfum
fredericmalle.co.uk
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
TUSCAN CREATIONS CUPOLA
The magnificent dome dominating the skyline of Florence inspires an olfactory ode by perfumers Antoine Lie and Luca Maffei. Softly nuanced tangerine and green angelica are lit by golden saffron – a reference to the first rays of sunshine that bathe the cupola, while dusty orris and amber invite us inside the echoing majesty of the cathedral itself, while labdanum, a rich trickle of patchouli and sacred woods evoke the chilled splendour of the space.
£195 for 100ml eau de parfum
harrods.com
YVES SAINT LAURENT
CAPELINE
Not a strange name at all for a fragrance, once you understand Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Vestiaire des Parfums collection sets out to interpret iconic designs from the designer’s oeuvre – here, the groovily wide-brimmed hats of which the couturier was so fond. Bergamot and mandarin make for a bright introduction to sweet yet elegant floral notes of lily, neroli and ylang ylang, with musk and vetiver sashaying in, for the dry-down.
From £155 for 75ml eau de parfum
harrods.com
STRADA PARFUMERIE
SLOANE STREET
With a tagline of ‘from the streets to the world’ these fragrances evoke travel via your nose. Here we’re sauntering along London’s Sloane Street, a fuzzy cloud of soft oudh countered by the sense of a freshly starched, immaculate white shirt. Hot tarmac sweetness swirls with motes of dust borne on a cool breeze, turning the corner from warm stone into sudden shady depths. The base is beautifully leathery – supple, strokeable, nonchalantly expensive. Utterly addictive.
£140.73 for 30ml eau de parfum
stradaparfumerie.com

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Instagram Live interview with Walter Johnsen – ‘The King of Fragrances’

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 11:19:13 GMT

Join us for the latest in our series of InstaLive interviews with auspicious creatives from the world of fragrance, on Wednesday 28th October 2020 (6pm UK time). Our co-founder Jo Fairley will be chatting to Walter Johnsen, Global Development Director Fine Fragrance at Interparfums Inc., one of the world’s leading fragrance companies – a man who’s been referred to as ‘The King of Fragrances…’

He’s been the creative force behind an incredible line-up of fragrances that include the dazzling GRAFF perfumes (above), which launched into Harrods earlier this year and were inspired by the 302.38 carat Lesedi La Rona diamond, owned by the jeweller.

We’ll put readers’ questions to Walter during the Instagram Live – which will later appear on our YouTube channel). But to get you thinking…

• What’s the process of conjuring up a diamond, in scent form – and what are the links between jewels and fragrance?

• You’re a trained perfumer who now works with many different perfumers – can you explain your role? (And how do we get a job like yours!)

• Walter talks about fragrance ‘making a difference in the world’ – how does he see that?

• How has the perfume world changed since the start of the pandemic – and what are the positives?

Just fill in the form below to send Walter your questions – and of course we’ll be posting the interview on our YouTube page, after the event…

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Take your seat for the IFRA Fragrance Forum… MIND BLOWING lectures & a new book

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 06:00:00 GMT

The IFRA Fragrance Forum has been a source of awe-inspring intellectual discussion of, and future predictions for, our sense of smell – utterly fascinating lectures given by the world’s top scientists, perfumers and researchers in in the field of scent. Normally, you need to buy a ticket to attend, but this year (as with many events) it was held (albeit in a slightly truncated form) online.

You can watch the lectures here, for FREE – and get ready to have your mind BLOWN, as such scent luminaries as perfumer Christophe Laudamiel, Professors Barry Smith and Charles Spence and Claire Guest, CEO of Medical Detection Dogs talked about the new work they are doing with dogs sniffing out Covid-19.

IFRA – the International Fragrance Association – was set up in 1973, dedicated to showcasing perfumery and (crucially) agreeing on a set of international guidelines so that we are safe to wear scent all over over the world.

But IFRA does much more than advise on safety requirements. For several years, now, they have been hosting an annual Fragrance Forum, gathering a diverse range of speakers to focus ‘…on developments in olfaction in the widest possible way.’ Events we have widely reported on, and been so inspired by.

This year, the Forum incorportated IFRA’s book launch, which collates ‘The results of these fascinating talks from around fifty speakers’, and which have been have ‘now been brought together for the first time in a new book ‘Olfaction: A Journey’’

IFRA told us that, ‘The book offers a reflective celebration of the Fragrance Forum and allows readers to dip into the ideas presented by past speakers, organised by theme and offering a fascinating journey through ten years of olfactory research.

The themes covered include psychology, health & well-being, design & creativity, arts & culture, technology & innovation and business insight. From the ability of someone to detect the smell of Parkinson’s disease to the possibilities of creating an artificial ‘nose’ through machine learning, IFRA UK has brought together thought leaders and key researchers spanning a breadth of different fields to share their ideas and findings.’

Lisa Hipgrave, Director of IFRA UK said: ‘This isn’t an inward look at the fragrance industry, in fact it is the very opposite. Over the last decade we have brought together such a powerful range of speakers on such wide-ranging topics we realised we were sitting on a really wonderful collection of stories. We were really keen to share these to shine a light on the work of the amazing speakers we have had over the years, from all walks of life.

‘Where else could you find out about historical perspectives, from the ancient Egyptians to new advances by Google Brain using machine learning? And personal stories about someone who could smell Parkinson’s disease to what the impact of living without the sense of smell really means? We hope that people will be as fascinated as we have been over the years by the impact that our sense of smell has in so many different facets of our lives.’

Editor of the book, Lizzie Ostrom, elucidated her involment in the project, explaining that: ‘It is evident from the collected stories in this book that our sense of smell impacts every area of our lives, from our health to our relationships. It’s a testament to the fragrance forum that concepts seeming esoteric ten years ago – like detecting disease through our noses – are now much more in the public consciousness. We’re excited to bring this leading research to readers in an accessible and compelling format.’

Included in the book are explanations of some of the most jaw-dropping moments we’ve experienced hearing the lectures first-hand….

Sniffing out Parkinson’s

Do people with Parkinson’s smell different? A pioneering team showcased their respective expertise to show how our sense of smell could enable early detection and treatment.

Living without smell

As many as 3-5% of the population have anosmia (no sense of smell), and up to one in five of us will experience some form of smell loss. What are the future prospects for treatment?

How to make a mosquito invisibility cloak

Mosquito-borne diseases affect more than half the world’s population. More than 2.5 billion people are at risk of contracting dengue fever, and there are at least 400,000 deaths each year from malaria. Understanding body odour might help tackle this threat.

The role of smell in consciousness

Is olfaction largely conscious and we just do not notice, or does it occur largely in the unconscious, modifying mood, helping us to recognise kin or choose a mate without us being aware it is happening?

Spices, balsams and the incense of temples

What was the prominence of fragrance in the elite culture of ancient Egypt? How could this most ephemeral of histories be captured to give modern audiences a glimpse of the ancient experience of scent?

Our evolutionary pharmacy

As a sensory function, olfaction probably predates all others, primarily helping us to identify food, danger, predators and prospective mates.

‘Olfaction: A journey’ is available to purchase at for £29.95 plus postage by visiting: ifrauk.bigcartel.co

By Suzy Nightingale

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Merchant of Venice: your NEW online personal shopper!

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 06:00:34 GMT

Have you ever wanted your own personal perfume shopper? Well now, The Merchant of Venice is offering you the experience from the comfort of your own home…

While we’d dearly love to be sauntering through the heart-stoppingly beautiful streets of Venice and sniffing the perfume wares in person – as we did on our magnicent trip to the birthplace of fine perfumery – The merchant of Venice has come up with a cunning way to bring us the luxury of a one-to-one expert scent consultation, but all without having to leave your own sofa.

During these strange days, it can be difficult to know where to begin when searching for a new scent, and so The Merchant of Venice want to offer ‘…a new type of sensory experience’ with which to ‘re-establish a human contact’ with customers, thanks to its highly professional consultants being made available via a virtual online personal shopping experience.

For those of you who have yet to try the sumptuous, historically inspred (yet thoroughly contemporary) scents, you can have a gander at our page dedicated to the history of The Merchant of Venice perfumes; but what you really need to know is this:

When the princess Teodora Ducas – daughter of the Emperor of Byzantium – married the Doge Domenico Selvo in 1060, it can be said the grand Venetian tradition of perfumery (and the accompanying products with which the royal court liked to adorn themselves) truly began. So when you experience a fragrance from The Merchant of Venice – it’s a nod to the very history of perfumery itself…

During your navigation of The Merchant of Venice website, they tell us, you will be able to ‘interact with specialists in a sophisticated presentation of the collections’ that will guide you in your choice of the perfect perfumes for you to try. So, from your home, you can ‘take advantage of a private, tailor-made and highly professional service as in The Merchant of Venice boutiques.’

We have had the great privilege of visiting The Merchant of Venice boutiques, and they are beyond expectations – each unique in character and stunningly presented (as are the perfumes, themselves).

During your online personal shopper consultation, you will have each fragrance thoroughly described, using its olfactory notes. But much more than that, your personal shopper will listen to your exact requirements, and give personalised advice ‘…to find the essence that best suits the personality of each person. A dynamic that has been refined over the years also thanks to the experience at the Perfume Museum at Palazzo Mocenigo in Venice’

And oh, when we can travel again, we urge you to visit the Palazzo Mocenigo – it’s the most incredible collection of perfume history we’ve ever seen – from the thousands of historic perfume bottles, to the imaculate reconstruction of a 16th Century perfumer’s workshop.

Back to the present day, meanwhile, the traditions continue. ‘The ability to describe the history and origin of raw materials is the basis and the starting point for communicating the great passion and history that lies behind each creation,’ The Merchant of Venice explains, and the first personal shopper to assist you will be Christian Waas.

‘He comes from a family of perfumers and has collaborated with several international perfumery houses’ they continue, and apart from his fluency in English and German, Christian was chosen for ‘his ability to combine in-depth knowledge of perfume with sales expertise, together with his passion for history and culture,’ and his inate ability to present this to you in an exciting, engaging way.

The service will be active from mid-October through an online booking at themerchantofvenice.com

What on earth would princess Teodora Ducas have made of the fact that, 960 years since her marriage, future fragrance lovers around the world would be booking personal perfume consultations via a little magic screen they can keep in their pockets? It would surely have blown her mind. But the fact we still hanker after the magnificent scents made in Venice? We have a hunch she wouldn’t have been very surprised…

By Suzy Nightingale

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Safe scents: a perfumer explains

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 06:00:41 GMT

Safe scents – what are they, who checks, and what processes do fragrances have to go through?

It’s such a minefield, and there is much misinformation floating around the internet and social media, of late, regarding the topic of ‘safe scents’. So we welcome the ‘open door’ approach many perfume houses and perfumers are now taking, making the public more aware of what goes on behind-the-scenes in not only creating a fragrance, but ensuring its safety.

Perfumer Pia Long, from the fragrance creation house and expert consultancy, Olfiction, recently created some images, while she was working on a new creation for a client – ‘…the creation in question being a sparkly citrus eau de toilette with a very high percentage of natural materials.’ (Because yes, even if a fragrance is 100% natural, it still has to be checked. Just because an ingredient is deemed ‘natural’, it’s still a chemical and it still needs to be safety checked).

Pia has been noticing more comments on social media from consumers, who, she explains ‘…say (wrongly) that there are no safety considerations for fragrance prior to it going into a product, or that natural is always safe and synthetic is always not (also wrong).’

So, Pia took some screenshots of ‘the stuff I have to be fluent in,’ and wanted to share them with the public because she thought, ‘Maybe it’s time we perfumers start to show you a little more than nice photos of us in our swish laboratories or eccentric offices; or maybe just seeing content from brands is not enough these days.’

We all love seeing those ‘sneak peeks’ into perfumers’ labs, or the harvesting of fragrant crops, but while that content is incredibly enjoyable to see, it doesn’t address the misinformation regarding fragrance safety. So while it’s fantastic to learn more about what Pia terms ‘the artistic and olfactive side of our work,’ she reminds us that not also talking about the various stages a fragrance goes through ‘…can make our contribution minimised.’

These images are from Pia’s ‘first sketch of a formula’. It’s vital she goes through this process for any kind of fragrance she creates – whether that will be a fine fragrance or to scent another product, because, she tells us:

‘I want to make sure the formula is compliant before I do any more to it. We are sometimes requested to do more than 100 modifications to a fragrance. We have to do the safety calculations each time. When the fragrance is signed off, it’s then off to (further) stability and safety testing.’

Basically, Pia wants to get the message across that if you are buying a perfume or fragranced product that has been supplied by a professional perfumer or perfume house, ‘they will be following IFRA guidelines.’

IFRA – the International Fragrance Association – was formed in 1973, with a mission ‘to represent the collective interests of the industry and promote the safe use and enjoyment of fragrances around the world.’ And as for those guidelines, IFRA says that, ‘The IFRA Standards ban, limit or set criteria for the use of certain ingredients, based on scientific evidence and consumer insights.’

We’d love to see more of these insights from perfumers. While not as romantic as seeing them strolling through lavender fields, such conversations are a vital reminder of the huge amount of work that a fragrance entails. And clearly explained topics of safety and science go hand in (scented) glove with the questions consumers are (rightly) asking about sustainability and inclusivity – topics we cover in depth in the Beyond Fashion & Fragrance edition of The Scented Letter magazine, if you’d like to read more…

By Suzy Nightingale

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Latest Launches: Summer’s Last Bouquets

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 07:00:51 GMT

This week’s latest launches will leave you smelling of roses (and jasmine, magnolia, tuberose…) Scent your days with summer flowers before the nights draw in. Enjoy the fragrant melody of L’Orchestre Parfum Bouquet Encore, delve into Diptyque Othoniel Rosa or marvel at Memoize Isla Rose. You’ll find us among the flowers, as always.
DIPTYQUE
OTHONIEL ROSA
So here’s the story behind Othoniel Rosa’s unusual name: Jean-Michel Othoniel is a French artist, author of The Secret Language of Flowers about the hidden meanings of the Louvre museum’s flowers. In tribute, a rose breeder named a new introduction ‘the Othoniel rose’, a spicy bloom now incarnated in scent form by Diptyque in this limited edition, its petals shot through with pink peppercorn, ambrette, vetiver and Akigalawood (an airier patchouli note). Très belle.
£120 for 100ml eau de toilette
diptyqueparis.comL’ORCHESTRE PARFUM
BOUQUET ENCORE
Continuing their series of ‘fragrances to smell and listen to’, the inspirational music this time is techno-inspired, interpreted by POPOF with Animal & Me. Perfumer Pierre-Constantin Guéros weaves an ultraviolet bouquet of glowing white flowers that throb with a mellow undertone of Madagascan vanilla, airy Ambroxan, spicy pepper and euphoric musk. The effortless harmony floats around you – the kind of fragrance to reach for when you want to feel fragrantly supported, held aloft.
£129 for 100ml eau de parfum
ab-presents.co.ukMEMOIZE LONDON
ISLA ROSE
From the all-natural house that celebrates deeply-held scent memories, a moment to reflect on the purity of ‘unconditional love’ and the uncomplicated, passionate feelings we experience. Kick off your shoes and wander a garden path strewn with bushes of ripe, red berries into the welcoming warmth of the floral heart – exuberant jasmine entwined with creamy magnolia for a perfect harmony. Wrapped in the amber-rich trail, supple leather and silky vanilla swathe oudh’s throbbing base.
£197 for 100ml eau de parfum
memoizeperfume.comMORESQUE
SECRET COLLECTION TUBEREUSE
Taking inspiration from the notorious courtesan, spy and exotic dancer, Mata Hari, you might have just walked into her dressing room – thick velvet curtains obscuring the daylight, a huge vase of voluptuous tuberose on the table, exuding its carnal delights. The narcotic allure is ramped up even further with heady lily and heavenly ylang ylang on a smouldering, incense-laden base. Whatever your precious secrets, you’d spill them for a bottle of this perfume…
£115 for 75ml eau de parfum
MoresqueParfumShop.com
ACQUA DI PARMA
COLONIA FUTURA
Adding weight to the sustainable scent movement is AdP’s newest: the first of their Colonia line to be created with 99% natural ingredients, with every aspect of the packaging reassessed and rethought. But what clinches a conversion to ‘eco’ products is that they rival what customers bought before – in this case, a herbaceous fusion of lavender, clary sage and vetiver, with sunlit shafts of grapefruit, bergamot, pink pepper and lemon. Bravo!
From £80 for 50ml eau de Cologne
johnlewis.com

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Perfume workshops are still happening – and Stephan Matthews went along

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:29:10 GMT

Perfume isn’t just a capital city experience anymore, as Stephan Matthews discovered when he created his own fragrance in the middle of the Welsh countryside (and the middle of a pandemic)

Every perfume fan has, at one time or another, dreamed of making their own fragrance. Unfortunately the price tag that goes with a bespoke scent means it’s usually out of our reach. This is where the many perfume workshops that have sprung up come into their own. They allow you to play with ingredients and, at the end, hopefully walk away with something that is wearable. Normally confined to either London, Paris, or Grasse, you can imagine my surprise when I found a perfume workshop was quietly operating in the beautiful surroundings of a Tudor garden in Monmouth, South Wales.

Run by Louise Smith, who is both self-taught and studied privately with a classical perfumer in Paris, Monmouth Botanicals has been helping fans to create bespoke fragrances for the last three years. However, the whole process is very different to other workshops that you may have attended before. Louise told me, ‘Creating a fragrance that is bespoke to your personal taste encourages you to wear it with passion and pride, because it’s something that you have handcrafted.’ So, needless to say, I didn’t need any persuading when I was invited to one of their socially-distanced workshops.

After temperature checks, and with masks in place, the two hour session begins with a quick history of fragrance. It’s a general overview but, even if you’re pretty familiar with the subject, I guarantee that you’ll be scribbling some notes. The setting for the workshop is a custom-built wooden studio that looks out onto an incredible five hundred year old walled garden. Designed by Louise’s husband Kenton, who was originally a Canadian Ice Hockey player, you really do feel as if you’re surrounded by nature. Views and pucks aside, the creation process is also fantastic.

You’re each given your own set of 35 ingredients that are split into top, middle, and base notes. Now there’s a mix of naturals and also a couple of synthetics, but Louise very clearly labels them in case you have a particular preference. You’re asked to smell every ingredient and write your impressions in a very stylish workbook, but the unusual part is that you also have to give it a score from 0 to 10 in terms of whether you like it. Luckily, if your nose starts to get tired then there’s plenty of fresh Welsh air outside to help you reset.

From here on in is where the workshop takes a more handholding approach. Louise looks at your workbook, taking into account your scores and comments, and gives you suggestions for the ingredients to use in your final perfume. You pop a drop of each one on its own paper strip, peg them together, and see how the various aromas combine. You do this for the top notes, then the middle, and finally the base ones. This is the point where you can make alterations if you want to, but I found Louise’s method to be pretty faultless.

In many workshops this is where you are often cast adrift, but things are very different here. Louise works out a bespoke formula for you using your choices, and which also ensures that you leave with an IFRA-compliant fragrance. Now what does this mean? Well certain ingredients are restricted and should only be used at specific strengths to avoid allergic reactions. This is why Louise is responsible for creating the formula, but you’re in charge of weighing the oils on the perfumer’s scales. This needs concentration because one extra drop could turn your fougère into a floriental.

So what did I go home with? Well I ended up in woody aromatic territory, which is actually the style I’m loving at the moment. A citrus enhanced neroli led onto an aromatic heart before notes of cedarwood and earthy vetiver mingled in with a touch of woody Iso E Super. You leave with a 50ml eau de parfum and the formula, which Louise will remake for you when you run out. Since I’ve only got about 5ml left, that reminds me I need to order another bottle! A bespoke fragrance doesn’t need to be a dream anymore. You simply have to name it…

The two hour workshop is £60 and includes drinks and chocolate. For more information, or to book, you can visit the website at monmouthbotanicals.com

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Comfort & Strength: scenting your mood with whispers and shouts

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 14:13:11 GMT

Comfort & Strength are feelings we’re all needing more of these days, and oh goodness, wearing the right fragrance really does help. But should you reach for something loud and proud or softly soothing…?

‘…Smell is a language of airborne shouts and whispers that travels across rooms. Smell is suggestive.’ – Sarah Knott, Mother: An Unconventional History (Penguin, 2019)

In the just-published Beyond Fashion & Fragrance edition of The Scented Letter magazine, I focus on the post-pandemic perfume landscape – reporting how fragrance sales actually grew during the first #lockdown, as people swathed themselves in familiar scents to comfort themselves; or tried a whole host of new fragrances to feel more alert and avoid associating their usual favourite with negative emotions. Similarly, the worldwide taste in perfumes seems to now vacillate between the big-hitter room-fillers and the altogether softer, more contemplative scents that remain closer to one’s own skin.

So which do you prefer? I know some days I crave the quietude of something gentle – an olfactory caress akin to wrapping myself in a cashmere blanket. At other times, I’ve desperately sought out scents to wear as a kind of fragrant armour against *gestures at everything* – some scented ‘backbone in a bottle’.

Whether its whispers or shouts you’re seeking, here’s a very small selection of fragrances I have been reaching for to scent my mood…

KAYALI VANILLA | 28
Creamy jasmine swirled through a cloud of vanilla is sheer bliss on the skin, a sensation of intimacy elegantly rendered in addictive tonka, musk and amber-rich patchouli sprinkled with brown sugar.
£67 for 50ml eau de parfum

Try it at: cultbeauty.co.uk

Olfactive O Skin
A soothing hush of ambrette seed, orris and magnolia unfurl from the sensation of cool, cotton sheets to a sweeter nuzzle of sun-warmed skin via beeswax absolute and sandalwood. An incredibly long-lasting hug – something we could all do with right now.
£100 for 30ml extrait de parfum

Try it at: olfactiveo.com

(You can also try Skin, along with all their other fragrances, in the Olfactive O Discovery Set: £30)

L’Orchestre Parfums Pianao Santal
A lullaby of languorous warm skin wraped in silky sheets, the sandalwood, cedar and ethereal white musks feel milky, mystical and dream-like; finally caressed by caraway, carried like motes of dust.
£129 for 100ml eau de parfum

Try it at: harveynichols.com

Kierin NYC Nitro Noir

A powerhouse contemporary Chypre/floral that positively swings its hips, with ripe pink berries swirled through rich patchouli and dusted with powdery orris for a hypnotic, individualistic hurrah.
£65 for 50ml eau de parfum

Try it at: theperfumeshop.com

Available in the Kierin NYC Discovery Set (all four fragrances to sample at home) for £15

THOO Live in Colours

Punchy grapefruit and lemon are paired with juicy red fruits before the heart fizzes pink pepper and ginger: exhilaration guaranteed. Hinoki wood and musk in the dry down help ground you, confidently.
£190 for 75ml eau de parfum

Try it at: jovoyparis.co.uk

Tom Daxon Iridium 71%

Proof that cashmere can be worn as armour, the original scent’s intensified to over three and half times the strength. Piquant juniper’s enfolded in layers of powery iris: silkiness draping the steely scaffolding.
£245 for 50ml extrait de parfum

Try it at: tomdaxon.com

Quite apart from using scent to smell nice, trying a variety of fragrances also helps to deleniate the days, don’t you think? At a time when travelling is almost non-existant, we’re pining for new experiences. Trying an unfamilar scent can genuinely jolt you out of feeling quite so… trapped – opening the world as your olfactory oyster, if you like, to explore.

With that in mind, we have a wonderful selection of Discovery Boxes of samples and ‘try me’ sizes we’ve specially curated for you to try at home, as well as fabulous Brand Discovery Sets where you can sample the entire offerings of niche houses.

Comfort and Strength: why not have both?

By Suzy Nightingale

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Ostens – meet the fragrance house ‘ripping up the rule book’

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 06:00:17 GMT

Ostens is a fragrance house celebrating the finest ingredients they could get their hands on, and ‘ripping up the rule book’ of perfumery along the way…

Friends and business partners Christopher Yu and Laurent Delafon have been in the fragrance industry for over 20 years – they’ve worked alongside such notable names as Francis Kurkdjian, Olivier Polge, Lyn Harris, Sophie Labbé and Dominique Ropion – and fortuitously enough, first met in the Liberty perfumery department.

Laurent had a role in perfume distribution for Diptyque. Chris, though a self-confessed ‘fragrance nut’, was then ‘in computers.’ They got chatting, and not long after that meeting, took the plunge to go into business together, founding United Perfumes, where Christopher took on the role as Managing Director, and Laurent became the CEO.

As part of their jobs, they regularly travelled to Grasse, and one day heard tell of name well known by industry insiders, but practically unheard of in the wider public: LMR Naturals: Laboratoire Monique Rémy.

‘We loved the sort of secrecy about them, this idea that nobody outside the perfume world knew about LMR Naturals,’ Christopher confesses.

Viiting their HQ and smelling the incredible LMR ingredients, at that moment the duo decided they must get these under the noses of perfume lovers – to celebrate the materials themselves. And so (some years later, it must be said – a fragrance house isn’t buiilt overnight!) Ostens was born – raw ingredients made magical.

Those fragrances are found in two forms: for each hero ingredient, there is a fragrance ‘Preparation Oil’ and an eaux de parfum ‘Impression.’ Ostens use the term ‘Impressions’, because each fragrance takes an LMR ‘hero ingredient’ as the creative jumping off point – cedarwood, patchouli heart, rose Isparta, jasmine absolute and Cashmeran Velvet. And while sometimes that ingredient is the central focus, in others ‘it is more akin to a spice, used sparingly yet dramatically,’ explains Chris.

You can read their full story in our page dedicated to Ostens; but we are now so thrilled to be able to bring these fabulous fragrances directly to your noses, via their exquisite Ostens Discovery Set.

Inside the beautifully bound (and very book-like) slip case, you’ll find a whole library of olfactory wonders to explore…

Cashmeran Velvet – Cashmeran Velvet is a synthetic molecule which mimics the scent of warm, comforting woods with a slightly charred and smoky quality.

Cedarwood Heart – Cedarwood Heart leaves a dry, almost pencil-shavings scent on the skin that’s then softened by an unexpected, slightly creamy and almost vanilla like quality.

Jasmine Absolute – Ostens selected jasminum grandiflora grown in Egypt, for its fresh, natural, almost stem-like scent.

Patchouli Heart No.I – Patchouli Heart from Indonesia softer, warmer, and a more modern interpretation of the classic patchouli.

Patchouli Heart No.II – Patchouli Heart from Indonesia is a softer, warmer, and more modern interpretation of the classic patchouli – another spin on the highly versatile ingredient.

Rose Oil Isparta – A rose is a rose…or so we thought until we smelt the unique scent of the Rosa Damascena from Turkey.

Ostens Discovery Set £30 for 6 x 2ml eau de parfum

Kept for yourself or sent to a scent-loving friend, ‘We realised that if we loved those smells, then there were surely other people who’d feel the same way’ Ostens told us.

Well, we fell head over heels for them, and feel sure you will, too…

By Suzy Nightingale

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More perfume podcasts…? Eau yes!

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 11:42:45 GMT

We’re so excited to see more dedicated perfume podcasts (and fragrantly themed episodes of other series) starting to blossom, and here’s our pick of the current bunch…

The Sniff – Nicola Thomis is a fragrance-obsessed reviewer who, in previous episodes, has looked at soothing scents for troubled times, spoke with language translator, (and sometime Perfume Society fellow contributor) Marta Dziurosz, about the language of smell, and interviewed some of the hottest names in niche perfumery. The lastest episode is a vox-pop of perfumes people have been reaching for, and we love listening!

Molecast – The brilliant perfumer Geza Schoen and writer, Susan Irvine, are the hosts of this Escentric Molecules podcast, with Geza taking a deep dive in to the way he creates fragrances and Susan exploring the wider world of fragrance terms and techniques. This episodes looks at notes ‘from the stinky to sublime‘…

Outspoken Beauty – Host, Nicola Bonn, dedicates this episode to her ‘favourite fragrance of all time’: the iconic Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady. Hearing from the perfumer, Dominique Ropion, himself, plus a plethora of celebrity fans, like Val Garland and Nicola Chapman, say why they’re similarly obsessed. Our fragrant friend Odette Toilette also adds her knowledge, and this beautifully produced documentary is an absolute treat of an olfactory ode.

Fume Chat – We’ve been fans of this down-to-earth and chatty ppodcast since it began, and now we’re up to Season 3 if you can believe it! Co-hosts,fFragrance expert & consultant, Nick Gilbert and blogger & writer, Thomas Dunckley (aka The Candy Perfume Boy) use this latest episoide to take the lid off Playful Perfumery using ‘novel accords’. It’s always such a pleasure to tune in – they’re great friends as well as colleagues, and it really shows.

Dressed: The History of Fashion – Though they normally focus on fashion, obvs, in this special episoide, the historiuan and museum curator hosts, Cassidy Zachary and April Calahan, invite author and illustrator Jessica Roux ‘to discuss how the Victorians used the symbolism of flowers as a means of communication.’ Fascinating stuff, and of course we immediately pre-ordered a copy of Jessica’s stunning looking book, Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers (which we’ll review for our ever-growing Fragrant Reads section, never fear!)

Want to add even more perfume-related listening to your podcast list? Here’s the previous five fragrance podcasts we listened to, and then even more to peruse when you’ve finished those…

By Suzy Nightingale

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Latest Launches: Big Names Galore!

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 18:07:34 GMT

This week’s latest launches are worth waiting for. Seasonal launches are upon us and all the big names are out in force. Choose from Lancôme, Tom Ford, Chanel, Bulgari and Calvin Klein. Temptation awaits and we’ve got the urge to splurge! (Even if it’s just to get ahead with the Christmas shopping. Yes, we used the ‘C’ word.)

CALVIN KLEIN
ETERNITY SO FRESH
Christy Turlington reprises her role as the face of Eternity – and this time, her co-star is real-life actor husband Edward Burns. (Handy to have the two models in a ‘bubble’ of their own, at a time on-set smooching breaks all social distancing rules.) Bestselling Eternity is breezily uplifted by pear, bergamot and blackcurrant, rendered smouldering via skin musks and amber. Do watch the ad, meanwhile, to rekindle your faith in happy-ever-afters.
From £35 for 30ml eau de toilette
lookfantastic.com
CHANEL
COCO MADEMOISELLE L’EAU PRIVÉE
Turn down the lights. Draw the curtains. L’Eau Privée is unabashedly designed to be worn at night – ‘sprayed in an enveloping gesture before bed’, as Chanel put it, though we don’t think an evening slumped in front of Netflix was quite what Olivier Polge had in mind. The woods have been downplayed, allowing both the freshness of mandarin and the pillow-y softness of jasmine, rose and white musks to take centre stage. Just dreamy.
From £67 for 50ml eau de parfum
chanel.com
LANCÔME
IDÔLE L’INTENSE
A stellar trio of Shyamala Maisondieu, Nadège le Garlantezec and Adriana Medina combined talents for this ‘tribute to the innate beauty of inspiring women’. (We suggest they hold up a mirror, for inspiration.) Rose and jasmine star in the ‘white Chypre’, which fuses two patchouli elements, one extraction of this earthy note revealing accents of cocoa and leather. Smoothed by a balsamic vanilla, the result’s surprisingly airy, while lingering smoochily on skin.
From £54 for 25ml eau de parfum
lancome.co.uk
TOM FORD
BLACK ORCHID PARFUM
There are going to be some super-excited perfumistas at news that Tom Ford’s bestselling signature fragrance is now available as a parfum. ‘To me, it is the perfect flower… luxurious, elegant, pure and sophisticated,’ Mr. Ford says of the bloom which inspired this narcotic blend of ylang ylang, bergamot, black truffle, dark florals, rich fruits, patchouli, incense and sandalwood. Check out the gilded, limited edition purse-sized travel spray, too. Double-swoon.
£98 for 50ml parfum
tomford.co.uk

BVLGARI
MAN GLACIAL ESSENCE
All the exhilaration of climbing to the top of a mountain but with zero effort (or crampons) required, Bulgari always know how to awaken our senses in scented form. Following their fragrant exploration of the elements Wood and Fire, Air crackles in the form of a frosted fougère. Piquant juniper berries make for a fairly traditional opening, before a welcoming nuzzle from the smoothness of sandalwood and a transparent woody patchouli via crystalline Clearwood.
£91 for 100ml eau de parfum
bulgari.com

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The Eco Well Ask: Is your fragrance ‘clean’? And what does that actually MEAN?

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 06:00:20 GMT

The Eco Well explore… Is your fragrance – or scented beauty product – ‘clean’? Is it safe for you to wear?

If you spend more than a few minutes on Instagram, or any other social media, you’ll be bombarded with similarly worded (and very worrying) questions; with certain sectors of the beauty industry now falling over themselves to assure you that their particular products are ‘safe’ and even ‘chemical free’ compared to the rest of them which may be termed as ‘toxic.’

Now we’ll put your mind at rest, immediately, here because aside from the fact that everything is chemicals (including you, the air you breathe and that apple you ate earlier) – fragrance, cosmetics and skincare have to adhere to the strictest safety rules there are. And those ‘all natural’ products you found online that someone makes in their bedroom using ‘only essential oils’? Not only are they likely to be illegal if not fully certified, some of the strongest allergic reactions you can have are to essential oils if they are not properly (and scientifically) used.

With this fear and misinformation culture in mind, The Eco Well – a website and podcast ‘to help make accurate information about cosmetics and sustainability in beauty, more accessible to everyone’ – are hosting a free online event with an expert panel…

Free Fragrance Conference: October 9th 2 – 3:30 EST (7 – 8:30pm U.K.)

The Eco Well say: ‘Fragrance – apparently the great skincare debate of 2020. Are fragrances suitable in cosmetic products? We’ll be coming at the topic from a few different vantages. From the perspective of a perfumer and overall fragrance expert, Pia Long, regulatory expert, Marie Dehlinger, 2 dermatologists, Dr Angelo Landriscina and Dr Andrea Suarez, and the consumer and influencer perspective, Hyram Yarbro. Moderated by Jen, who will bring the perspective of a cosmetic product formulator. Should be a lively and insightful conversation! See you there?’

We know Pia well – a longtime friend of, and sometime contributor to The Perfume Society – and are sure this will be a fascinating discussion that will shed light and soothe and scented worries you may have! So do book your free tickets and tune in to learn more…

By Suzy Nightingle

The post The Eco Well Ask: Is your fragrance ‘clean’? And what does that actually MEAN? appeared first on The Perfume Society.

Smoke gets in your sighs… smoky scents to celebrate autumn

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 06:00:21 GMT

Smoky scents on the breeze are one of the first signals the season has changed – distant drifts of bonfires and hazy wisps of woodsmoke; the eldritch mists of morning fields…

Whether it’s the whiff of roaring fires, or mellow pipesmoke evoking much-patched tweed jackets and just a hint of damp dog: truly great smoky fragrances are immediately transportive, and not always quite so comforting. In Romeo & Juliette, Shakespeare reminds us that ‘Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs,’ which can resemble the fire in your lover’s eyes, or become a ‘choking gall’. So too can smoky fragrances recall excitement in spent fireworks, waft the standoffish cigar-tinged sneer of a ‘members only’ club, or cloak you in the sanctified air of a Catholic confessional. They might recall stubbed cigarettes, boozy liasons and yesterday’s eyeliner, suggest the once-furtive fug of illicit substances, appease fickle gods or summon the most lascivious demons.

It’s hardly surprising there’s many smoke-laden scents, seeing as the word perfume itself arises from the Latin, ‘per fumum‘ – ‘through smoke’ – referring to fragrant materials burned as scented prayers. Perfumers, meanwhile, might choose to combine both naturals and synthetics to acheive their desired level of vapour; from the folksy, dried hay and tobacco or even burned rubber funk of isobutyl quinolone; pitch black tarriness of cade oil, the bitter, leathery slap of birch tar or rich, incense-like resins such as the fruity amber purr of labdanum (from the cistus plant) or the more powdery balsamic musk of opoponax.

Sprayed to rejoice in autumnal splendour or perhaps used to summon something altogether more Mephistophelian – I urge you to seek these out and smoulder forth…

Sarah Baker, Bascule
Succulent peach juice sizzles on hot leather, tobacco frottages smouldering hay while soapy lily of the valley and cut grass beckon a bath (following a torrid tumble in the stables). Ruthlessly seductive.

£80 for 50ml eau de parfum (PSSST! Use code MEMBERSONLY at checkout, there’s 20% off until 6th December 2020)
sarahbakerperfumes.com

Rook, Thurible
Swinging incense trails conjure trembling sooty fingerprints stroked on skin, a low thrum of sticky patchouli cloaking herbaceous freshness; the stolen kisses writhing in a mossy embrace.

£100 for 50ml eau de parfum
rookperfumes.co.uk

Initio, Rehab
A more subtle swathe of smokiness for those who prefer to exude sophistication; here flinty lavender swirls oodles of soft tobacco into creamy vanilla, with clouds of hay-like coumarin cushioning the wood.

£190 for 90ml extrait de parfum, selfridges.com (OR sample in The Sharing Collection Discovery Box, £19 for ten fragrances.)

Moschino, Toy Boy
Utterly beguiling from the get go, a bouquet of roses is tossed on the bonfire; dry clove crackles and peppercorns pop, the heat suddenly sliced through with a cool leather whip, soothed with cashmeran.

£38.25 for 30ml eau de parfum
escentual.com

Ruth Mastenbroek, Firedance
Only when you’re ready to ramp it up: scorching leather smooches Damask rose and deepest, darkest oudh. Think billowing bonfire-smoke clinging to your hair and cold lips burned by passionate kisses.

£95 for 50ml eau de parfum
ruthmastenbroek.com

By Suzy Nightingale

The post Smoke gets in your sighs… smoky scents to celebrate autumn appeared first on The Perfume Society.

Space NK FREE perfume masterclass with Jo Fairley, Thursday 8th October 6 – 7pm!

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 09:49:33 GMT

Space NK are spoiling us with a plethora of beauty and perfume themed online evnts, and our co-founder, Jo Fairley, will be hosting a FREE online masterclass on How to Choose Your Favourite Fragrance – this Thursday, 6 – 7pm!

With all of us having to do things a little differently now, Space NK have a dedicated new online platform offering ‘…live-streamed masterclasses, 1-2-1 appointments, expert clinics and real-time, follow-along facials in collaboration with our beauty community of brand founders and exclusive partners.’ Giving people the opportunity to tap in to expert knowledge from the comfort of their own homes; Space NK invite you to ‘enjoy everything you love about Space NK events through Instagram Live and Zoom.’

During the FREE Space NK masterclass, Jo will be sharing her many years of experience in the fragrance industry, along with the tips and tricks she picked up while editing one of the various magazines she’s worked on. So we suggest you get a brew on (or, you know, as it’s after 5 – perhaps pour yourself a fragrant cocktail?) and sit back to soak in the scented suggestions.

Space NK promise that ‘You’ll learn how to identify common fragrance notes and Jo will be sharing her insider tips for picking the perfect fragrance to suit you.’ And knowing how eloquently Jo talks about perfume, we’re sure you’re in for a fragrantly fun time!

To secure your free place on the masterclass, simply fill in your details on the booking form, and Space NK will immediately send you a link to the Zoom webinar.

Zoom: How To Choose Your Perfect Fragrance With Jo Fairley

Thursday 8th October, 6 – 7pm

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Perfumer H launches Mask First Aid – mask-friendly fragrances

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 06:00:50 GMT

Perfumer H (a.k.a Lyn Harris) has launched two Mask First Aid scents – safe enough to spray on your face mask…

The collection of hand-crafted linen items and mask-safe scents (they have to be ‘food grade’ tested to be worn so close to your mouth, we’ve learned), springs from ‘…a creative partnership between Perfumer H and Arts & Science, Japan. Eastern craft meets western perfumery.’

Lyn had the idea for creating scents ‘during lock down after a conversation she had with her Japanese partner, Sonya Park of Arts & Science.’ Sonya had explained that wearing a face-covering was ‘…an integral part of the Japanese culture and how she felt it would be so great if Lyn could create something to help this new necessity for us all much more pleasurable.’

Thinking of the beautiful, uplifting and calming properties of two already much-loved fragrances in the collection, Lyn created special mask-friendly versions of ‘…Orange Flower, for its simplicity and beauty,’ and ‘Cucumber, as it is very neutral and with a touch of mint leaf gives a pleasant freshness.’

These delicately fragranced offerings sound like a complete boon for anyone havong to wear a mask for a number of hours, or for anyone looking to find a moment of perfumed pleasure during these tumultuous days…

Orange Flower: ‘Delicate orange blossom Tunisia centres the heart, enhanced with lemon Sicily, mandarin green and violet leaf France resting on a base of white musk completing this smooth floral cologne.’

Cucumber: ‘A transparent cologne composed around a simple fusion of watery cucumber sap and green woods, bringing a unique twist to this culinary delicacy. Top notes of bergamot, watermelon and lemon rind fused with cedar wood, vetiver and sea moss, empowered in a cool musk, making this an irresistible clean feast for the summer time.’

The masks are all hand made from a high-density weave with a super fine linen gauze (100% linen) and constructed in a three-layer structure to aid protection.

The mask comes in a special box with either of the two fragrances, £40 for 50ml. Exclusively from the Perfumer H, Marylebone store, and Arts & Science Japan.

Looking for other fragrances to soothe frayed nerves? We rounded up a collection of some favourite calming scents to spray away the blues (though these are for personal use, not made for masks). Now then, let’s all take a deep breath…

By Suzy Nightingale

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The Secret Ways of Perfume by Cristina Caboni

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 06:00:21 GMT

The Secret Ways of Perfume by Cristina Caboni is the scent-themed book we’re snuggled up with right now – why not make yourself a brew and get cosy while you read our review…?

The Secret Ways of Perfume by Cristina Caboni

****

Any novel that contains the phrase ‘perfume is the truth’ has us whooping for joy, and in her beautiful novel, Caboni reminds us that scent has the greatest power to ignite our memories – something the main character, Elena Rossini, knows only too well.

Granted a rare gift of a superior sense of smell, Elena’s passion for perfume has been passed down through generations of her family; but it’s a power that can all too often overwhelm her, as this ability means painful memories about her mother are carried on the breeze, and so she can never truly escape her past. When a betrayal destroys her dreams, fragrant events are set in motion when Elena’s best friend invites her to Paris, and she grabs at the chance to start afresh.

Lured by the promise of immersing herself in the world of scent once again, the ancient art of composing perfume beckons our protagonist. Searching for a secret recipe within her family’s historic archives, Elena’s new goal becomes the replication of a composition noone in her family managed to master. Having met a man who’s harbouring his own clandestine past; before long, she’s following the scent trail toall manner of mysterious discoveries. Because, as she was told all those years ago:

‘Remember Elena, perfume is the truth. The only thing that really counts. Perfume never lies, perfume is what we are, it’s our true essence…’

From the landscape of Florence to the sun-drenched lavender fields, this a book to delight all perfume-lovers – a novel that you’ll dive in to, nose first.

Buy it from Penguin U.K. (BLack Swan imprint, 2016)

In the mood for some more perfume-related books? We have a whole scented bookshelf of Fragrant Reads – from non-fiction historical explorations to contemporary criticism, with a plethora of perfume-related reading you can get your nose stuck in, right now!

By Suzy Nightingale

The post The Secret Ways of Perfume by Cristina Caboni appeared first on The Perfume Society.

Scent Futures: smell-centric explorations for possible future worlds (online event)

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 09:29:58 GMT

Scent Futures by Future of Smell is …’an exploration of futuristic smell-centric concepts based on human needs and emerging technologies.’

Olivia Jezler is a someone who’s fascinated by our sense of smell, and explores it, fascinatingly, through research, events and on her website, Future of Smell. Her olfactory career has spanned fragrance innovation through new technology products and fine fragrance, at IFF, Symrise, Robertet, and she’s also been collaborating on various projects, for over a decade, with the brilliant perfumer, Christophe Laudamiel.

Our attention was first grabbed on Instagram, where Olivia posts all sorts of mind-blowing news about scent technology and design; and we then interviewed Olivia for our Future of Fragrance edition of The Scented Letter Magazine.

Olivia looks beyond mere trends in the fragrance world, thinking outside the perfume box and peering in to what role smell could hold in all our futures. And with this in mind, you are invited to join in what promises to be a brilliantly smell-centric online event – Scent Futures…

Says Olivia:

‘Tremendous shifts are occurring on global and local levels. Smell is a direct gateway to our emotions, memory and our sense of safety. Fast Forward. Now imagine a future world. How could this primal sense inspire innovations that support us and how could this also go eerily wrong?

This event is an exploration of futuristic smell-centric concepts for our immediate and distant future worlds. We will outline current projects, emerging technologies, speculations and potentials for scent and smell based technologies.

The aim of this event is to provide frameworks, visualise, question and inspire. When ideas are brought to life conversations around them can take place and more desirable products and experiences can be created. If there are infinite possibilities which one would you choose to create and how could it change our world?’⁠

TOPICS

+ Intro to Speculative Design

+ Spaces (Personal, Public, Extraplanetary)

+ New Realities (Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality)

+ Hyperpersonalization (Products, Experiences, Body)

+ Role of Brands

DATE/ TIME / LOCATION

October 1st, 2020 at 2pm NY/ 3pm SP/ 7pm UK/ 8pm Paris on ZOOM (Future of Scent will send you a link before event).

Tickets are $30 – $60 and can be purchased here.

So what do you imagine the future holds, not only for fragrance, but for the limitless possibilities of our sense of smell itself…?

By Suzy Nightingale

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Latest Launches: Scents to Snuggle up With

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 06:00:54 GMT

With darker nights and cooler weather, we’re more than ready for scents we can snuggle up with. This week’s latest launches will comfort like a fragrant hug. Narciso Rodriguez Ambree adds a warm touch to their signature musk whilst Bvlgari La Gemme Kobraa dazzles us with its exotic bottle. Cosiness is au courant and we couldn’t be happier about it.LOUIS VUITTON
HEURES D’ABSENCE
If ever there were further proof needed that florals have been modernised, it is here, in this pale mauve juice: a profusion of fresh flowers harvested in Grasse, still a hub of perfume creativity, where Vuitton’s Jacques Cavallier Belletrud was born and works today. Add green, powdery mimosa from the Tanneron forest, touches of sandalwood and soft musks, and you have the prettiest of sheer summer scents – contemporary, luminous and understatedly elegant.
£200 for 100ml eau de parfum
louisvuitton.comNARCISO RODRIGUEZ
AMBREE
Frangipani, ylang ylang, amber and cedar harmonise to enthral in this John Lewis exclusive. Obviously it’s all about the juice, really, but can we take a moment to squeal at the sumptuous peachiness of this bottle? And inside, you’ll find the feminine warmth reverberates with the feeling of sun-kissed skin, their so-loved signature musk accord (feather-light, floating like strands of silk in a summer breeze) surrounded by all the frivolity of a longed-for holiday.
£47 for 30ml eau de parfum
johnlewis.com
SOL DE JANEIRO
CHEIROSA ’62
This positively sambas out of the disco-ball-capped bottle, inspiring fantasies of Brazilian beaches, sun-warmed skin and Rio’s vibrant lifestyle. It captures, so we’re told, ‘the aroma of the brand’s signature Bum Bum Cream’ – which, for the uninitiated, is actually a full-body moisturiser that leaves skin glowing and fragrant. Heliotrope, sandalwood, salted caramel, vanilla and jasmine make for a fabulous loud, cymbal-clash of woodiness, fruitiness and floralcy. One for your inner ‘Girl from Ipanema’.
£78 for 50ml eau de parfum
spacenk.com
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
OUD BLANC
To wear this as it deserves, we’re dressing in a silken kaftan and straddling a velvet Ottoman cushion in the garden while surrounded by roses and eating dates. Let the neighbours stare! The precious oudh accord is rendered sheer and tenderised with velvety Turkish rose, while vanilla swathes clouds of smoky frankincense; the final dry-down reveals a long-lasting cool caress of aldehydic white musks. Join us in this romantic reverie.
£130 for 75ml eau de parfum
At Selfridges
BVLGARI
LA GEMME KOBRAA
The magnificent Gemme collection continues by conjuring the mystery of Snake Jasper – a precious stone that hails from New Zealand. Used as an antidote for snakebites in ancient times, it symbolises powerful regeneration and life force, here reverberating in a majestically stylish take on oudh. The agarwood thrums low and deep, freshened by the green woody vibrancy of geranium leaf before being subsumed in a cloak of black incense. Spritz and swish around, fearlessly.
£255 for 100ml eau de parfum
bulgari.com

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Escentric Molecules ‘Molecast’– a new perfume podcast featuring Geza Schoen & Susan Irvine

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 06:00:21 GMT

Escentric Molecules has launched a new Molecast – a regular podcast Co-hosted by perfumer and Escentric Molecules founder, Geza Schoen and writer, Susan Irvine – and we couldn’t be more thrilled!

If you’re anything like us, you have a whole host of podcasts you listen to on any subject you care to mention, but sadly, although there are a handful of notable fragrance-focused podcasts we love, they are still few and far between.

It’s a phenomena our co-founder, Jo Fairley, always likens to where the wine industry was twenty years ago (in the U.K. anyway): a subject then rarely discussed, and now with weekly columns in national newspapers and supermarket shelves labelled with information about the indie producers, tasting notes and even the terroir the grapes were grown at.

In the ‘Molecast’, Geza and Susan will be discussing ‘various topics across the world of art and chemistry’, and in the first episode, the topic is Cashmeran – the star molecule in his new Molecule 05, and the inspiration behind Escentric 05, which Geza calls, his ‘most personal fragrance ever.

Escentric Molecules have always had the ethos of demystifying the fragrance industry, and especially celebrating the incredible man-made aroma molecules that have been a growing part of the perfumer’s palette since the 1800’s, but were never talked about in the public. Geza Schoen proudly puts them front and centre in his creations.

We were so excited when Escentric Molecules asked to launch this fabulous new fragrant duo with us at The Perfume Society, and had the pleasure of interviewing Geza about the inspiration behind their creation, and you can watch the film of our fascinating discussion…

Meanwhile, we highly recommend getting your hands on Escentric Molecules‘ two new (and hotly-anticipated) 30ml eaux de parfum (which you can now purchase directly from us) so you can sniff and glory in the scents as you listen to Geza talk about Cashmeran.

Escentric Molecules Molecule 05, £36 for 30ml eau de parfum

As perfumer Geza explained to us, ‘Cashmeran is dry, radiant, warm and woody with an unexpected touch of pine resin‘. MOLECULE 05 consists of this pure and singular molecule which was created at IFF in the late 1970 – boasting a cocooning musky quality when alone.’ But it’s gloriously complex, as you’ll discover…

Escentric Molecules Escentric 05, £36 for 30ml eau de parfum

Geza also says that because Cashmeran is dry, radiant, warm and woody with an unexpected touch of pine resin‘, it was used in ESCENTRIC 05 to create a fragrance, developed to transport you to a Mediterranean island… umm yes please!

Choose one – or both! – but definitely explore the miraculous world of aroma molecules, because we have a hunch they’re going to rock your fragrant world…

By Suzy Nightingale

The post Escentric Molecules ‘Molecast’ – a new perfume podcast featuring Geza Schoen & Susan Irvine appeared first on The Perfume Society.

The Perfume Society

Atelier Cologne eFestival with Charli XCX – get your FREE ticket!

Latest Launches: Chic to Chic

Instagram Live interview with Walter Johnsen – ‘The King of Fragrances’

MY QUESTION FOR WALTER

Take your seat for the IFRA Fragrance Forum… MIND BLOWING lectures & a new book

Merchant of Venice: your NEW online personal shopper!

Safe scents: a perfumer explains

Latest Launches: Summer’s Last Bouquets

Perfume workshops are still happening – and Stephan Matthews went along

Perfume isn’t just a capital city experience anymore, as Stephan Matthews discovered when he created his own fragrance in the middle of the Welsh countryside (and the middle of a pandemic)

Comfort & Strength: scenting your mood with whispers and shouts

Ostens – meet the fragrance house ‘ripping up the rule book’

More perfume podcasts…? Eau yes!

Latest Launches: Big Names Galore!

The Eco Well Ask: Is your fragrance ‘clean’? And what does that actually MEAN?

Smoke gets in your sighs… smoky scents to celebrate autumn

Space NK FREE perfume masterclass with Jo Fairley, Thursday 8th October 6 – 7pm!

Zoom: How To Choose Your Perfect Fragrance With Jo Fairley

Thursday 8th October, 6 – 7pm

Perfumer H launches Mask First Aid – mask-friendly fragrances

The Secret Ways of Perfume by Cristina Caboni

The Secret Ways of Perfume by Cristina Caboni

Scent Futures: smell-centric explorations for possible future worlds (online event)

Latest Launches: Scents to Snuggle up With

Escentric Molecules ‘Molecast’– a new perfume podcast featuring Geza Schoen & Susan Irvine