We’re excited to announce the latest issue of our multiple award-winning magazine, The Scented Letter: Fashion, Fragrance & the Future is now LIVE!

Each autumn/winter, our award-winning magazine, The Scented Letter, celebrates the links between fashion and fragrance. But this season, the 64-page magazine has a futuristic edge, as we explore ways that Artificial Intelligence is impacting the world of perfumery.

Those of you who’ve already signed up to have it delivered automatically should check your in-boxes for the latest clickable free issue, but if you’ve not yet subscribed for the FREE magazine, you can get the latest online edition, here.

We know so many of you prefer reading these longer features in print, so your glossy PRINTED and coffee-table worthy edition of is now available to purchase here, for £15 / £12.50 for VIPs.

Here’s what you can look forward to in this 64-page issue…

• Scenting the Metaverse – is the role of the perfumer doomed? Suzy Nightingale explores how AI is impacting the fragrance world
• Gabrielle Chanel – Perfume Manifesto – to coincide with the V&A’s stunning expo, we report on Chanel’s pioneering place in perfumery
• A Working Nose – Guerlain Perfumer Delphine Jelk
• The Wash Gets Posh – a raft of fragrance-focused laundry products is turning a chore into a real pleasure
• Memories, Dreams, Reflections – Sam McKnight, hairstylist and gardener extraordinaire, shares a scented timeline
• Perfume Bottles Auction 2023 – our annual report from this landmark in the scent calendar

Plus, as always, discover ALL the Latest Launches – in home fragrance, as well as perfumes to wear – and get a whiff of news, in Nosing Around

And don’t forget: you can now take out a yearly Print Subscription to The Scented Letter, the world’s only magazine for fragrance-lovers, here.

The post Fashion, Fragrance & the Future – NEW issue of The Scented Letter magazine out now! appeared first on The Perfume Society.

Fragrance and music have long been linked, but in this matching series we’re partnering perfumes with Strictly dances, too! Which ones will you most be drawn to, and which would match the mood of this new season’s celebrity couples’ characters…?

The Waltz, Cha-Cha-Cha, Quickstep, Rumba, Tango, Jive, Foxtrot, Paso Doble and Samba were the first dance forms showcased when the programme began in (can you believe it?) 2004. Later, in series 3, the American Smooth and Viennese Waltz were included for the first time, followed by the Salsa and Argentine Tango, which were added as part of the lineup for Series 4, and the Charleston in series 7.

To fully explore the perfumes I’ve paired with each dance, and truly celebrate the high-stepping kick-off of the new Strictly season, I thought it best to split these scent suggestions into two parts; beginning with the original dances and moving onto the later additions as the competition really heats up.

Now, get on your dancing shoes, pop on a pair of leg warmers, limber up, and get ready for the scented spotlight…

Waltz – 4160 Tuesdays Dancing With Strangers

First introduced in the 18th Century, this dance shocked polite society for how close couples’ bodies were pressed. Cult Fragrances author Tessa Williams partnered closely with Sarah McCartney with this twirling-ly provocative perfume. We’re treated to a deliciously fragrant waltz that’s partly formal-feeling, with lipstick-y rose, violet and white florals; part exuberant energy, shot through with solar jasmine and joyous honeysuckle.

From £40 for 15ml eau de parfum 4160tuesdays.com

Cha-Cha-Cha – Edeniste Rose Délice

A lively, playfully flirtatious dance, this needs a similarly light-hearted fragrance to match its mood. Vibrant, colourful, and yes, flirtatious, here Bulgarian rose essence brings glorious radiance, refreshed by a sun-kissed splash of sparkling mandarin from Italy. French May rose absolute from Grasse – the rarest and most precious – adds sensuality. Notes of red berries, naturally present in some varieties of roses, tinge the vivid bouquet with extra playfulness. A velvety drydown of vanilla and musk sashay the scent to skin-like sensuality.

£60 for 30ml eau de parfum In our shop 

Quickstep – EAU.MG Rockin Rose

Fast, powerful, but still full of fun, this dance requires a perfume that can keep up! Rockin Rose really sets the pace with an uplift of mouthwatering juicy pear and melon, immediately followed by a soaring floral heart of narcotic muguet (lily of the valley) and a rose that runs to greet you with an exuberant smile. Even rose naysayers will fall madly for it! Finally, as it warms the scent fades out with a trail of ultra comforting musk and silkily grounding sandalwood for a breath of serenity after all that energy.

Try a sample as part of The Garden of Delights Discovery Box £23 / £19 for VIPs

Rumba – Dunhill Icon Elite

Considered the most saucily romantic of all Latin ballroom dances, here’s a scent that equally appeals to bohemian spirits. This tobacco-laden fragrance speaks of long liquid lunches in smoky bars padded with faded leather and panelled in dark wood. Musky Cuban cascarilla oil is pierced by the piquancy of pimento berries and a cool shot of pine needles with herbaceously aromatic sage. The gently smouldering base of patchouli gets comfortable with a boozy cherry-like sweetness of the toasty tonka beans. Hip-swivelling-ly good!

Currently £43.95 for for 100ml eau de parfum sephora.co.uk

Tango – Tom Ford Ébène Fumé

Famous for its trademark sharply accented, staccato moves, this dance is passionate for sure, but it celebrates a love of life, not only romance. Palo Santo infuses this woody-amber incarnation ‘an almost spiritual sensuality that uplifts your mood.’ It smoulders meaningfully alongside dry cade essence, resinous cistus absolute, carnal roses, guaiac and thorny, ebony woods. The trick it carries off? This would be equally at home on the dance floor at a party or in bedroom, afterwards.

£220 for 50ml eau de parfum tomford.co.uk

Jive – Ruth Mastenbroek Dagian

Upbeat, lightning-quick and seriously social, this one needs a scent that projects a sparkling freshness yet lasts the whole night long! Dagian is inspired by ‘…the feeling of optimism that breaks at dawn, the exhilarating hope of a fresh start. As the sun rises, a breeze of lime and mint shimmers over notes of orange blossom and rum.’ Energetically fizzing from first spritz, this is one to reach for when you need an immediate WHOOSH! of energy that doesn’t fade (as most citrus-centric fragrances can). Perfect for any weather, too. A must-sniff.

Try a sample in the Ruth Mastenbroek Discovery Set for £27.50

Foxtrot – Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Silk Mood Extrait

Known for its iconic ruse and fall motion, there’s a smoothness to this dance which requires something equally silky as a scent – but a fragrance that appears as seemingly effortless. Well. Does anyone do oudh for Western sensibilities better than Francis Kurkdjian? Probably not. Here he offers us a masterful paring-down from the original Oud Silk Mood, with an eau de parfum. Can silk get any smoother? Somehow this manages to be airy yet still voluptuous, the Laotian wood woven through with Bulgarian roses, Italian bergamot, Indian papyrus and Moroccan blue chamomile, with a hit of hedoine. Simply heavenly.

£320 for 70ml extrait de parfum selfridges.com

Paso Doble – Floral Street Black Lotus

Theatrically dramatic, full of angular shapes and fabulously intricate flamenco-style footwork, it’s the fastest of the Latin ballroom dances. For this scent, imagine a deep red rose dressed in a black leather jacket. A classic note but so Intoxicating, spirited, bohemian and alive – this is a fragrance that feels complex and multi-faceted, the sweet honeyed scent of centifolia rose adds depth to lighter, spicy nuances via a sizzle of red peppercorn and warmly tingling saffron. ‘Once smelled forever adored’ they say, and we think you’ll totally agree! Go on, succumb…

Try a generous 10ml travel spray eau de parfum as part of the Scintillating Scents Discovery Box £33 / £29 for VIPs

Samba – Granado Pharmácias Boemia

A Brazilian dance with its roots firmly in Africa, this is an expressive style where dancers must move hips, feet and arms to the beat – where music seems to course through the entire body. Obviously this beloved Brazilian brand had to be our choice, and we’re plumping for this scent, which they explain the origins of: ‘The atmosphere of Lapa at the beginning of the 20th century was the starting point for this intense creation. Ambrée, striking and extremely elegant, Boemia represents all the sensuality and daring of the most bohemian neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro. With 92% of ingredients of natural origin, the perfume has a light fresh spicy air over warm and sensual notes, enveloped by an atmosphere of mystery and sophistication.’

£110 for 75ml eau de parfum libertylondon.com (Also available at their new Ham Yard and Regent Street stores)

Until next time: keeeeeeep spritzing…!

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Strictly Come Spritzing – fragrances for every dance! appeared first on The Perfume Society.

As we’ve discovered from our in-depth ingredient focus this month – jasmine is a much-treasured raw material found in many fragrance compositions. Beloved by perfumers for its versatility (segueing from sunlight to seduction) jasmine is a floral note we know many perfume lovers also adore (even if they’re ‘not really a floral fragrance’ type!)

So, this time, we’re taking a look at jasmine scents that truly can match – or counteract – any mood…

Strength: ARgENTUM Ruler

Fresh jasmine, tuberose and rose reveal a disarmingly crisp, green, yet spicy heart shot through with ginger, pink peppercorn and juniper berry – laced with sparkling citrus and amber.

Balance the strength of the No.X archetype to build integrity and bring honour with a sense of responsibility. Adaptability is the key – others will follow as you lead the way.

£228 for 70ml (or try in the ARgENTUM Air Collection Sample Set for only £28 for four fragrances)

Balance: Memoize London Concordia

The essence of harmony and accord. In the toughest of times, this trusted inner monologue whispered, ‘be still’ – and so you found peace. Despite life’s greatest challenges and difficult moments, your inner smile, sense of composure and stability has always shone through.

A fruity opening of pomegranate, bergamot and orange with a hint of pink peppercorn blends beautifully into a heart of floral orris, magnolia and transparent jasmine, as more fruitiness sustains with green fig and ripe plum. The complex dry-down of this fragrance offers notes of opulent patchouli, vanilla and white musk, juxtaposing with green vetiver.

£177 for 100ml eau de parfum

Relaxation: Edeniste Lifeboost Relax

We love this scent, empowered with neuroscience beyond merely smelling wonderful! A mellow solar white floral. A solar Madagascan ylang-ylang essence matched with a creamy monoi note – the name means “sacred oil” in Tahiti –, wrapped in pure jasmine sambac absolute from India and relaxing Madagascan vanilla absolute.

Relax, feel the sun shining up above, let yourself be rocked by the sound of the waves and trees swaying in the breeze… You’re in Eden.

£68 for 30ml eau de parfum

Seduction: 4160 Tuesdays Sleep Knot

Sleep Knot is a soothing come-hither scent, featuring four of eastern tradition’s aphrodisiac aromas: sandalwood, jasmine, ylang ylang and black pepper. Perfumer Sarah McCartney first made it for a Valentines Day event as a pillow mist, but it was far too beautiful to restrict to hotel bedding when it can be worn on your skin.

Jasmine absolute is described in Indian literature as calming and seductive: ylang ylang is named “the oil of tranquillity” and black pepper is traditionally used as a stimulant. Together, you have a beautifully sensual spiced white floral.

£85 for 50ml eau de parfum

New Beginnings: Stories 01

STORIES N°.01 tells the uplifting story of sorrow transformed into beauty, of the dark yielding to the light – aided in part by their beautiful use of jasmine in the composition. Says founder Tonya:

“As I sat surrounded by the tiny brown bottles of the Perfumer’s Organ in a village on the French Riviera, I was confronted by some of my most painful memories. Each scent I inhaled illuminated past shadows and marked the start of a healing journey towards joyful new beginnings.” Tonya Kidd-Beggs.

Inspired by: A personal journey of healing, discovery and joy. A new beginning; lightness, contentment, vigour and vitality.

£75 for 30ml eau de parfum

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Jasmine Scents to Match Your Mood appeared first on The Perfume Society.

Did you know that Chanel offers a Scent Matching Experience? Nor did I. But I recently had the opportunity to try this out at their new store in Battersea Power Station. It is available at any Chanel store worldwide where they stock the Les Excusifs range. It can be done as a walk-in, but booking is recommended.

I thought I should do some swotting up on the Chanel range beforehand. There are an astonishing number of fragrances. Yet how many can you name beyond No5, Coco and Allure? There are eighteen in the Les Exclusifs range alone. Each reflecting part of Coco Chanel’s life. Her birth sign was Leo, hence Le Lion, and the animal became her totem. From the notes and descriptions, I’d thought I’d picked out a fragrance ideal for me and was curious to see if the Scent Matching would pair me with this.

I sat down in the boutique with the lovely Sam. After some initial chat, she asked me if I had any notes I particularly liked, which I do, its always amber fragrances that work for me. Do I have any hobbies? I used to play a lot of sport, these days I am a keen spectator. Was I looking for something every day or a special occasion? I wear what I want, whatever the occasion. Sam then took a walk around the store and returned with three blotters.

The first was an instant hit. All the amber warmth I love cocooning and caressing the skin. Sensuous and rich.

The second was beautiful. It still had the amber voluptuousness, but it just wasn’t quite right for me – too bold maybe.

The third choice is always a wild card. I was instantly transported to playing fields – fresh, lush, green grass under my feet, a clear blue sky overhead with warm rays of bright sunlight shimmering down.

I could then choose one of the three. Being right-handed, Sam then massaged my right forearm and hand with Chanel body oil, sprayed both left and right wrists with my choice. The difference in tone and depth of the fragrance with the body oil is significant, boosting the silage and longevity.

What a wonderful way to spend an hour or so, nosing through perfumes picked to suit you. Which did I choose? The wild card, of course. Sam said it’s uncanny how many customers do – perhaps it is because the staff are all so knowledgeable on their products and pinpointing a perfume that can enhance aspects of a customer’s life. And what were those fragrances? Coromandel, Mademoiselle Intense and Les Exclusifs Eau de Cologne.

I left very happy with a new fragrance that I would not have selected on my own – and, no, none of these were the one I chose from the notes before I’d sniffed them. So do take advantage of this free service and find a Chanel fragrance perfect for you.

Written by Alison at the Perfume Society.

The post CHANEL Scent Matching Experience appeared first on The Perfume Society.

As we saw in our last feature, Chanel meticulously grow and harvest their jasmine in Grasse, exclusively for use in their fragrances; and so after looking in great detail at how this process is achieved, we thought it time to dig even deeper and explore just some of the glorious Chanel fragrances we’ve so loved wearing over the decades.

And what better time to re-acquaint ourselves with them than during the much-anticipated (and sure to sell out) Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto exhibition at the V&A in London, opening 16 September 2023…?

Chanel N°5

The legendary, almost alchemically intriguing mix of jasmine and vivacious aldehydes has ensured No5 always transcended fashion: No single flower can be easily identified in its construction – not ylang ylang, or that luminous jasmine, or rose, nor those bubbly aldehydes, nor any of the other 80 or so ingredients in its closely-guarded formula. Over a century ago, it was certainly unlike anything smelled before, and the abstract effect has kept it relevant, decade after decade.

From £71 for 35ml eau de parfum chanel.com

Chanel N°5 L’Eau

Sun-drenched, thirst-quenching and filled filled with freshness, this is a beautiful modern play on the classic, with a fizz of aldehydes dancing on lemon, mandarin and orange atop a honeyed shimmer of jasmine and luminescent ylang ylang. As the opening chords drift away and the floral heart warms on the skin, a thrum of warm cedar and vetiver mellow to a harmonious trail of soft white musks. Glorious.

From £71 for 35ml eau de toilette chanel.com

Chanel Chance

‘Allow yourself to be swept up in the whirlwind of Chance’ says Chanel. And, oh, what a sparkling wonder this is – the eau de parfum an ‘Unexpected Floral’, created by Jacques Polge, like wearing an entire constellation of scented stars. The heady absolutes of exotic jasmine and Iris are warmed by vanilla and more pronounced than the eau de toilette. White musk weaves mystery, and as it warms Chance becomes even rounder, ever more generous and entirely enveloping… like a new love (or the reigniting of an old flame).

From £71 for 35ml eau de parfum chanel.com

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Intense

Perfumer Oliver Polge constructed his composition around a far higher proportion of patchouli leaves atop a richly resinous amber base, swirled through with toasty tonka bean and addictive vanilla in their absolute (strongest) form. Lovers of the original need not fear – your dose of Sicilian orange and Calabrian bergamot is still there, as are the fulsome garlands of rose and that stunning, sunny jasmine in the heart. The character is definitely even more mysterious, wavering between the freshness and a minxishly seductive trail that lingers all day.

£102 for 50ml eau de parfum chanel.com

Bleu de Chanel

The stronger parfum concentration of their bestselling Bleu de Chanel, crafted by Olivier Polge (whose father Jacques composed the original), is certainly recognisable, yet cleverly rebalances the wood and citrus notes, upping the sandalwood that follows the freshness, with gloriously undulating waves of bright jasmine, aromatic lavender and geranium notes, and the powerful cedarwood heart beating throughout. Intensely wonderful – and wonderfully intense.

£136 for 100ml parfum chanel.com

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Chanel’s Glorious Jasmine Fragrances: A Scented Retrospective appeared first on The Perfume Society.

Chanel have their own fields of jasmine in Grasse – there are actually over 200 species of jasmine, but they choose to cultivate the exquisite Jasminun grandiflorum there (it translates as ‘big-flowered jasmine’) which is sometimes simply referred to as ‘Grasse jasmine’, because it grows exceedingly well in that micro-climate.

Chanel explains: ‘Grasse jasmine. The original flower chosen by Mademoiselle, its sensual notes are the signature of N°5. A delicate flower with 5 long, chalk-white petals, jasmine has been cultivated using the same techniques and savoir-faire for generations in the fields of CHANEL in Grasse. A night-blooming flower, it comes to life at sunset to diffuse its smooth, heady scent. Jasmine is an incredibly light flower that reveals its purity and finesse in the hands of the nose of CHANEL. The essence of femininity, it is a CHANEL flower…’

‘Initiated by Jacques Polge, the partnership between the House of CHANEL and the Mul family began in 1987. “Jasmine production in Grasse was on a steady decline and we feared we would no longer have enough for our formulas,» he remembers. And so began a beautiful story of trust and cooperation. Ties of friendship were formed, ensuring a lasting future for this rare heritage in Grasse and perfect control over the transformation from flower to fragrance. “At the time, no one was concerned with replanting jasmine, so we conducted a scientific study to find a viable rootstock and bypassed the industry by controlling all of the links in the production chain, from growing the plant right through to its extraction”, Polge continues. This partnership provides a guarantee of both the olfactory quality and the quantity of flowers required for CHANEL fragrances.’

The quality of Chanel’s Grasse Jasmine is quite exceptional because they ensure the crop flourishes at every stage, as Olivier Polge, CHANEL In-House Perfumeur Creator describes:

“Our work begins at our plant in Grasse. It is not only a production and processing unit for flowers, but also a genuine laboratory where we test, compare and take the time required to continually improve the olfactory result of each harvest. The raw essences are shaped and refined to become CHANEL essences.”

Let’s follow each fragrant step, as detailed by Chanel…

In the next instalment of our jasmine focus this month, we shall be looking at some of the beautiful Chanel fragrances that make use of this exceptional jasmine in their compositions. Until then, we shall be dreaming of the heady scent of jasmine that must billow from the Mul family fields, through every single step, until it’s captured in the bottle. Close you eyes, now and dare to dream along…

Written by Suzy Nightingale [quoted extracts and images provided by Chanel]

The post Chanel Jasmine Harvest: From Field to Flaçon appeared first on The Perfume Society.

When Cochine founder Kate Crofton-Atkins left London (and her job at L’Oréal) and moved to Saigon, she became obsessed with the streets abundantly draped with swags of jasmine, intoxicating the air with their scent and sparking the idea for a new fragrance house that would change her whole life…

Continuing our look at Jasmine as our ingredient of the month, this time we’re seeing exactly how it shaped Cochine’s inspiration, and Kate’s whole fragrant future. As a skincare and fragrance expert, Kate was already deeply in tune with her senses, but never until that fateful day visiting Saigon, had she been so fully immersed in a scent – the hypnotic, indolic romance of the jasmine flowers calling up something in her soul.

Describing how she was ‘instantly struck by the city’s unique style, elegance and romance,’ with the evocative inspiration of Saigon filling her head and leading with the idea that she wanted to create perfumes that brought to life this special place and unique moments shared there, Kate partnered with a fragrance house based in New York to bring the dream into a scented reality.

Spending over a year just sourcing the essential oils harvested from plants in Vietnam, Kate and the perfumers spent a further year blending the perfect combinations of these precious ingredients ‘…to reflect Saigon’s diverse flora and distinctive blend of Ambrée charm.’ Furthermore, the Cochine products themselves are all made within France and Vietnam to retain the original sensorial inspiration for this perfume house.

We’re thrilled to offer full sizes of the Cochine fragrances and home fragrance collections in our shop, and take a look at three of their scented delights featuring jasmine, below – each available as a fine fragrance, scented candle or home diffuser…

Cochine White Jasmine & Gardenia

White petals of jasmine, gardenia and peony combine to unfold an enchanting aura that is soft yet elegant. Jasmine thrives in the heat of southern Vietnam where the petals are handpicked after nightfall when their fragrance is most intense.

£110 for 50ml eau de parfum / £60 for 150ml diffuser / £45 for 230g candle

Cochine Frangipani & Neroli

A scent that will sweep you away to white, tropical sandy shores. This exotic fragrance blends smooth, honeyed notes of frangipani with the hypnotic jasmine and delicate freshness of neroli.

£110 for 50ml eau de parfum / £60 for 150ml diffuser / £45 for 230g candle

Cochine Tuberose & Wild Fig

Inspired by an evening walk through a Saigon garden, this many layered citrus-noir fragrance blends rich notes of wild fig, tuberose and night flowering jasmine with the freshness of bergamot, crisp vetiver and the warmth of cedarwood.

£110 for 50ml eau de parfum / £60 for 150ml diffuser / £45 for 230g candle

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Why Cochine’s Founder Fell for Jasmine… in a BIG Way! appeared first on The Perfume Society.

How do you switch up your scents to match the seasons – and does it even matter which fragrances you when and when…?

We happen to be experiencing something of a late surge of summer currently, but it’s definitely tinged with the turning of the seasons. So while we might be frantically making the most of floaty dresses (perhaps layered with a woollen in the evenings), there’s a feeling of change afoot, and our fragrance choices tend to reflect that, too.

‘Seasonal Scents‘ are, of course, to your preference and where you live in the world; but there’s no doubt that come Autumn in the U.K. or fragrance tastes tend to swing toward something a bit warmer – a snuggle in a bottle that helps you get out of bed in the morning and comforts you throughout the day, no matter the weather.

The fact is, temperatures and climate really do change how your fragrance behaves, and therefore the things you crave to have on your skin.

Hot weather intensifies the fragrance notes and makes them ‘bloom’ on the skin more quickly – when molecules heat up, they evaporate more quickly.

Colder weather slows down the evaporation rate (so top and heart notes last much longer) and you might find your scent doesn’t project as much in the winter.

Forest-y fragrances really come into their own now – the urge to don a pair of boots and go kicking through the leaves is strong, and so many scents inspired by walking through a woodland or exploring nature in a wearable, poetic way,

Golden Sunshine scents (sometimes called ‘solar’) evoke the honeyed, hazy days that mark the passage between late summer and early autumnal changes in the season – they’re warm, often grounded in musky woodiness: gleaming.

Woody fragrances are great ones to look for in the autumnal months or colder climates, and at this time of year we tend towards sandalwood for a scent that offers a smooth creaminess that clings to the skin like a soft blanket.

We know it can be confusing, so with the weather in mind, we put together a specially curated selection of fragrances in a Seasonal Scents Subscription Box…

It’s the best way to try a large number of fragrances from the comfort of your own home – and perhaps to sample some you’d never have thought of trying, previously! At The Perfume Society, we feel each season is a new chance to change up your scent game and discover your next olfactory loves, so when you sign up for the Seasonal Scents Subscription, you’ll be treated to…

A selection of fabulous fragrances, mainly female and unisex scents, from globally adored leading brands (potentially including miniatures) will land at your door each passing season (approximately every three months) – so you will always have a new scent to make you feel fabulous!

You can choose a Quarterly (£18 every three months) or Yearly (£68 annual payment) plan to suit you. We’ll keep the contents a secret until the day the box is launched – we just know you’ll love the surprises inside…

Each Seasonal Scents Box Includes:

Seasonal Fragrances  – A collection of fragrances from 1ml – 7ml, these will be kept secret until each Seasonal Scents Box is launched, we just love the element of surprise!

Online Smelling Notes – accessible via a QR code within your box, guiding you through the fragrances and how to start smelling.

Unboxing Video –  also via the QR code, for every box our Head Fragrance Writer Suzy Nightingale will guide you when opening your new box.

Hints & Tips – to ensure you get the most out of your fragrances and have fun!

Check out your Seasonal Scent options here, and get ready for your whole new wardrobe of fragrances to explore, all in the comfort of your own home…

The post What to Wear? – Seasonal Scents for Sunny but Autumnal appeared first on The Perfume Society.

Jasmine is at the heart of the majority of Sana Jardin‘s scents, and formed part of founder Amy Christiansen Si-Ahmed‘s fragrant inspiration to launch the house. Here, we take you through the differing forms jasmine takes within each perfume’s composition, and how it will wear on your skin….

As Amy explained to us, for her, the smell of jasmine is a scent memory that will linger forever:

‘The scents I’d encountered on my travels over the years were enchanting to me: the pure and golden shimmer of orange blossom, the mystical, enveloping depth of sandalwood, the seduction of jasmine blooming at night. I felt I could never find that captured anywhere on a department store shelf.’

‘Sana Jardin is the world’s first socially conscious luxury fragrance house created primarily as a vehicle for social change and the economic empowerment of women through The Beyond Sustainability Movement . Sana Jardin believes in the sacred and ancient power of scent to heal, transport and inspire.’

You can read far more about Amy’s fragrant journey – and how it all began – on our page dedicated to Sana Jardin. Meanwhile, we invite you to embark on your own scent journey as we discover each of the Sana Jardin fragrances that utilise the gorgeousness of jasmine within genius perfumer Carlos Benaïm‘s interpretations of Amy’s scent memories.

For an even richer scent experience, why not treat yourself to a Sana Jardin Discovery Set and smell each fragrance as you read the descriptions, and explore how the note of jasmine weaves so perfectly within each perfume? The set includes ALL the six fragrances we explore in this article, AND four of their other beautiful collection, comprising ten stunning scents in all.

Sana Jardin Discovery Set: £30

Sana Jardin Savage Jasmine:

Top notes: cloves

Heart notes: jasmine

Base notes: musk, tabacco

They say: ‘Savage Jasmine captures the moment when petals unfurl and unleash their exotic, heady scent into the balmy night air, midnight blooming Moroccan jasmine intertwined with intoxicating musk. A perfume high so intoxicating, the senses are forever beguiled by the depth of intensity and shimmering lightness. Promises of magic, mystery and ecstasy.’

We say: This is a best-seller for a reason – the jasmine here is utterly enrapturing, an overtly feminine embrace that will surround and protect you all day, like an invisible, yet divine smelling shield of scent. Think of your favourite exotic dream destination to escape to, moonlight silvering crests of mellow waves; the air so thick with jasmine you could swim in that, instead.

Sana Jardin Revolution de la Fleur:

Top notes: jasmine, frangipani

Heart notes: ylang ylang, rose

Base notes: vanilla, sandalwood

They say: ‘Revolution de la Fleur is a sultry, sun-filled melody of Madagascan ylang ylang, Moroccan jasmine, frangipani, rose, vanilla and sandalwood floating on the humid, tropical air. An exotic beauty with a golden aura, sensuous presence and soft strength.’

We say: Imagine late summer days slowly turning to autumn when what you really wish for is plunge into that first truly hot day of the year – a luxurious melding of warmly tropical floral notes in which the jasmine glitters as though borne on a balmy breeze. The vanilla and sandalwood give a sense of sun-warmed skin, the jasmine buoyant, blooming as moonlight beams.

Sana Jardin Jaipur Chant:

Top notes: lemon, sfuma primofiore, clove leaf oil

Heart notes: tuberose, jasmine, narcisse

Base notes: galaxolide, muscenone

They say: ‘Jaipur Chant is centred on the essential oil of the tuberose flower. Tuberose is associated with love, heightened sensitivity and intense emotions. In this scent, its effects are amplified by enveloping Moroccan jasmine, narcisse and sensual musk, brightened with sparkling Italian lemon, making for an arrestingly beautiful and feminine bouquet.’

We say: For Jaipur Chant, the jasmine provides a a narcotic boost to the already sashaying sensuality of the tuberose and narcisse – a fragrant cloak that embraces all the notes and pulls them together. Jasmine also helps bridge the floral bouquet and the solar, almost effervescent musk as it warms.

Sana Jardin Nubian Musk:

Top notes: rose, jasmine, grapefruit flower

Heart notes: sandalwood

Base notes: musk, vanilla, vetiver

They say: ‘Nubian Musk is a sensuously inviting blend of musk and vanilla, rose, jasmine, Moroccan, grapefruit flower, Haitian vetiver and Australian sandalwood, with an innate appeal for men and women. A seductive scent of skin, amplified in the heat of passion, desire and intimacy.’

We say: Jasmine is a vital part of the way Nubian Musk devlops on skin – the jasmine here is a kind of scented cushion between the rose and the freshness of grapefruit flower, and the plumptious snuggle-me-closer notes of the woody, addictive base. A real shape-shifter, this one, it flickers and follows you all day.

Sana Jardin Vanilla Nomad:

Top notes: coriander, cardamom, bergamot

Heart notes: olibanum, benzoin, jasmine

Base notes: vanilla, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli

They say: ‘The Vanilla Nomad eau de parfum is a gourmand fragrance that coaxes out the sensual side of vanilla, opening to a bright burst of coriander and cardamom bouncing atop milky vanilla and sandalwood. There is a sense of darkness around the edges of the fragrance – smouldering with vetiver and patchouli – that caresses the creamy heart notes with a rich, ambery resinoid, subverting the sweetness with a compelling depth and sensuality.’

We say: ‘Jasmine and vanilla really has to be one of the most fabulous fragrant combinations, especially when Vanilla Nomad is so wonderfully unique. Within the dusky, radiant heat shimmer of Vanilla Nomad, the jasmine feels like a glint of reflection within a vast, arid landscape. Drily simmering, yet sensually silky via sandalwood, jasmine slinks through the composition.

Sana Jardin Celestial Patchouli:

Top notes: rose, jasmine, osmanthus, orris

Heart notes: cinnamon, sandalwood

Base notes: patchouli, leather

They say: ‘Celestial Patchouli is an intense and rich fragrance. The earthy, exotic aromas of patchouli, leather, cinnamon bark and Australian Sandalwood give way to the abundant warmth of rose, jasmine, osmanthus, and Moroccan orris. Sensory gold for global treasure seekers.’

We say: Within Celestial Patchouli, the jasmine adds a gilded gleam of sunlight, the sense of clouds parting momentarily and shafts of sunbeams awakening the senses, dazzling the loamy earth. Offering a brighter contrast to the deeper notes, it’s a perfect balance for the blend.

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Sana Jardin – where jasmine turns to sunshine & hope… appeared first on The Perfume Society.

Jasmine and rose are the two ‘foundation stones’ of perfumery. VAST numbers of scents feature a type of jasmine somewhere in their construction, and little wonder we are addicted – the smell of jasmine has enraptured and inspired human civilisation through centuries…

every year it seems
the jasmine
creeps back
into my life
just when I begin to worry
nothing will smell sweet
anymore

— Samantha Rae Lazar

Since ancient times, jasmine flowers have been prized for their antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, relaxing and even aphrodisiac qualities. The scent is certainly potent (most powerful at night) and its Jasmine gives a richness and intensity to fragrances:  a sweet floral note, but with a dead-sexy muskiness to it.  If you smell different concentrated ‘absolutes’ (the oily liquids created through macerating the jasmine flowers), they have their own characters:  some smell medicinal, some sweet, some musky, some green.

• Jasmine has variously been referred to as both ‘the Queen of Flowers’ and ‘the King of Flowers’, and in different cultures is synonymous with love, romance, weddings, passion, seduction and beauty. It is also known to perfumers, quite simply as ‘La Fleur’ – or ‘the flower’ – such is jasmine’s importance.

• Even though jasmine may not be listed in the pyramid of ingredients, chances are there’s a touch in there somewhere; it’s one of the most widely-used ingredients in perfumery.

• The name itself is Persian, meaning ‘a gift from God’.

• In Persia, Ancient Greece and Egypt, jasmine’s healing powers were already recognised: aromatherapists still use it for improving digestion, weight loss, accelerating the metabolism – and for its aphrodisiac effects…

• There are actually over 200 species of jasmine – but two members of the beautiful white-flowered family are prized above others, by perfumers. The first is Jasminum grandiflorum – which translates as ‘big-flowered jasmine’. The other is Jasmine sambac, a.k.a. ‘Arabian jasmine’ (something of a misnomer, since it originated in southeast Asia).

• Jasmine actually originated in China and India and – who knew? – is a member of the olive family.

The website jardineriaon.com gives a delightful recounting of some of the mythology surrounding jasmine, including this tale…

‘…the meaning of the jasmine flower occupies an important space within Arab mythology. In this mythology it is said that a beautiful young nomad whose name was Jasmine used large amounts of veils to protect herself from the harmful sun rays that are in the desert. A prince belonging to a North African race was fascinated by Jasmine’s beauty as people described her. In order to find out if that woman was real or not, he marched through the desert in search of her. This is when he found her walking among the desert sands and dunes and was able to observe her graceful demeanour.

The bearing was so graceful and reminded him of mythological goddesses and fell madly in love with her, even though she always kept her face covered. The prince proposed to her soon after, and the woman agreed to live in his palace and leave the desert. However, with the passage of time, he realised that he was not from and since he had lost freedom when leaving the desert. For this reason, in one night she escaped mounted on a horse and returned to the desert where she belonged. She opened her arms to the sun and released all the veils that enveloped her. It is then that the sun decided to immortalise it in the beautiful flower that is known today as jasmine.’

It’s extraordinary that a single plant can smell so different, depending on where it’s grown. The genius of perfumers is knowing just what they have to do, to blend those into perfectly constructed scents for us to wear – and on this (scented) note, we’ll be following up with the perfect jasmine fragrance suggestions in the weeks to come.

For thousands of years, though, jasmine’s precious scent has been naturally extracted for perfumes through enfleurage – a lengthy and labour-intensive process whereby countless flowers are pressed into layers of fat, gradually the scent impregnating the fat with each new layer of the blooms, from which it could eventually be extracted.

Observe
the jasmine lightness
of the moon.

— William Carlos Williams

When the solvent evaporates from the mass of petals, what’s drained off is a semi-solid mass known as a ‘concrete’:a wax-like substance with a long shelf life; and a whopping 400 kilos of flowers are needed for just one kilo of that concrete. That translates at around 8,000 hand-picked blooms to produce one millilitre (1 ml) of the ‘absolute’ – which is why it’s so extraordinarily expensive.

But jasmine can also be recreated synthetically with other aroma chemical versions of white flowers and added ingredients to create an ‘accord’ (though perfumers and connoisseurs will always explain that the real stuff is the best, as far as jasmine’s concerned, and why fragrance houses who use it are so keen to share their scented stories).

The smell of jasmine makes people tell their secrets.

— Jandy Nelson

Seducing writers, artists, poets and perfume-lovers, alike; there’s no doubt that your nose needs to get know jasmine, intimately. So, watch this space in the coming days and weeks for even more jasmine-centric scented facts, history and fragrance suggestions…

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Jasmine – Mythology, History & Scents… appeared first on The Perfume Society.

There can be few people who haven’t heard of Kate Moss or been aware of the extraordinary era-defining influence she’s had over the fashion and beauty industries throughout her illustrious, diverse career. Now, having launched Cosmoss – a beauty and fragrance brand incorporating ‘wellness for soul & senses’, Kate Moss invites us into her (beautifully scented) world…

Having made the decision to take a step back from the constant spotlight that’s been shone at her since day one, and to take business matters into her own hands by creating her own companies (such as the hugely successful Kate Moss Talent Agency she founded in 2016, and Cosmoss in 2022); as Cossmoss explains:

‘It all starts with Kate – the heart and soul of the brand. This is her Cosmoss.’

So-cleverly tapping into the zeitgeist of the much-needed sensorial craving for calm, Kate Moss has been busy since lockdown, working with Alchemist Victoria Young – an important figure in Kate’s own journey, being her go-to Naturopath, Shaman, and her Spiritual Guide. Using her personal experience of how life-affirming (and life-changing) this process of connecting with your senses can be, Kate made sure this was far more than merely a range of products that also happened to smell nice.

Read more about the journey of Sacred Mist – from inspiration to creation – on our page dedicated to Cosmoss.

Cosmoss by Kate Moss Sacred Mist £125 for 100ml eau de parfum (30ml bottles coming soon)
cosmossbykatemoss.com

Head Notes of Orange Flower and Bergamot; the lightest most fleeting ‘Muse’

Heart Notes of Jasmine, Tuberose, and geranium; the character and ‘Style’

Base Notes of oak moss, cedarwood, and tonka; the most intense & tenacious – the ‘Inner Soul’

A scent you can turn to every day, a reassuring hug of a fragrance that also uplifts and energises flagging spirits; you can also try a sample of  Cosmoss Sacred Spirit by Kate Moss in The Garden of Delights Discovery Box – £23 (or £19 for VIPs.)

The post Cosmoss by Kate Moss – wellbeing for soul & senses… appeared first on The Perfume Society.

As we predicted last year in the (now Jasmine award-winning!) article for The Scented Letter Magazine, How to Spray your Five-a-Day, vegetable plots have been a place of much inspiration for perfumers. Now, there’s a whole new bumper crop of L’Officine Universelle Buly Les Jardins Français fragrances to explore and enjoy – and we promise, you’ll really dig them…!

‘The French Garden’ is a new collection of six fragrances from L’Officine Universelle Buly that garland vegetable notes with flowers and musks, all giving off a morning dew freshness. The launch happily coincided with the publication of our own garden themed latest edition of the magazine, The Perfumer’s Garden – because really, ever since the pandemic, it has all been about how much we get from our gardens and green spaces we can access for our mental health; how they inspire us all.

‘A garden is like a perfect universe,’ agrees Buly’s co-founder, Victoire de Taillac (pictured in her own garden, below). ‘A paradise. A haven… Gardening means being outside in all weathers, with all your sense awakened. The smells come together and surprise you…’ Also taking the senses by surprise are combinations like Indian Cucumber and Syrian mint, offering ‘crazy minty joy’, in a cloak of musk, and Iraqi Beetroot and Egyptian Rhubarb, tethered to the earthiness of patchouli. Or enjoy that note du jour, geranium, adding an extra dash of green to Oriental Watercress & Sardinian Parsley.

Some of the notes (like rhubarb, carrot and cucumber) have been used for many years by noses in their creations, while others seem more peculiar at first: sweet potato? It seemed incongruous, but oh it works amazingly well! They all do, having been expertly blended to achieve an almost photo-realistic encounter at first sniff, which then melds with your skin to become the fine fragrances they truly are. Basically put, no matter which you plump for, we promise you will NOT end up smelling like a soup or bowl of salad!

The project began when Buly co-founder Ramdane Touhami bid on an antique seed box in an auction. Having won it, he wondered if these precious seeds collected over hundreds of years could still be planted. Sadly that experiment didn’t flourish, but it did plant the seed of an idea: what if their next fragrances could reflect the love we all had for our gardens and green spaces during lockdown? A scented escapism in every spritz?

“Les Jardins Français” brings back to life an intoxicating and unique palette of garden fragrances. They all seem to be seized by the morning dew during a morning stroll through the vegetable garden and orchard, between rows of plants coming from the farthest ends of the world, acclimatised since Antiquity by patient monks, meticulous collectors and erudite healers, all genius gardeners and gatherers. Like a miraculous harvest in a universal garden, with freshly raked paths adorned with rare flowers, these armfuls of familiar vegetables and simple herbs, these aromatic and sunny delicious bouquets delight the senses and the heart.

Les Jardin Français is available online at www.buly1803.com and at their Selfridges counter: £145 for 75ml. La Sizaine collection of six x 9ml travel perfumes is also available for £108. The perfect way to sample the while collection (because you will need to smell them all!)

Since the launch of the fragrances, there’s been another crop of newness with Savon Superfin soaps and the divinely moisturising Lait Virginal to complement. One thing’s for certain – this growing L’Officine Buly Les Jardins Français collection is un-beet-able. [Apologies]

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Step into Les Jardin Français with Officine Universelle Buly’s vegetable-inspired scents appeared first on The Perfume Society.

For the Bank Holiday (or any travelling you might be doing in the next few weeks) we’d love to suggest you browse our brilliant Fragrant Reads shelf of scent-themed tomes. There’s truly something for every taste! But this weekend we’re sitting back and relaxing with a novel: Secrets of the Lavender Girls.

Let’s take a deeper dive into the fascinating fragrant backstory behind its creation (and the true story that inspired it…)

In the book, author Kate Thompson tells the tale of the women who worked at the Yardley factory during the war. But it turns out some of the stories she discovered during her research were even more incredible…

‘I love archives and libraries,’ Kate Thompson shares on her Facebook page. ‘Carefully untying the cream ribbon of an old file and catching the scent of 80-year-old dust motes is a thrill. More than once I’ve found hours can slip away leafing through yellowed newspaper reports and witness accounts from the Second World War in the silence of a reading room…’

Revealing her passion for research, and the extraordinary stories she found during her time writing The Secrets of the Lavender Girls, Kate says that ‘nothing beats what historians calls ‘Primary Sources’ and what I prefer instead to call ‘Magnificent Women’.’

The utterly charming novel follows the fragrant history of Yardley, and the remarkable stories of the women who worked there. Though a fictional account, Kate’s genuine fondness for the real life women she found (and who shared their tales with her) truly shines through.

Unravelling the stories of the real-life women who worked at Yardley during the war, she received ‘a beautiful handwritten letter in the post.’

‘I was a wartime lavender girl, I read about your book in a magazine,’ wrote Joan Osborne. ‘Yardley was the most wonderful years of my life. I am now 91.’

The letter was from Joan, who’d desperately wanted to work at Yardley, telling Kate: ‘It must have been the glamour. I remember travelling from Stratford to Ilford on the bus and the conductor opening the window so everyone could smell the lavender blowing from Yardley. Carpenters Road, or Stink Bomb Alley was famous for its smells. Seven different types of air flowed down there depending on which way the air was blowing. I can still smell the lavender,’

Kate learned Joan was sent to work in the top floor perfumery department where she was given a broom to sweep the floor. ‘I thought, “I haven’t come here to sweep floors” so they moved me to bottle-filling where I was putting the skin and caps on bottles. They were losing so many girls to the services I don’t think they wanted to lose anymore, so they kept me sweet. I earned eighteen shillings and something a week and my clocking in number was 157. I’ve still got the card.’

‘They were dangerous times, especially when the flying bombs started up, but being young I didn’t think that much about it. I was more upset by how cold it was in the factory, the heating was rarely on and we were always freezing. They used to give us cups of Oxo to warm us up. Least the room always smelt lovely from the lavender, freesia and April violets perfume.’

 

You can read more of the remarkable back-story of Joan and her fellow Yardley girls in Kate Thompson’s touching reflections on researching the book. But we cannot urge you enough to go and buy the book itself – and even better, read it while wearing one of Yardley’s classic fragrances (still proudly in production!) for an extra fragrant waft of history.

P.S: There’s a stunning FULL SIZE Yardley scent of English Rose included in our recently launched Discovery Box, The Garden of Delights. A blooming marvellous collection for only £23 / £19 for VIPs, which we know you’ll also love exploring to make the most of these last days of summer, too…

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Fragrant Reading for Holidays (& Long Weekends): Secrets of the Lavender Girls appeared first on The Perfume Society.

With the Notting Hill Carnival on the summer event horizon, and the weather (touch wood and crossing fingers) currently glorious, we are feeling rather overcome by a need for sultry, sassy scents which echo the Carnival spirit. So many ways we could go with this, but let’s plump for perfumes which are built around a ravishing rum note.

Now, slip on those spangled and feather-bedecked costumes and sashay your way to sniffing some of these…

An unexpected mix of piquant, spice-infused bergamot and plum with a ‘your-skin-but-so-much-better’, creamy leather dry-down, the warmth of the rum gets jiggy with a tingle of amber, then simmers for hours. The roller-ball bottle makes this especially useful for travelling (if you’re lucky enough) or touching up your scent, even if you’re shaking those hips in a Carnival parade!

Malin & Goetz Dark Rum Perfume Oil £29 for 9ml malinandgoetz.co.uk

An irresistible combination of rum, leather and tobacco is sprinkled with a sweet frisson of vanilla and a tingle of warming cinnamon – the effect quite spellbinding. The rum-enriched woodiness is both reassuring and playfully addictive while the rich spiciness instills confidence and daring. The overall impression? Those who follow your (feathered) fragrant trail will be left enchanted…

Initio Parfums Privé Side Effect £230 for 90ml eau de parfum harrods.com

‘Defined by an exhilarate rum distilled from sugarcane and aged in oak barrels’ the party really gets going when that silky smooth booziness is joined by the exotic glam of passionfruit. A vivaciously sparkling scent, the rum heart is additionally glammed up with gardenia, all resting on an amber wood base that melds with the heat of your skin, and making this a veritable cocktail party in a glass to samba with.

Carolina Herrera 212 VIP £53 for 30ml eau de parfum carolinaherrera.com

Paying homage to English gentleman and pirate Sir Francis Drake, Pirates’ Grand Reserve puts an intoxicating spin on an Atkinsons fragrance with accord of fine cask rum. Paired with cocoa bean and cedarwood, this one practically swaggers out with every spritz. Topped with a perfect posy of floral notes and rounded off with a deep, dark vanilla pod and patchouli, it’s never too heavy yet totally character-filled.

Atkinsons Pirates Grand Reserve £158 for 100ml eau de parfum atkinsons1779.com

The vibrant allure of an illicit after-party in a wood-panelled club is evoked here via a fizz of pink pepper, the brightness of neroli and lemon slinking to the rum-infused fun of the rich heart. There’s a shadowy coolness of vetiver oil from Java, a sense of refinement from the tobacco, and a sensually resinous vanilla base; but it’s the kind of night that will linger long in your memory, and your secret smiles…

Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club £115 for 100ml eau de toilette maisonmargiela.com

Written by Suzy Nighingale

The post Fragrances For… Carnival! appeared first on The Perfume Society.

Get ready to reset your senses with Molton Brown Wild Mint & Lavandin – a totally new (and completely contemporary) take on the classic fougère fragrance…

Firstly, forget everything you think you know about lavender – there’s nary a trace of the dusty, somewhat old-fashioned note in Senior Perfumer Nathalie Koobus’ creation for Molton Brown. Instead, she used lavandin – a far greener, fresher, and more powerful raw ingredient that’s infinitely preferred by those noses who create fine fragrances.

Secondly, rethink all you’d assumed about the fougère – that classic character found in fragrance families since 1882, and perhaps also one of the most overlooked. The time was ripe for a revival from its ultra-trad (dare we say ‘fuddy-duddy’ perception by some?). But it took the always fashion-forward house of Molton Brown to masterfully reinvent it, with the launch of their new Wild Mint & Lavandin collection.

Koobus explains she wanted to ‘…capture the forest walks in my home of Provence, where nature’s invigorating air of verdant herbaceous shrubs is edged by purple fields of lavandin.’ Think bright but lightly frost-tinged air, the silvered ripples of a crystal-clear stream, the sense of nature surrounding and emboldening you to take an off-grid adventure in the heart of the forest. And the fragrance takes further surprising twists depending on your choice of Wild Mint & Lavandin Eau de Toilette or Eau de Parfum.

The EDT revives flagging spirits via wild mint, the vivid verdancy of freshly torn basil leaves grounded by a caress of orris, silky sandalwood and rounded by tonka bean.

Molton Brown Wild Mint & Lavandin eau de toilette: £85 for 100ml

For the EDP, meanwhile, Koobus balanced the coolness of mint with a touch of nutmeg as the counterpart amidst the supporting notes – the resulting tingle of warmth its distinctive signature.

Molton Brown Wild Mint & Lavandin eau de parfum: £120 for 100ml 

Molton Brown’s first foray into fougère a rugged coastline, bottled, via the marine-tinged Coastal Cypress & Sea Fennel collection. Wild Mint & Lavandin ventures further off the beaten path by beckoning us to explore the further inland. Whichever format you plump for [and here’s a fabulously soul-reviving Bath & Shower Gel [£25 for 300ml) as part of the collection, too]; Wild Mint & Lavandin is an utterly unisex, fragrant invitation to get back to nature, with Molton Brown’s finger firmly on the fragrant pulse.

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Reset your senses with Molton Brown’s NEW Wild Mint & Lavandin appeared first on The Perfume Society.

During the recent torrential summer downpours in the U.K. a phrase oft’ repeated was “…well, it’s good for the gardens!” Which may have been less than welcome to hear while staring forlornly out of the window, but IS true nonetheless.

A bit of sun these last few days has perked us all up no end, and now finally we might wear the summer dress we’d been saving and sit in our own gardens, if we’re lucky enough to have them – sans raincoat and brolly. The thrill! All of this has us appreciating our gardens all the more, and despite the weather, all things garden-centric really has been the trend of the year thus far…

Coinciding with the opening of an extraordinary new outdoor space at the Palace of Versailles, we themed our Summer issue of multi-award-winning magazine, The Scented Letter, around ‘The Perfumer’s Garden’. Talking to green-fingered perfumers, sharing recommendations for scented plants for your garden and showcasing a round-up of glorious modern florals (for the home and for the skin) that evoke gardens or greenhouses – bringing the outdoors in and savouring a garden’s verdancy on your skin, too, is all we want to do right now.

Here’s what you can enjoy in this 60-page PRINT issue celebrating the garden’s ability to inspire and delight…

• The Perfumer’s Garden – inspired by a fragrant garden just opened at Versailles, our 10-page florabundant extravaganza celebrates gardens, florists and flower scents
• #Smellfie 2023 – to mark International Fragrance Day 2023, our fans and followers got snapping to share their love of perfume
• A Working Nose – natural perfumer Delphine Thierry
• Gelat-eaux! How to wear one of the ultra-cool new gourmand scents – without smelling like Mr. Whippy
• Memories, Dreams, Reflections – British supermodel turned scent and skincare creator Kate Moss shares favourite perfumes and blooms
• When Your Back Garden is a Tuberose Field – we join Aurélien Guichard at the harvest-time of this heady flower

Plus, as always, discover ALL the Latest Launches – in home fragrance, as well as perfumes to wear – and get a whiff of news, in Nosing Around

And don’t forget: you can now take out a yearly Print Subscription to The Scented Letter, the world’s only magazine for fragrance-lovers, here.

Meanwhile, can we encourage those of you who THINK you don’t like ‘floral scents’ to explore the contemporary delights of Floral Street’s Discovery Set for only £16? This groundbreaking, hugely sustainable and so-likeable British house has wowed the world with their modern take on a floral – using this family as inspiration rather than slavishly following old-fashioned notions of how such fragrances should smell. Get ready to have your pulse race with these blooming wonderful perfumes…

Wonderland Peony This not only features armfuls of that flower, but pink berries and violets, Anything but cutesy, it’s given a woody-balsamic warmth by cedarwood, alongside vetiver.

Chypre Sublime An utterly modern take on this sophisticated fragrance family, blending incense with Damask rose absolute, midnight violet, pink pepper and geranium, on a stunning base of benzoin, labdanum and olibanum.

Black Lotus The classic English-Rose dressed in a black leather jacket. Intoxicating, spirited, bohemian and alive. Complex and multi-faceted, the sweet honeyed scent of centifolia rose adds depth to lighter, spicy nuances by way of red peppercorn and saffron.

Iris Goddess There’s nothing shy about these violets. An explosion of powdery petals collide with ripe red fruits. Black vanilla, warm musks and earthy carrot seed bring exoticisim and depth, sparkling lemon zest and red chilli pepper add a jolt of life.

London Poppy A love letter to London: a city as tough as ever-lasting poppies. The scent that opens with a bright beam of light. Sicilian Lemon and Florida Orange bring the zing. A salt-spray marine note adds an unexpected sea-facing view.

Neon Rose You will never have smelt flowers like these. Freshly chopped jasmine draped around your neck. Roses around your wrist. And yet no roses were harmed in the making of this showpiece – these buds were cooked up in a lab for extra punch. Crisp, green Angelica leaves bring a botanical dimension, while fresh Bergamot floats overhead.

Wild Vanilla Orchid It’s vanilla, but not as you know it. A raw-edged confection of creamy vanilla beans, blossom, cassis and citrus, dressed in a bunch of just-plucked jasmine. Offsetting the lingering sweetness; bamboo and sandalwood bend and fold underneath.

Ylang Ylang Espresso  A strikingly modern blend of red rose, ylang ylang and jasmine cross paths with a soothing cloud of just-brewed coffee, fresh cream and Sichuan pepper – sustainably harvested from the foothills of the Himalayas. A fragrance to get lost in.

PS: It it isn’t just the fragrances which are strikingly innovative, but the packaging. Each of Floral Street’s full-size bottles showcases a stunning, decadent flower artwork by renowned fashion photographer Matthew Donaldson – whose flower-powered photography also adorns this Discovery Box.

Finally, those of you who haven’t yet grabbed out latest Garden of Delights Discovery Box [£23 /£19 for V.I.Ps] should sprinkle the seeds of your new scent addictions via this perfectly curated outdoors-inspired selection. Highgrove Bouquet by Penhaligon’s, created with HRH the Prince Of Wales, now King Charles, draws on his own garden at Highgrove. We’d also love to introduce you to new brands Adscenture, EAU.MG and COSMOSSbyKateMoss and Granado is new to the UK. More newness is provided by Floral Street Sweet Almond Blossom. There are also fragrances from Versace, Molton Brown, Mizensir, Juliette has a gun and Shay&Blue all highlighting various flowers and herbs. We’ve also added SBC Arnica Moisturising Gel for other restorative powers from the garden…

Might we suggest a scent appreciation session is in order, where you can sit and relax, perhaps sip a chilled glass of something lovely, and appreciate sniffing each of these garden-centric scents in turn, while browsing through The Scented Letter magazine? How much more salubrious that sounds than battling the throngs of school-holiday crowds – getting to try a whole new wardrobe of fragrances in your own home (or garden!), and in your own time. Bliss!

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Blooming marvellous! A flower garden extravaganza of scents & scintillating reads appeared first on The Perfume Society.

With so many beloved fragrances taking their inspiration from places around the Mediterranean, we thought it the ideal time to take a cruise through some truly stunning scents based on locations we dearly wish we were in right now. Looking for a perfume to bring back specific scent memories of Mediterranean locations? Or perhaps you can’t get away this year and are longing for olfactory escapism? Explore some of these and spritz on the sunshine…

Eight & Bob Cap D’Antibes (France)

‘Albert Fouquet enjoyed long holidays, that extended from spring until the last days of summer, in Antibes. Unforgettable mornings were spent sailing in the Grande Bleue, golden sunsets were enjoyed, and balmy evenings were enlivened with exclusive celebrities and charming parties. Albert dreamt about these summers during cold Parisian winters. Like any artist who strives for perfection, he spent many weeks delicately crafting a fragrance that captured the essence of his memories of those long summer days. The result was Cap D’Antibes…’

Try a sample of Eight & Bob Cap D’Antibes in the Scintillating Scents Discovery Box, or in the Eight & Bob Discovery Set £20 for 6 samples

Ferragamo Signorina Libera (Italy)

Taking its cue from the spirit of having ‘the courage to be yourself, to spread your energy with no fear and the confidence to be free’ – embodied in the Italian word for freedom – this is an easy-to-wear hug of happiness. Sun-warmed Calabrian bergamot segues to buttery orris and rose absolute all drizzled with delicious plum nectar, then wrapped in the fluffy comfort of cashmere woods and flecked with pink pepper. It’s one of those you’ll reach for time and again, a scent that feels invigorating yet reassuring. Viva Libera!

Try a sample of Ferragamo Signorina Libera in the Launches to Love Discovery Box £23 (£19 for VIP Members)

Manos Gerakinis (Greece)

Quite incredibly the first Greek luxury niche perfume house, Gerakins’ collection showcases fragrances inspired by the history, art and mythology of the country, each radiating the poetry and passion of their founder. Quintessence is a refined woody ambrée fragrance, with sizzling saffron, clove and black pepper; Sillage Royal was originally created for Manos himself – a hug of woody ambrée via smoke, cardamon, saffron and curcuma. Rose Poetique dramatically combines damask rose and labdanum to create a floral ambrée as addictive as it sensual, while Pivoine references Paeon, the physician of Greek gods, with crisp red apple slicing through the blossomy softness. Immortelle pays homage to the iconic yellow flower whose story dates back to the Trojan war; gently spiced with clove and cinnamon; and Omen is a fruity-spicy-ambrée fragrance that’s sweet and juicy, lusciously alluring yet bags of fun to wear.

Each full-size fragrance is priced between £165 and £260 for 100ml eau de parfum, or try them all in the Manos Gerakinis Discovery Set – £35 for all 6 samples

Nishane Hacivat (Turkey)

Although Istanbul has been on the trade map for thousands of years – famed for spices, silk and flowers (particularly roses), it’s extraordinary to realise this is their first fine fragrance house. Hurrah for that, we say, with scents like this honouring Turkish cultural traditions in contemporary style. As the house so beautifully puts it: ‘…this eau chypre will help you live in your best dreams by the everlasting sparkles of its joyful structure made of the stimulating notes of pineapple and bergamot backed with the genuinely woody notes. Enjoy being loved with this blissful scent…’ And, oh, how you will!

Try a sample Nishane Hacivat in our Seasonal Subscriptions Summer Box – £18 every three months, for perfectly curated fragrances.

Written by Suzy Nightingale

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Though rightly famed in Brazil, it’s only recently we’ve been able to get our hands on the Granado Pharmácias fabulous collection of scented products here in the U.K. And we’re rejoicing that this heritage-rich house can now become beloved by British perfumistas, too…

The Granado Pharmácias story begins in the 1800s with the enterprising José Antonio Coxito Granado started selling his own natural remedies – which were all created from the plants, herbs and flowers José found growing in his home of Teresópolis, a stunning, mountainous region of Rio. From these humble beginnings, a whole business flourished, and it wasn’t long before the very first Granado retail establishment was secured in 1870.

Set amidst one of the most bustling, successful streets in Rio de Janeiro, it wonderfully remains their flagship store to this day (we love that connection to living history – so many similar buildings have been lost to be developed into flats, or simply knocked down). In addition to the medicinal remedies they’d begun supplying, the now blooming Granado Pharmácias started importing other products from Europe, ‘adapting their formulas to the standards and needs of Brazilians.

The quality and effectiveness of their offering soon made Granado one of the official pharmaceutical suppliers to the Royal Court. Through this connection, in 1880, Dom Pedro Il granted it the title of Official Pharmacy of the Brazilian Royal Family.’ With a royal seal of approval, the Pharmácias flourished even further – expanding their range while remaining true to their heritage – doubtless helped along by the fact this treasured house remained within the original family for three generations of their growth.

From selling natural remedies in the 1800s to a whole collection of fabulous fragrances and home scents, this proudly Portuguese house, so long adored in Brazil. Now, we’re thrilled their fragrant wares are available in the U.K. too…Sissi Freeman, Marketing Director of Granado, echoed our excitement, commenting:

‘After years of success in Paris, we are excited with the opportunity to launch in the UK market. Granado is a very traditional brand founded in Rio de Janeiro in 1870. Partnering with an iconic store such as Liberty for this next step in our international expansion,  is a dream come true!  After a period of lockdowns, we are thrilled to offer British consumers with our fresh take on fragrance and colorful creations, inspired by our heritage, Brazilian culture and ingredients.’

You can read more about the history of Grandao Pharmácias on our page dedicated to them, where you can also click on individual fragrances and learn about their ingredients, and the mood they were created to evoke. Your only problem then, of course, is to decide which one to try first…

Written by Suzy Nightingale

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Floris have scented everyone from royalty, Florence Nightingale, prime ministers and even Marilyn Monroe, but now you can dip into their incredible history (and try some their more contemporary fragrances) in their beautifully curated Floris Discovery Collections…

The long-distinguished history of Floris first began in the dreams of one Juan Famenias Floris, who in 1730 sailed from his native Minorca to set up in London. Marrying an English girl, he settled in business as a barber on Jermyn Street within the fashionable St. James’s area, first making hair combs and then assuaging his homesickness by blending fragrant oils he’d transported from Europe. Customers soon took to ordering bespoke blends, all recorded in leather-bound ledgers, enabling Floris to re-create them should further supplies be required in the future – and thus a fragrant dynasty was born.

Many of those original ledgers, order forms and letters of thanks are still in existence, preserved by successive generations of the Floris family, and offering a uniquely fascinating glimpse of British fragrant taste through the ages. Their books boast orders from Admirals serving under Lord Nelson, Florence Nightingale, George IV, through to Winston Churchill. In 1820, Floris received the first of 16 Royal Warrants, the most recent being the title: Perfumers to HM The Queen Elizabeth II and Manufacturers of Toilet Preparations to HRH The Prince of Wales. (Now, of course, King Charles!)

And then there was Marilyn Monroe. The scent the world’s biggest sex-symbol always made sure to stock up on? In their extraordinary archive (some of which is on display in the rear of their Jermyn Street boutique), Floris happen to have an original form detailing Marilyn’s order for their surprisingly unisex and greenly fresh Rose Geranium. Indeed, she loved it so much she requested SIX bottles at a time be delivered to her in Beverley Hills! (NB: A far more contemporary rose is their fragrance A Rose For… in The Private Collection – an intriguingly smoky gossamer embrace).

The original Floris shop still stands on Jermyn Street. (A couple of generations ago, fragrances were actually manufactured two floors below street level, in a basement known as ‘the mine’.) Now beautifully refurbished, the boutique many other intriguing artefacts to discover on display, along with a wide wardrobe of perfumes to explore. Edward Bodenham – an ancestor of Juan Famenias Floris himself – is the current Perfumery Director at Floris, with fragrance clearly in his blood.

As he explains: ‘I feel immensely proud to be part of the family business and to have the opportunity to help introduce our perfume house to a new generation. I have such fond memories of visiting the shop from a young age, and it is very nostalgic for me to be around the fragrances that I have grown up with my whole life. They really are like old friends to me.’

No matter how fascinating or notable their past, however, no perfume house could merely trade off their history. So as Edward notes – and more recent creations like sun-drenched Neroli Voyage in the Classic Collection and utterly addictive Honey Oud in Private Collection, prove – Floris are ‘always evolving. We have to be experimental and explorative when working on new fragrances – in just the same way my forefathers were in their day.’ Adding: ‘I hope that they would be proud of our creations today.’

No question about it, in our minds. And we say: here’s to the next 300 years or so, Floris!

Written by Suzy Nightingale

The post Floris – Royalty, Churchill & Marilyn Monroe loved them: here’s why YOU should, too… appeared first on The Perfume Society.

Yes, candles for Summer – it’s a vibe! Forget thoughts of only saving scented candles for cosying up in Autumn and Winter (although, the British weather, lately, has reminded us of those seasons). Here’s our round-up of sumptuous candles to bring joy and light into your life for the rest of Summer, even when the weather isn’t playing along…

La Montana August Sunset £39 for 220g

Conjuring visions of a blissful Summer evening spent in the garden, the heat of the sun dispersing as the sky becomes suffused with melting colours, and the scent of the blooms yields to the cooler night’s air. A heady haze of orange flower, rose and geranium meet fennel-flecked rockrose in this Summer stunner.

Paul Smith Daydreamer £65 for 240g

For blissed-out moments of perfumed pondering you can do no better than to light this, sit back, relax, and let your thoughts wander where they will. Fragrant meanderings are via head-clearing verbena, calming clary sage and a late Summer’s breeze carrying drifts of bee-buzzed lavender and sun-warmed hay.

Cochine White Jasmine & Gardenia £45 for 230g

Evoking a Summer of exotic climes (or memories of them), all the lush floral scents that infuse the sun-filled streets and gardens of Saigon are packed within. Blooming as it warms, wafts of white petals – jasmine, gardenia and peony – combine to unfold an enchanting aura that is soft yet effortlessly elegant.

Byredo Summer Rain £64 for 240g

A sudden Summer downpour heralds a relief of emotions with that sudden release of freshness, a verdant awakening with wet trees, dripping foliage and the coolness of the air slicing through oppressive humidity. The luxuriant, renewed greenery of basil is garlanded by a gasp of spearmint; richly grounded in tonka.

Stories No. 2 Trio £95 for 3 x 70g

Reflecting the top, heart and base notes of STORIES Nº.02 original fragrance, this candle trio are fragrant facets – inspired yet not identical, with some creative tweaks. Light one at a time or all at once for a memory-filled barefoot stroll through dewy grass, a drift of pipe smoke, the silvery ripples of a stream.

Diptyque Citronelle £56 for 190g

Repelling mosquitoes in the most deliciously opulent way, this candle will certainly attract welcome Summer visitors. Luminous lemongrass infuses its uplifting, soul-reviving scent into smile-garnering verbena, luscious neroli, and heady orange blossom. A delight at any time of day or night: the scent of Summer.

Ostens Illumination Jasmine £65 for 220g

One of those candles whose scent is such exquisite quality you almost hesitate to light it, worry not: the fragrance will suffuse a room even unlit, and once the wick is alight, the sheer beauty of that LMR-bottled night-blooming jasmine (hand-picked near the Nile Delta) truly shines. Its gorgeousness is unsurpassed.

Ruth Mastenbroek Blooming Wild £45 for 220g

Like running headlong into a Summer’s meadow, this flower-filled candle is all the exuberance of a Summer fling in scented candle form (though will last far longer than many seasonally-transient relationships). It’s a whole field of blooms, plus snapped stems and crushed leaves adding verdancy. Joyous!

Written by Suzy Nightingale

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