One of the industries that has seen phenomenal growth in recent years has been candles. This was partly driven by individuals starting up during the pandemic as a way of earning extra money but, even with this now behind us, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of a slowdown. However, from expensive luxury brands to the more modest home kitchen ones, the selection of scents and their performance varies dramatically. This is why hunting out a truly excellent and versatile candle is always a challenge. Cottage Garden by Karen Timson is the latest to join an already saturated marketplace, but this one is pretty special.
The perfume industry is a fast paced environment where the focus is usually on the future rather than the past. Companies race to find the latest trend or the newest ingredient, and so perfumes from history are often relegated to the archives. Barry Gibson is a name that's familiar to vintage scent lovers as the man who brought back The Crown Perfumery, which later became Clive Christian. He breathed new life into the company’s forgotten fragrances but, once it was sold to Clive, they were forgotten once more. However, Barry Gibson is back with The Art of the Perfumer, and vintage perfume lovers are once again about to go wild.
One of the great things about being able to travel is that it unlocks the possibility of making perfume discoveries in foreign city side streets. You may come across a brand that's specific to a country, perhaps one that's still in its infancy, or even a fragrance house that is determined to remain a hidden treasure. Whatever the reason, spending some time off the beaten track is guaranteed to uncover exciting surprises. A great example of this is the South of France’s Terres Dorees. Originally located in Villefranche-sur-Mer, but also found in Nice’s old town, it’s time to go back to basics with their exciting Vetiver.
Fragrance is always thought of as the one item that can immediately cheer you up if you’re feeling down and even give you confidence if you’re feeling unsure. It’s part of our everyday armoury but, for many, it’s no longer an essential. With inflation and energy bills currently going through the roof, and perfume beginning to be considered an extravagance, the good news is that there’s an alternative. The past few years have seen us washing our hands more than ever before, and this is the inexpensive way for you to easily add scent into your daily life. That’s why it's the perfect time to discover the Moss & Adams collection.
The word “luxury” is one that is used very freely in the world of perfume, but it doesn’t always feel as though it suits every intended subject. There are many aspects that can let the whole experience down. This could be an ill-thought-out piece of packaging or, in some instances, scents that don’t live up to expectations. To be a truly luxury brand you need all of the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to fit together perfectly. One of the most recent examples of a company that has got it exactly right is Electimuss London. Now in its seventh successful year, let’s go back to the beginning and rediscover the indulgently decadent Black Caviar.
Attempting to make changes to an established industry is always difficult, especially when we’re talking about the perfume industry. There are so many expected stages, including everything from the process to the final reveal, that it can often feel like a new fragrance is just the latest off a conveyer belt of launches. There are companies and individuals fighting this perception, actively trying to do things differently, and their successes absolutely deserve to be celebrated. One such partnership is Thomas De Monaco and Fredrik Dalman. They’ve challenged both convention and communication in their first joint venture, Raw Gold.
The launch of a new fragrance company is often accompanied by a “bells and whistles” approach to marketing, and the inevitable combined saturation of every social media channel. It absolutely gets you noticed, and very quickly, but whether this initial interest is lasting is another thing. That’s why more and more companies are taking the slow and steady approach, in the hope that they will create loyal customers that are genuinely interested in the brand. Elementary did exactly this when they launched at the end of 2019 and, now in their third year, it’s time to revisit the creative duo and rediscover Lowbrow Jazz.
Every time you speak with a member of staff in a department store, or pick up one of the various perfume discovery boxes that are available, your recommendations will often be decided “for” you rather than “with” you. The sales assistant may be on commission for a certain brand, the boxes may be filled with what’s available rather than what’s requested, and so it’s not really a true indication of what suits you. In-depth and unbiased perfume consultations are available in some stores, but what happens if you’re not near one of them? Enter Fiole, which promises to be “the world’s first virtual perfumery”.
