Wednesday 28 October 2015

The Library Of Fragrance Stripped Bare

It's been fourteen months since the Library of Fragrance launched in the UK, and in that time it's had to fight hard to secure a portion of an ever expanding perfume market. Already very well known in America, after one year of trading have they succeeded in converting the British audience? Their uniqueness has actually turned out to be one of their biggest challenges but, with people now becoming more perfume-savvy, this is about to change. So, it's time to take another look at the company that creates the fragrances of everyday life, and even gives you the opportunity to blend your own "erotic" scent.

When Clare Rees decided to bring this established American brand to the UK she was met with some strange looks. The concept of the company was completely at odds with what most people thought of as "perfume". Rather than create a fragrance with lots of different ingredients, the Library of Fragrance produces "single" scents that represent a particular smell. Yes, each one has more than one "ingredient" but the fragrance doesn't change over time, it just gets lighter.

It's exactly this reason that makes it so easy to layer the perfumes. You can wear them on their own or combine them to create something more personal, because they do behave in a similar way to essential oils. The rule of thumb is that the citrus ones will fade first, the florals second and your lovely rich choices will last a little longer. The company are very honest about the ingredients that go into their fragrances. Where possible they will use naturals, but if a synthetic gives a better result then it's used. Remember, the brief of these perfumes is very specific, they must fade not develop.

© Transworld Publishers
The citrus and florals are easy to understand, such as Cranberry and Orange Blossom, but the more obscure ones always make people sit up and take notice. "Riders" by Jilly Cooper is not a book that I ever imagined popping into my head when I thought about perfume, but when you combine the separate leathery scents of Riding Crop, Saddle and Stable then it's "tally-ho" and I'll meet you stripped to the waist in the hayloft!

These are real perfumes for real people, and they truly do put "fun back into fragrance". After their first year what are the top sellers? Well it's an interesting selection. Number one is Baby Powder, number two is Patchouli and number three is Jasmine. So, what does the next year hold for the Library of Fragrance? They're still exclusive to Boots, with the selection increasing regularly, but one thing that many people forget is that Boots usually offer two bottles for £25 (each one is normally £15). On top of this, at the moment, if you order four bottles online you also get a further 10% off, which means four bottles for £45!

The company's full range, including seasonal exclusives, are also available on their own website. So what are you waiting for? Get experimenting, get collecting ... and let me know which hayloft you want to meet in.
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2 comments:

  1. Beauty Balm28 October 2015 at 19:05

    I'd previously tried perfumes from the American Demeter brand. Currently I love Salt Air and very surprisingly Baby Powder!

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    Replies
    1. Stephan Matthews13 November 2015 at 12:33

      Baby Powder is a HUGE success. The fun is to play with them, but the leather ones are my favorite.

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