Thursday 28 November 2019

OMNOSTRE by Chatillon Lux

One of the Christmas rituals that I’ve always loved is sitting down in front of the television and watching an old MGM musical, especially if it’s Meet Me In St. Louis. Whether this is as a family or in sole ownership of the remote control, you’ve got to have a heart of stone not to feel your spirits lift as Judy Garland launches into “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”. This year I’ll have an addition to the experience in the shape of Chatillon Lux’s Omnostre, their 1904 inspired fragrance, and it promises to bring the film’s glorious spectacle vividly into focus as we visit the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

Monday 25 November 2019

SP MUSK by Sven Pritzkoleit

Over the years the ethical arguments surrounding the way certain fragrance ingredients are harvested has caused some to disappear from the perfumer’s palette. When I say “harvested” I don’t just mean picking a few flowers or pulling up some roots, I’m referring to the killing of animals so that we could get our hands on their hidden scented gems. One such example is deer musk. A staple of many perfumes for over a century, it is now replaced with synthetic or plant based alternatives. However, the scent has recently been recreated in all of its glory by SP Parfums and proudly released as SP Musk.

Thursday 21 November 2019

CAPRI by Berdoues

Reinvention is often seen as the way to keep perfume companies relevant in the fast paced world of “here today and gone tomorrow.” Unfortunately many that go down this path lose sight of the special magic that made them successful in the first place, and so end up pushing their loyal followers away. A wonderful example of how to actually make this process seamless is Berdoues and, in particular, the latest addition to their Grands Crus Collection. By taking inspiration from the past and mixing it with a little Mediterranean magic, Berdoues have added some much-needed sunshine to the winter months in the form of Capri.

Monday 18 November 2019

1681 by Carthusia

One of the wonders of fragrance is that it allows perfume companies to weave elaborate stories that aim to entice and enthral their customers. Over time it often becomes difficult to separate the fact from the fiction but, if you like the fragrance that you’re smelling, does it really matter if the language is a little flowery? Exaggeration and embellishment are all part of the scented storytelling and it helps to weave a web of desire that draws us all in. Carthusia is a perfume company that is based on the island of Capri and, alongside a wonderfully colourful history, they also produce the impressive 1681.

Thursday 14 November 2019

LANTERN REED by Prosody London

When companies launch with a strong début collection it’s always interesting to see what direction future releases will take. Many brands stay firmly within their established style but others take the opportunity to experiment. Certain fragrances can quickly attract a loyal following and so you risk dividing your audience if you steer too closely to a favourite. This is the situation that Prosody London found themselves in after launching their original series of six perfumes. From Neroli Nuance through to Oud Octavo, the fragrances spanned refreshing to resinous but the new Lantern Reed sits apart with its evocative night-time warmth.

Monday 11 November 2019

The BARON SHOWER BAR by Geoff Thornton

One of the biggest problems for many companies at the moment is trying to reconcile environmental impact with customer expectations. The issue of exactly how a product is manufactured goes hand in hand with the packaging that it ends up wearing, and it’s the latter that is often the biggest problem. In an effort to reduce the amount of plastic that the world uses, many companies have started to offer alternatives for our everyday essentials and the latest is Baron. They’ve taken the humble bar of soap, they’ve given it a slick new design, but they haven’t charged the earth. Welcome to the Baron Shower Bar.

Thursday 7 November 2019

LE PASSANT by Ormaie

The knowledge that you accumulate as you go through life is always, whether you believe it or not at the time, a valuable resource that can be called upon in later years. This can be even more useful in the fragrance industry because it gives you plenty of inspiration for creations and ideas in an arena where individuality is key. It’s this idea of translating experiences and memories into scent that has seen the launch of Ormaie, the new natural fragrance brand. Created by a mother and son partnership, it contains many jewels but Le Passant was the fragrance that immediately called to me, and I couldn’t resist.

Monday 4 November 2019

A Christmas Trio by JOIK

One of the concerns that many companies face at this time of the year is how to offer their customers exciting products that are “festive” and yet still maintain their core values. After all, it’s very easy to sell out and produce a beautiful box containing questionable novelties or repackaged favourites with an increased price tag. One company that has truly excelled again this year is also one that may be unfamiliar to you but, if you’re a fan of scented candles, is a sure-fire hit for some fragranced ambiance. Joik have rereleased their trio of Christmas candles and your hardest decision will be which one to light first.