Thursday 3 September 2020

OXFORD by Ruth Mastenbroek

The past few months have been challenging, liberating, and deeply emotional in equal measure. Having to reach inside ourselves to find the strength to carry on, when we’re so often used to relying on the support of others, has been a new experience for many of us. This feeling of being without the usual scaffolding that we surround ourselves with has meant that we’ve had to draw on our own hidden reserves, and it has become a time of great personal change. It’s this idea of independence and self-discovery that is at the very heart of Ruth Mastenbroek's 2015 fragrance Oxford, and there’s never been a better time to discover it.

You may not know the name Ruth Mastenbroek, but I can guarantee that you will have smelled one of her fragrances. Ruth is one of an army of perfumers who create anonymously for famous brands, but never get the credit that they so richly deserve. Her collaborations have included working with Kenneth Turner and Jigsaw, and she also created Jo Malone’s famous Grapefruit candle. This anonymity was one of the reasons for launching her own brand in 2010, and the collection now comprises Signature, Amorosa, Firedance, and Dagian. However, we’re going back five years to rediscover the inspirational Oxford.

When we usually think of fragrances that carry the name of a city or place we expect them to sum up the aromas that would greet you. Whether that’s cigarette smoke, floral bouquets, or even the smell of rain on a pavement, it’s normal for a perfumer to try and capture the essence. When Ruth Mastenbroek approached the creation of Oxford it took a much more personal direction. Ruth has often said that many people have a preconceived idea that the perfume will smell of old books, dusty halls, and cobbled streets, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Oxford University was where Ruth Mastenbroek studied chemistry, long before she had any idea that perfumery would ultimately be her career. It was here that Ruth was truly able to discover who she was, what made her tick, and all in a place of uninhibited discovery. So, it was the natural choice to use the experience as a perfume inspiration. “Anything was possible and my eyes were opened to a whole new world... new people, new challenges. It was an awakening, and a time of personal discovery.” So, with Oxford promising a feeling of growth, freedom, and positive change, does it come through with honours?

The fragrance opens with a rush of galbanum and bergamot that almost explodes from the bottle but, from the outset, there’s an anchoring warmth that adds a stability to the excitement. An aromatic blend of lavender and rosemary appears alongside a sweet orange, hinting at those traditional colognes that hung in the Oxford air, but it is smoothed with a sweetened amber accord that is like nectar. The subtle floral notes in the centre add a playful buoyancy but it’s the appearance of the vetiver and oud pairing that shows Ruth’s skill. The earthy, sweetly resinous blend seems to reignite the lavender and perfectly completes a fragrance that delivers the promised “confidence, curiosity, and determination.”

Oxford is available from the Ruth Mastenbroek website at ruthmastenbroek.com priced at £90 for 50ml and £120 for 100ml. You can also click on the image below to read my interview with Ruth Mastenbroek from April 2016. [Sample provided by Ruth Mastenbroek]

4 comments:

  1. Sounds really interesting. The only problem for me, is the addition of oud into the formula. Oud really doesn't work on me, I think it's because I have quite an oily skin, and it seems to have the effect of a megaphone on oud, and it overpowers everything else in a formula.

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    1. Hello Barry, the oud is used as part of the overal blend and isn't intrusive, so I'd definitely suggest that you try it. Best Stephan

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  2. Ruth's fragrances are of exceptional quality and individuality. I wouldn't be without any one of them.

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    1. Hello Rob, I couldn't agree more. Have you tried the diffusers? They're fantastic as well. Best, Stephan

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