There is something so autumnal about generously spritzing a scarf with your favourite fragrance and then launching yourself out into an amber-leafed, and frost-encrusted world. Okay, I might be sounding a little over-poetical here, when what we really mean is “a finger-freezing force nine gale”, but you get the idea. Your choice of perfume is always going to be a highly personal decision, but I really do encourage you to think about reaching for the glorious greens during autumn and winter instead of the usual ambers. The perfect starting point for this has to be Venus of Verbena from Sana Jardin.
There are certain fragrance styles that forever feel as though they’re pushed to the limit with overwhelming volume and aggression, and so finding one where the perfumer has deliberately gone in the other direction is always an absolute joy. Delicacy and contentment mixing with a feeling of intimacy and fascination may sound like a combination that is impossible to achieve, but I’m happy to say it has. Encens et Cedre is the latest release from 1000 Flowers and, under the ever-inspiring eye of perfumer Jessica Buchanan, sits seamlessly alongside her existing “eau de bien-être” fragrances to create an unrivalled trio.
Over the past twelve months the main thing that I've learned about myself and my surroundings is how refreshing simplicity can be. Having the metaphorical rug pulled out from under us all threw our preconceived ideas and entrenched habits out of the window as well. What we were left with was almost the essence of what we all individually needed, and personal lessons have been learned that shouldn’t be forgotten. Perfume has a habit of being complicated and shrouded in mystery, and so finding a scent that revels in this idea of simplicity is rare. That is until you discover the exquisite Rose Geranium & Petitgrain from 1000 Flowers.
The past twelve months have seen a real push to support independent businesses because, as I’ve said repeatedly, the large organisations can look after themselves. However, the smaller companies need to remain firmly in our sights. There are so many brands that you may have never heard of, in locations that you would not expect, which is why it’s important to hunt them out. One such company is Bōbé Beauty which is based in Saskatoon. Founded by Marlese Assman, this Canadian company’s trio of natural alcohol-free perfumes offers some much needed escape, along with a promise of “serenity and independence.”
The job of a perfumer is to take a jumble of ideas and turn them into a fully formed fragrance. Now, when you work for a large company you can find yourself caught in the middle of many egos all wanting a say on the finished scent. However, as an independent perfumer you are solely accountable to yourself, and so the finished fragrance can often be closer to the original concept. One perfumer that has shown herself to be the mistress of translating emotion and place into scent is Eglija Vaitkevice of Exaltatum, and her latest fragrance takes the wearer on a journey to baroque London. It's time to visit St. Paul's.
The fact that our reaction to fragrance is so personal is one of the reasons why it can often be so difficult to gauge how a perfume will be received. Many companies launch scents with very specific stories and, if the customer doesn’t engage with them, they can end up overshadowing the actual fragrance. Exaltatum London has overcome this by simply relating their scents to the inspiration and encouraging the customer to draw on their own memories and experiences. The company’s current collection of three fantastic fragrances are all created by Eglija Vaitkevice but, within the trio, Pergola truly is theatrically majestic.
It is increasingly difficult to keep up with all of the new perfume brands that seem to appear on a daily basis, and even harder to smell all of their fragrances. With many companies veering towards a “quantity” strategy, in other words releasing something new every month, it is always refreshing to find a niche perfumer that starts with a small core collection. One such creator is Laura Gámez, the founder of Belsans. Taking inspiration from her aromatherapy roots, but also recognising that the fragrances must work on their own, Laura has created a series of three scents that promise a “unique and exquisite experience,” but do they deliver?
