Stephan Matthews

Showing posts with label Citrus. Show all posts

Monday, 23 July 2018

CONFIDENCE, VITALITY and CALM by Belsans

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?

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Thursday, 17 May 2018

EAU DYNAMISANTE by Clarins

Is it too soon to cross our fingers and hope that summer is now well and truly on its way? The first burst of sun sees people reaching for the latest spritzing blockbuster in an attempt to feel even more zesty and upbeat, but there is a beach hut full of classics that we can also call into action. One of these is the truly fantastic Eau Dynamisante from Clarins, which celebrates its thirty-first birthday this year. This was the original fragrance in their “Eau” trio, but what has made it such a favourite with both men and women? Let me show you the magic that is hidden inside that classic red spherical bottle.

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Thursday, 19 May 2016

GRUHME MAKES MASCULINE MORE REFINED

Products that are sighted at a male market with point blank aim have a terrible history of actually missing the target altogether. They can end up languishing on the bottom shelf or, worse still, relegated to the "bargain" section. So it was with some apprehension that I approached GRUHME NO.14, a male Eau de Toilette. I imagined a gym-butch masculine scent with the subtlety of a hammer that existed just to deplete the worlds supply of patchouli and vetiver, but I was wrong. I was very wrong. Put preconceived ideas to one side and let me introduce you to a beautifully refined men's fragrance, which ladies are bound to steal.

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Wednesday, 3 June 2015

LAYER ME

The question I get asked most often is, "How do I make my fragrance last longer?" There have always been a myriad of complimentary products to go with various scents but the quality of these has been pretty variable. Also, with the trend for using more than one fragrance at the same time to create a truly unique personal scent we've actually been missing the most vital piece of the puzzle. You wouldn't paint a wall before preparing the surface but we are happy to just spray perfume and hope. So, I went on the hunt for the perfect base for my spritzing, and I found it in the most unlikely of places. I went through lotions and creams, both fragranced and unfragranced, dry oils and even moisture mists, but nothing was doing what I wanted... "Support any fragrance that goes on top, prolong its life and bridge the gap between layered scents," and obviously moisturise as well.

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Monday, 1 June 2015

SOPHIA - Wear It With Passion

In 1981 Sophia Loren declined an offer to play the iconic role of Alexis Colby in "Dynasty", and so the part famously went to Joan Collins. However, the same year did see the release of the perfume SOPHIA by Coty. Described as “the fragrance of living and loving”, Sophia Loren told women to “wear it with a passion”. With an Italian sexuality that she was famous for, that message was clear. Thirty-five years later she would return to the world of fragrance in Dolce & Gabbana's Rosa Excelsa campaign, but for now, after a cold shower, I gently caressed the bottle to see whether the original passion could be rekindled!

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Thursday, 28 May 2015

CHIQUE Chypre

The chypre fragrance was to the seventies what the Floral Oriental would be to the eighties, and there were lots to choose from. With a complete contrast to the emerging "youth" scents, that were full of bouncy freshness, and even the gloriously "simple" Penhaligon's florals, which were actually far from simple, the chypre provided a scent full of maturity and elegance. The most famous chypre of the Seventies was surely Charlie by Revlon, although it was marketed as an Aldehydic Floral, but Yardley wanted a piece of the action. Their release was the powerful CHIQUE, and this oakmoss overdose is still in production.

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Sunday, 24 May 2015

I AM WOMAN ... Hear Me Purr

Fifteen years after the launch of her last perfume, Spectacular, Joan Collins returned to the stage with I AM WOMAN. The fragrance premiered on 28th February 2014, so a year on I think it's time to revisit and see whether the lady has aged gracefully. The perfume is part of a wider range called "Joan Collins Timeless Beauty", which also includes makeup and skincare, and was initially exclusively sold through QVC. Don't pull that face, QVC is now a major cosmetics outlet and companies ignore it at their peril; they can launch, maintain and promote any brand which takes their fancy.

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Thursday, 7 May 2015

Where ROADS lead

"An Irish perfumery which manufactures in the UK", it's not the usual start to a description about a fragrance brand, but keep reading and I guarantee you will be very surprised. Roads Fragrance, part of the Roads Luxury Group, is based in Dublin and run by its founder Danielle Ryan. Her concept is simple, "to create an artistic brand that would not be limited by its own definition and grow according to its customers' interests." So, will the company's output really be influenced by the sales results of its current ten perfumes? Very probably, but please don't ask me to number crunch this extraordinary collection.

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After twenty successful years as an actor, I decided the time was right to begin a new career, and that was in the perfume industry. Scent had always been a passion of mine, and working alongside a new group of creative minds ended up being the perfect fit.

As a Brand Consultant, Evaluator, Copywriter and New Business Advisor, the variety of work is exciting, and definitely draws on my acting background. Every day brings new challenges, experiences and delights to a workplace that is crammed full of new releases, evergreens, and fading classics.

This website brings together my ramblings on all aspects of the perfume industry from bottle design to fragrance, companies to noses, and everything in between.

Opinions are my own and do not in any way represent the views of the companies mentioned. Where products or services have been provided by the companies it is stated at the end of the article.

Companies and readers are welcome to contact me by using the Send Me A Message option below.

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Monday, 23 July 2018

Thursday, 17 May 2018

Thursday, 19 May 2016

Wednesday, 3 June 2015

Monday, 1 June 2015

Thursday, 28 May 2015

Sunday, 24 May 2015

Thursday, 7 May 2015