Stephan Matthews

Showing posts with label Dark Heart Of Old Havana. Show all posts

Monday, 1 June 2026

A FLAME IN YOUR HEART by 4160 Tuesdays

The dramatic growth of independent perfumers and niche brands shows no signs of slowing any time soon. Whilst this offers wonderful choice from which customers can discover new creators and fragrances, it also brings the inevitable “rush to market” scents and “pop-up companies”. These often disappear as quickly as they arrive, and finding a permanent place within the perfume industry becomes harder with each year that passes. One company that has trailblazed British niche perfumery, and continues to be a benchmark for creativity, is 4160 Tuesdays. So, what better way to celebrate this than with A Flame In Your Heart.

Click here to read the rest of this post >>

Monday, 14 December 2020

TIME TO DRAW THE RAFFLE NUMBERS by 4160 Tuesdays

There can’t be many people that haven’t heard of “the seven year itch.” I’m not talking about the 1955 film that starred Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, but more the feeling of dissatisfaction or familiarity that is said to appear at that point in any relationship. This doesn’t just apply to people; it can be anything that is long term. During lockdown I started to go through some of my older fragrances, rediscovering forgotten favourites, and I stumbled across one that had been pushed to the back. Time To Draw The Raffle Numbers by Sarah McCartney was released in 2013, and it’s high time it was shown some love.

Click here to read the rest of this post >>

Monday, 6 November 2017

THE DARK HEART OF OLD HAVANA by 4160 Tuesdays

I’ve said before that the constant quest for “newness” means that many perfumes are overlooked in favour of the latest, the biggest, the brightest and the loudest new releases. Companies have fragrances that gather loyal followers but sometimes these scents get overlooked in later years. One of these is Dark Heart Of Old Havana by 4160 Tuesdays. Roullier White described the company as putting “the fun and the feeling back into British perfume” and, with a whirlwind of a founder at the helm, this is a perfect description. So, four years after it launched, let’s revisit the dangerously seductive Dark Heart Of Old Havana.

Click here to read the rest of this post >>

Thursday, 27 April 2017

4160Tuesdays' DANGLY DO-DAH

It’s always interesting to find new ways of using fragrance but people still seem to make a very definite divide between perfume and home scents. Perfumes are seen as a daily necessity whilst home scents are regarded as fairly functional. I’m sure that most people have had a Jo Malone candle at some point or a White Company Room Diffuser but was it exactly the scent that you expected? So often the fragrance that we really want doesn’t exist in a home product, but 4160Tuesdays have come to the rescue. With the help of their Dangly Do-Dah, yes you read that right, you can now have any scent that you desire.

Click here to read the rest of this post >>

Thursday, 10 March 2016

Carnal Lust at 4160Tuesdays

When I was invited last July to spend a day with Sarah McCartney of 4160Tuesdays you would have thought that I would jump at the chance. Unfortunately I could never get the dates of her perfume courses to work for me. So imagine my delight when I heard that there was space on one in January, and that I could finally go. Perfume creation is not something that is new to me, but workshops have always been a fairly formal affair with structures and briefs so I was curious what format Sarah's would take. As she is also known for being wonderfully entertaining I knew that anything could happen and probably would.

Click here to read the rest of this post >>

Monday, 25 January 2016

STEPHAN'S SIX - SARAH McCARTNEY

A true maverick in the world of the independent perfumer, Sarah McCartney has a wonderfully irreverent attitude to creation. She came from a journalistic background, not a chemistry background, discovered a love of perfume making, and with an eccentric approach has created some of the most challenging fragrances on the market under the name 4160 Tuesdays. Anyone who has smelt Dark Heart Of Old Havana will know that this woman has the ability to bottle pure sexual desire. So, with some trepidation, it was time to ask her "Stephan's Six".

Click here to read the rest of this post >>

Wednesday, 17 June 2015

The Wonderful Witch of Acton

Do you ever hear your parents' words coming out of your own mouth? It always comes as a shock when it happens, and I'm pretty sure that it starts as you approach middle-age! "Mad as a bag of snakes" ... that is how my mother would describe Sarah McCartney, founder of Acton's own 4160 TUESDAYS, and on this occasion I would have to agree. However, I say this with great fondness and admiration because she truly is a glorious one-off.

Click here to read the rest of this post >>

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.

Pages

Monday, 1 June 2026

Monday, 14 December 2020

Monday, 6 November 2017

Thursday, 27 April 2017

Thursday, 10 March 2016

Monday, 25 January 2016

Wednesday, 17 June 2015