Stephan Matthews

Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts

Monday, 4 May 2026

ORIGINAL EAU DE COLOGNE by Farina

A bottle of the Original Eau de Cologne from Farina

There are many claims made in the perfume world that companies are “the original”, “the trendsetter”, “the pioneer”, but these often end up being merely cleverly-created marketing. Making a customer feel as though they're in possession of something that is, or will be, timeless is the goal of every brand when they launch a fragrance. However, when you have a documented history stretching back to 1709 then you really can shout about your achievement. Farina is the originator of the Eau de Cologne and, after too many years of under-appreciation, the company are once again triumphantly shouting about their famous creation.

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Monday, 26 September 2022

PURE WATER by Paul Guerlain

The subject of sustainability and safety is one that goes far beyond just the perfume industry, but that hasn’t stopped it being a major topic of discussion amongst both high street and niche fragrance customers. We’ve all become much more conscious in recent years about what goes in and on our bodies, and companies have tried to address this with both spin and science. It’s often thought that “sustainability and safety” comes at a financial cost, at least that's what we usually see when we get to the checkout, but Müller have smashed this idea with their new hej:pure trio of clean and environmentally-friendly fragrances.

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Monday, 5 July 2021

4711 by Mäurer & Wirtz

Fragrance fans are constantly searching for the next “big hitter” or “must have” scent and, because of this, often forget to look backwards as well as forwards. There are very few genuinely new trends in perfumery, they’ve all been seen before, it’s just the way that they’re presented that is different. However, we seem to be locked into the eternal quest for “newness” and, because of this, can find ourselves overlooking the faded and forgotten gems from another time. One such treasure must surely be 4711 by Mäurer & Wirtz. Arguably the world’s most famous cologne, it’s time this classic was rediscovered by a new generation.

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Monday, 27 July 2020

APSU by Ulrich Lang

If there is one fragrance style that is guaranteed to excite as well as uplift then it has to be one of those gloriously green scents. These perfumes that were once abundant in the electrically charged galbanum have, in more recent years, relied on man-made ingredients to conjure up cut grass and green leaves. However, when you skilfully combine the two then you can end up with a scent that transcends summery playfulness, adds in a dash of autumnal vegetation, and hints at tropical humidity. This is exactly what you get with Ulrich Lang’s 2016 fragrance Apsu. It may not be the latest, but it’s definitely one of the brightest.

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Thursday, 23 July 2020

CUIR DE RUSSIE by Farina Gegenüber

You’ll often hear it levelled against the big perfume companies, and sometimes even the niche houses, that they’re constantly imitating somebody else’s successful style. Deliberately copying a fragrance is a different matter altogether, but what I’m talking about is taking a popular trend and putting your own spin on it. If you think about the many fern-like perfumes that came after Fougere Royale, or even the amber-heavy orientals that were hot on the heels of Shalimar, you can see how being inspired by the latest hit is nothing new. It was the same story in 1925 when Farina Gegenüber launched their fabulous Cuir de Russie.

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Thursday, 2 July 2020

4711 REMIX COLOGNE by Alex Lee

Summer is the time of the year when we all hunt out the latest effervescent spritz to accompany us through another beachside holiday or weekend getaway. This year might see our vacation being considerably closer to home, but that doesn’t have to stop us creating our own little bit of sunshine. The fragrances that come out at this time of the year are all traditionally designed to uplift and energise us, and there is one company that has once again absolutely delivered on this promise. Now in its third year, Mäurer & Wirtz have released their latest 4711 Remix Cologne, and this time it’s a twist on the classic lemon.

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Monday, 22 June 2020

SANDAL & PEONY by Sven Pritzkoleit

There will always be a demand for new and exciting fragrances from our favourite perfume houses, but quality is definitely sacrificed in many of the drives for quantity. If you bear in mind that some companies are releasing in excess of eight fragrances a year, then you can see how ideas might begin to dry up. Niche brands have a slightly easier job, because they’re not confined by trend, but even this market can find itself compromised when it starts chasing the accolades. One perfumer who manages to stay truthful to his style is Sven Pritzkoleit, and his latest Sandal & Peony fragrance shows that he is at the pinnacle of his game.

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Thursday, 23 April 2020

SEA SALT TAR and POUDRE DE RIZ by Sven Pritzkoleit

When we are faced with troubles it’s almost second nature to try and remember happier times. This recollection can come in the form of music, a scent, or even the immediacy that you get with food. However it is summoned up, a familiarity that is entwined with positive memories is always the best antidote to the blues. With the current need to limit travel and even see our families, many people’s rituals have been thrown up in the air. However, Sven Pritzkoleit has come to the rescue with his emotionally evocative Sea Salt Tar and Poudre de Riz, which both come laden with smiles and sunshine.

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Thursday, 16 April 2020

ST. PAUL'S by Exaltatum London

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.

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Thursday, 16 January 2020

17 NANDAN ROAD by Ulrich Lang

The reasons why someone launches their own perfume company are always so varied and that can also be said for the background of the founder. Some may have been inspired by a lifelong interest in fragrance whilst others may have already worked within the industry for many years. Both have their advantages and disadvantages but, because the nuts and bolts of releasing a fragrance are so much more than just creating the scent, a little bit of inside knowledge can be helpful. This can certainly be said of Ulrich Lang whose most recent fragrance, 17 Nandan Road, definitely hits the right note in both scent and styling.

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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.

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Monday, 19 August 2019

PERGOLA by Exaltatum London

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.

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Monday, 4 March 2019

ROSE POLAROID by SP Parfums

The pressures that are on companies to keep producing exciting and original fragrances have never been greater. Our constant demand for “new and diverting” has to be carefully tempered with “familiar and accessible” in order to make the cash registers ring. It’s this mainstream offering of safe, middle ground scents that has seen an increase in customers looking to independent and niche perfumers for their excitement and creativity. Sven Pritzkoleit of SP Parfums is a perfect example of this and last year saw the release of his wonderfully engaging Rose Polaroid. Six months later it’s time to revisit this flash-bulb floral.

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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, 4 May 2026

Monday, 26 September 2022

Monday, 5 July 2021

Monday, 27 July 2020

Thursday, 23 July 2020

Thursday, 2 July 2020

Monday, 22 June 2020

Thursday, 23 April 2020

Thursday, 16 April 2020

Thursday, 16 January 2020

Monday, 25 November 2019

Monday, 19 August 2019

Monday, 4 March 2019