Stephan Matthews

Showing posts with label Lavender. Show all posts

Monday, 27 October 2025

My Favourite Scented Soaps

A group shot showing the five soaps from Milano Cento, LUSH, Bronnley, Trésors Publics and Nesti Dante

There are certain rituals that can provide us with a momentary step away from the daily grind and, in a world where “me time” is becoming more of a rarity, can also help to reset our senses. I’m talking about the humble act of washing our hands. From the days of the famous Coal Tar Soap right through to the more modern perfume-inspired offerings, the release of scent that comes from plunging your hands and the bar into water is the perfect way to achieve fragranced cleanliness. So, in an effort to get you to ditch the hand washes and reconnect with this simple pleasure, it’s time for me to share my favourite five.

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Monday, 16 October 2023

STEPHAN’S SIX - PATRICK GALE

Patrick Gale jokingly confesses that he's never had what many would consider a “grown up” job but, with perseverance and an instinct for fascinating subjects, he has become a critically acclaimed author. From the BBC drama Man in an Orange Shirt through to his latest book Mother’s Boy, which looks at the life of the Cornish Poet Charles Causley, his seventeen novels have been described as “gripping”, “unflinching”, while at the same time being “playful and wise”. Now based down on the tip of Cornwall, I wanted to discover what scented secrets he would reveal during “Stephan’s Six”.

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Thursday, 27 May 2021

FLEUR DE LAVANDE by 1000 Flowers

As we slowly begin to exit the rules that have governed us for over a year, we do it in the knowledge that there are others who are not so lucky. Their lives are still restricted and many don’t have the freedoms that we now do in Britain. It’s because of this uncertainty, and also because we’ve all been on a long voyage of self-discovery, that many of us are now reaching for “simpler” products. Overly blended fragrances are being glossed over in favour of a purer style, and none embodies this more than Fleur de Lavande from 1000 Flowers. The archetypal soliflore, it’s time to take a scented journey to the town of Grasse.

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Monday, 5 October 2020

An Autumnal Soap Duo from Te Cosmetics

If there’s one thing that has truly changed in 2020 then it’s surely that the world has rediscovered the humble bar of soap. When antibacterial gels and hand washes started to disappear from the shops there was a sudden realisation that these gloriously scented bars still lived on the supermarket shelves, although often relegated to the bottom. The resurgence of soap has been picking up speed in recent years but it rapidly accelerated, and many independent companies were also suddenly spotlighted. One such brand was Te Cosmetics, and their range of glacial clay soaps make hand washing an absolute joy.

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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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Thursday, 2 April 2020

NIRVANA by Barbershop Botanicals

Perfume has often been described as a frivolity that simply forms part of a person’s daily beauty ritual, but that’s a pretty harsh judgement. The fragrance that we decide to wear for the day, or the evening, is often carefully chosen because of the way it makes us feel. Scent has always had the incredible ability to alter the wearer’s mood and mindset, with the more traditional domain of aromatherapy now being very popular in the perfume industry. One of the latest to combine scent with emotion is Marcus Fellowes of Barbershop Botanicals, and his calming Nirvana couldn’t have come at a better time.

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Thursday, 26 September 2019

ENGLISH LAVENDER by Atkinsons

It’s impossible to predict which fragrance will become the iconic scent in a company’s range and it’s even harder when the perfume company has fans across the world, but that is exactly the case with Atkinsons. The company recently went through a major rebrand worldwide but its Italian market still demands some of the original packaging and scents, including the legendary English Lavender. By combining fashionability with familiarity, Atkinsons have succeeded in rejuvenating the legacy for their existing customers whilst still managing to attract new ones. Happily, there’s even room for a little bit of retro.

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Monday, 29 July 2019

4711 REMIX COLOGNE by Christiane Plos

Reinvention is something that we all must secretly wish that we could do at some time or another but it’s a concept that can be very dangerous for a perfume company. Many brands survive because of the loyal following of its fans and, if you start to alter things, they can easily start to look elsewhere for their fragranced fix. One company that has successfully managed to reinvent itself, and still kept hold of its followers, is 4711. The idea of modernising their classic scent may have seemed like sacrilege to many but, once again, this year’s Remix Cologne has been handled with a lot of tender loving care.

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Monday, 28 January 2019

LAVANDE by Fragonard

January can often seem a little quiet on the fragrance front with many perfume houses simply finishing their winter sales or concentrating on their upcoming spring releases. One company that always delivers a very welcome burst of warmth at this time of year however is Fragonard with their Flower of the Year series. The concept of the range is simple, take one key ingredient and present it in an original yet easily accessible way. Lavender has been chosen as Fragonard's "olfactory signature" for 2019 and the task of interpreting it has again been given to Céline Ellena, but how will she twist this very familiar scent?

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Monday, 16 July 2018

EAU DE COLOGNE - LA VÉRITABLE by Cadentia

Summer is the perfect time to revisit the classic cologne, and by this I mean a fragrance that is structured in the traditional way rather than merely exhibiting a “freshness” and “effervescence” that has become associated with the style. Many companies offer scents which are described as “cologne” but have little to do with this wonderfully simple form of perfumery, but one brand still proudly specialising in these uplifting scents is Cadentia. A favourite in France, but fairly unknown outside of its native country, the company has just launched their Eau de Cologne - La Véritable range and the results are beautiful.

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Monday, 22 January 2018

GOODBYE PICCADILLY by 4160 Tuesdays

January can often be the calm before the storm for new fragrance releases as companies set their sights on the Valentine's Day sales with their top selling scent. It’s because of this that the first month of the year is a fantastic chance to revisit old classics or even just look through the companies' ranges to see what you may have missed. One such gem can be found in the back catalogue of Sarah McCartney’s 4160 Tuesdays. Now approaching its fourth birthday, Goodbye Piccadilly was launched on Friday 16th May 2014 but it is often overlooked in favour of the newer releases. So, let me show you just what you’re missing.

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Thursday, 18 January 2018

Fragonard’s Perfume Apprentice Workshop

The idea of creating your very own fragrance is something that we constantly read about in magazines and online but, realistically, with prices ranging from hundreds to thousands of pounds it is a costly exercise if you get it wrong. In an attempt to strip back the layers and present an experience that is very accessible, Fragonard has recently relaunched their Atelier Apprenti Parfumeur. Over the course of ninety minutes you learn about the classic cologne structure and its history before creating your own. So, is Fragonard’s Perfume Apprentice Workshop really the “fantastic olfactive experience” that it claims to be?

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Monday, 22 May 2017

Crabtree & Evelyn Celebrate The Gardeners Collection

Any company with a range that reaches a twenty-year anniversary is to be congratulated. Two decades is, after all, a long time to retain customer loyalty in today's trend-driven market. With more and more companies offering similar products there has to be something special to keep the original alive, and this certainly applies when it comes to Crabtree & Evelyn. The brand launched in 1972 but one of its most iconic ranges arrived in 1997, the Gardeners Collection. In celebration of its twentieth birthday Crabtree & Evelyn has released a candle in the same scent, but does it really measure up?

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Monday, 21 November 2016

STEPHAN'S SIX - JANE MONHEIT

Jane Monheit was described by the New York Times as having "a voice of phenomenal beauty", and anyone that has heard her will definitely agree. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, she released her first album, Never Never Land, in 2000 and it took the industry by storm. Twelve albums later I thought it was about time that we found out about her scented history during “Stephan’s Six”.

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Monday, 11 April 2016

STEPHAN'S SIX - RUTH MASTENBROEK

After leaving Britain at the age of four Ruth Mastenbroek’s fascination for perfumery began to show itself. This led to a career creating fragrances for many famous companies, before she took the decision to release her own range of perfumes. Taking a clear influence from classic styles, but with a modern interpretation, what would she reveal of her own perfume history during “Stephan’s Six”?

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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, 27 October 2025

Monday, 16 October 2023

Thursday, 27 May 2021

Monday, 5 October 2020

Thursday, 2 July 2020

Thursday, 2 April 2020

Thursday, 26 September 2019

Monday, 29 July 2019

Monday, 28 January 2019

Monday, 16 July 2018

Monday, 22 January 2018

Thursday, 18 January 2018

Monday, 22 May 2017

Monday, 21 November 2016

Monday, 11 April 2016