The tree has been brought down from the loft and, if you're anything like me, you're also desperately trying to remember where you put the fairy lights. This can only mean one thing, it’s Christmas! Alongside all of the traditions that go with the festive season, my annual contribution is recommending which flickering piece of scented magic needs to take pride of place in your home this year. We often fall back on the old favourites in December, but I'm going to ask you to try something a little different. This year’s choices have been harder than ever, but the time has finally arrived to reveal my Top Five Candles for Christmas.
Showing posts with label Marina Barcenilla. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marina Barcenilla. Show all posts
Monday, 29 November 2021
My Top Five Candles For Christmas 2021
Monday, 4 October 2021
MYSTERY by Cláudia Camacho
Capturing the essence of a place is one of the hardest inspirations that a perfumer can choose to explore. This is because the scents that surround you in a real-life environment are still subject to personal associations, and so you may not end up capturing a true representation of the location. That’s why we have to trust that the creator has immersed themselves in the flora, fauna, and aromas of their chosen place. This would be a challenge for an experienced perfumer, let alone a newcomer, and so getting the chance to experience the stunning Mystery by Cláudia Camacho is one of the highlights of the year.
Thursday, 25 March 2021
BEYOND THE STARS with Marina Barcenilla
“It’s the end, but the moment has been prepared for.” These immortal words were uttered by Tom Baker in 1981 as he shuffled off his Doctor Who persona, but they also perfectly sum up the events of 29th April 2019. That was the day Marina Barcenilla Parfums closed its doors. Whilst the fragrances that bore her name were gone, the space age AromAtom project that she’d founded took centre stage. Her educational journey to the stars produced the Award-nominated perfume Out Of This World and, after almost two years, Marina is back with a new trio of fragrances and has her eyes firmly set on some serious space travel.
Monday, 12 October 2020
Credit Where Credit Is Due

The feeling of pride that we all experience when we do, or create, something special is instilled in us from childhood. However, we’re also taught the flip side of this, and that is that taking the credit for someone else’s work is wrong. The perfume industry’s history is littered with misappropriations, and we’ll never know the perfumers who created some of the world’s most famous fragrances, but it surely can’t still be happening? The short answer is yes, it does, and that was unfortunately highlighted in Too Good To Go’s latest campaign. So, let’s take a look at why the old-fashioned “credit where credit is due” is being ignored.
Thursday, 10 October 2019
MADAME by Marie Krnakova
The selection of perfumes that is available to fragrance fans gets bigger every day, but so does the various qualities that these scents possess. From natural to organic, and vegan to mixed media, there really is something for everyone. Our individual tastes determine which direction we go in, but it’s often difficult to differentiate the fact from the fiction when it comes to a company’s values. Thankfully there are some out there that are wonderfully transparent, and one such company is MW Perfumes. A natural fragrance brand, and a Fragrance Foundation Award Nominee in 2019, it’s time to meet Madame.
Monday, 8 October 2018
OUT OF THIS WORLD by Marina Barcenilla
Unless you’ve been living on Mars you can’t have escaped the momentous decision taken by the BBC to cast a lady as the new Doctor Who. Well, the world is still spinning after Jodie Whittaker’s debut on Sunday 7th October but she isn’t really the first woman to try and conquer space and time. Earlier this year Marina Barcenilla released Out Of This World, a fragrance that brought together the scents of the universe along with a healthy dose of Marina’s imagination. A die hard Doctor Who fan, a space scientist, and an award-winning perfumer, I was curious to see whether Out Of This World would send me into orbit.
Thursday, 9 August 2018
EAU DE COLOGNE - Apply With Abandon
The word “cologne” has become a little misunderstood in recent years with the term being used to describe anything from strength to gender. As companies played fast and loose with this classic style of fragrance, customers no longer realised just how wonderful this bottle of freshness could be. In an attempt to unscramble the confusion I asked four perfumers to give their opinion on the style, and also to reveal their favourites. Marina Barcenilla, Pia Long, Sarah McCartney and Andy Tauer have all gathered a loyal following with their mix of creativity and knowledge, so could they help us to revisit the classic cologne?
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?
Thursday, 31 May 2018
INDIA by Marina Barcenilla Parfums
When Marina Barcenilla won Best New Independent Fragrance for India in the 2016 Fragrance Foundation Awards it set in motion a complete rebranding of her company, gained her industry recognition, and also a loyal following of perfume fans that were fascinated by her approach to scent. The Perfume Garden, which she had launched in 2011, was renamed Marina Barcenilla Parfums and at the time she said, “while the name has changed the ethos remains the same, to create the finest fragrances using what nature has to offer.” Two years on I think it’s time to revisit India and see exactly why it became an award winner.
Monday, 12 March 2018
AromAtom - What Does Space Smell Like?
The idea of “giving back” is one that many companies attempt but, unfortunately, also one that can very easily miss the mark. In an era of “Corporate Social Responsibility” it’s become very fashionable to throw money at a cause and take the glory in a burst of publicity, but it’s much harder to create and manage a project that also has an educational aspect. The latest company to attempt this, undaunted, is Marina Barcenilla Parfums with their AromAtom project. Designed to educate and stimulate both children and adults in the field of astronomy using scent, just what DOES space smell like?
Monday, 4 December 2017
Christmas by Marina Barcenilla Parfums
Christmas is the season of the limited release with companies trying to reward and attract in equal measure. The thought of acquiring something special from your favourite brand sends gifting budgets rocketing but also means that expectations are seriously raised. Will they live up to the hype? One section of the market that seems to be more successful is the “independent”, possibly because they create in smaller quantities but also because they can make their Christmas offering truer to their own style. Marina Barcenilla Parfums has released three Christmas products this year and every one of them is a winner.
Thursday, 30 November 2017
My Top Six Candles For Christmas 2017
Christmas and candles seem to go hand in hand which is why many companies release a limited edition during November and December. Not all of these special releases hit the mark though and shoppers often fall back on their tried and trusted favourites. The gentle flicker of a flame accompanied by a delicious aroma is the perfect pairing, but a candle also makes a great gift. To help you navigate the minefield I’ve chosen six candles that have impressed me during 2017 and, hold on to your hats, it includes three Christmas stunners. So, grab the matches and a glass of port as I introduce you to my top six candles for 2017.
Thursday, 24 August 2017
"All Natural Perfumes Smell Like Mud"
I don't usually do follow ups to articles that I write because I like them to stand on their own merits, and I've always been pretty good at not flying off the handle and committing an opinion to the internet without fact checking and researching it first. It's for this reason that I was really disappointed with something that I read on Facebook this week. It concerned 100% natural perfumes and the gist of what the person said was that "all natural perfumes smell like mud". There's nothing like a sweeping generalisation to get yourself noticed, maybe that was the person's intention, but let's get a few things clear.
Thursday, 18 May 2017
IDLE by Romilly Wilde
The success of any company lies in the ability to connect with a variety of customers. New businesses often launch with a single product or a single range and then struggle to move outside of that original market. Romilly Wilde had a clever idea when they appeared in 2016, and it was one that has gained them fans in both the skincare and fragrance market, as well as nominations in the highly coveted 2017 Fragrance Foundation Awards for Best New Fragrance In Limited Distribution and Best New Independent Fragrance. So, let's take a closer look at Romilly Wilde's debut scent, Idle, and the creative duo behind it.
Thursday, 1 December 2016
BLACK OSMANTHUS by Marina Barcenilla
Renaming and rebranding is one thing, but taking your company outside of its original fragrance style is completely different. This is the situation that Marina Barcenilla finds herself in with the release of her first perfume under the Marina Barcenilla Parfums label. Four weeks ago, on 1st November 2016, The Perfume Garden changed its identity but took five of the most popular perfumes with it. With one of these being the FiFi Award winning India there were high expectations for the new company's debut fragrance, Black Osmanthus. Would a new name signal a new style or would it just be a case of "the emperors new clothes"?
Thursday, 24 November 2016
MY TOP FIVE CANDLES FOR CHRISTMAS 2016
One of the best times to write about fragrance is as we approach the festive season. Throughout the previous twelve months there will have been numerous launches and products, but during Christmas we fall back on some old favourites and maybe introduce a few new ones. With this in mind I've been working hard, honestly I have, to find this year's top five candles. Whether it's delicate, inspirational or even historical that you're looking for I think that I've found something for everyone. So, close the door, pass me a mince pie, reach for the matches and let that fragrant flicker combat the winter cold.
Monday, 12 September 2016
Glastonbury's Perfume Workshop

Monday, 23 May 2016
STEPHAN'S SIX - MARINA BARCENILLA
You might not have heard of Marina Barcenilla, but you've probably heard of her award winning perfume, India, which won Best Independent Fragrance at last week’s Fragrance Foundation Awards. Born in Spain, her desire was to try and create a perfume range grounded solely in traditionally extracted ingredients. Would her perfume memories for "Stephan's Six" include any surprise synthetics?
Labels:
Allure,
Anais Anais,
Chanel,
Cuir de Gardenia,
Dior,
Drakkar Noir,
Guerlain,
Herbissimo,
Hypnotic Poison,
India,
Mandy Aftel,
Marina Barcenilla,
Patchouli Clouds,
Poison,
Samsara,
The Perfume Garden
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