Stephan Matthews

Showing posts with label Musk. Show all posts

Thursday, 29 October 2020

The Car Freshener Collection from Lynx

When we think about scent the first things that usually come to our mind are perfumes and candles. We’re so used to wearing our favourite fragrance, or filling a room with the aroma of everything from Yankee Candle’s vanilla through to Gwyneth Paltrow’s fabled vagina, that we’ve forgotten a vital space that really benefits from some scent. We generally spend around four years of our lives behind the wheel of a car and so it’s time we started enjoying it. There are many car fresheners on the market, but one of the most novel must surely be the collection from Lynx. So, as we celebrate its first birthday, let’s go for a drive.

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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, 10 July 2017

YOU ... The New Fragrance From Lynx

They're at it again and they've called back the big guns for the launch of their latest body fragrance! I'm talking about Lynx, or Axe if you live outside of the United Kingdom. Once treated with derision, or at best referred to as the scent of a teenage boy, they have recently started to command a real share of the perfume industry. With the launch of their Daily Fragrance range last year they managed to reposition themselves in an older market, and finally gain the recognition that they deserve. Forget Apollo, Phoenix and even Africa, 2017 sees the appearance of YOU and you're in for a very pleasant surprise.

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Monday, 7 November 2016

STEPHAN'S SIX - SYLVAINE DELACOURTE

The undisputed Queen Bee of Guerlain, Sylvaine Delacourte joined the company as a makeup artist before becoming their International Makeup Trainer. However, the perfumes fascinated her and, after much hard work, she achieved the coveted role of Director of Fragrance Evaluation and Development. Whilst still a consultant for Guerlain, Sylvaine has now launched her own brand, so what would we learn about her during "Stephan's Six"?

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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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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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Friday, 15 May 2015

FOREVER KRYSTLE by Charles of the Ritz

The 1980s was the decade of shoulder pads and big hair, and it also gave rise to many perfumes that matched. Those ten years saw an incredible output of fragrances and it was impossible to keep up with each one. This meant that so many slipped under the radar. One that proved incredibly popular however was Forever Krystle from Charles of the Ritz. It was created to tap into the success that the television series Dynasty was enjoying at the time and the heroine, Krystle Carrington, was chosen to be the inspiration. Originally released in 1984, it’s time to see if the years have been kind.

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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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Thursday, 29 October 2020

Monday, 25 November 2019

Monday, 10 July 2017

Monday, 7 November 2016

Monday, 1 June 2015

Sunday, 24 May 2015

Friday, 15 May 2015

Thursday, 7 May 2015