Stephan Matthews

Showing posts with label Patchouli. Show all posts

Monday, 1 September 2025

AIR OF AQUARIUS by Sana Jardin

How do you reinvent and reinvigorate a popular period that includes both personal and humanitarian growth? It’s a broad canvas, and not one that many companies would tackle without an element of apprehension. Movements that took the world by storm are deeply anchored in both the subconscious and lasting cultural effects, and so deviation from the original philosophy needs to be cautiously approached. That’s why the launch of Sana Jardin’s Air of Aquarius perfume is so pitch perfect. Forget the patchouli-laced memories of the seventies, it’s time to embrace a mind-expanding interpretation for a new age.

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Monday, 6 December 2021

PÅTCH by ånd fragrance

There are certain ingredients that will forever be associated with a particular decade, and it can be very difficult to shake off those attachments. Just the mention of the name can conjure up forgotten times or misplaced lovers, and it can often be hard to see beyond these memories. However, if we do, there’s a whole new scented world to experience. One such ingredient is patchouli, and it instantly pulls up images of the 1970s. Creating a new interpretation of this iconic aroma has been tried many times, with varying success, but the latest attempt from ånd fragrance is an absolute winner. It’s time to discover Påtch.

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Monday, 22 November 2021

The Extension of MOLECULE 01

There are many accolades that are thrown around the world of perfumery but, when it comes to choosing the person who has singlehandedly championed the cause of synthetics, there’s only one Geza Schoen. His earth shattering release of Molecule 01 back in 2006 created ripples that are still being felt in both commercial and niche perfumery today. The public became fascinated with the futuristic Iso E Super ingredient and there was a stampede to try the first “scent of yourself” fragrance. More Escentric Molecules perfumes followed but the love of the original never disappeared. So, fifteen years later, Molecule 01 has had an exciting facelift.

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Monday, 17 May 2021

NIGHTSCAPE by Ulrich Lang

The part of reviewing fragrances that I really enjoy is when you end up with connections that, until you stumble across them, hadn’t been mentioned before. This can be because journalists are nervous about veering too far from the company’s press release, for fear of upsetting the person that’s written it, or they’re financially tied in some way to the promotion of the scent. So, when the worlds of Netflix, perfume, and American fashioned collided spectacularly this week, I finally realised that I was sitting on a modern day classic. It’s time to revisit, or discover for the first time, the Ultrasuede styling of Nightscape by Ulrich Lang.

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Monday, 7 September 2020

STEPHAN'S SIX - MATT MELEG

The world of perfumery is no longer the sole domain of those lucky enough to train at one of the prestigious French schools. Self-taught perfumers are becoming more common and have actually helped to push the boundaries of trend and fashion within fragrance, often actually leading the way for the more commercial houses. One of the latest to enter the industry is Vancouver based Matt Meleg, and I wanted to find out some of his scented secrets during "Stephan's Six".

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Monday, 30 March 2020

STEPHAN'S SIX - MARCUS FELLOWES

When Marcus Fellowes retrained as a barber he never imagined that it would ultimately result in the creation of a collection of four fragrances. Designed to alleviate the worries of his clients through scent, they soon expanded to include a beautiful range of body products. After creating for others, I wondered what scented secrets he would reveal during “Stephan’s Six”.

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Monday, 14 January 2019

OLD BOOKS by The Perfumer's Story

In the world of fragrance, new perfume releases seem to come so quickly that it’s impossible to catch every one at the time if its debut. Perfumes get overlooked or overshadowed by brighter, bigger, or louder launches, and some real gems can often get lost amongst the noise. One such fragrance is Old Books by Azzi Glasser for The Perfumer’s Story. It arrived on the scene in 2015 and is still something of a secret amongst patchouli lovers. In a market saturated with voluminous scent, Azzi has always retained her delicacy of touch and Old Books truly is an emotional breath of fresh air.

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Monday, 10 December 2018

OUD OCTAVO by Prosody London

As many readers will already know, I’ve always found the “natural perfumery” side of the fragrance industry fascinating because the challenges that are experienced are not for the faint hearted. Synthetic ingredients are great at providing multifaceted layers and so the natural perfumer needs to be creative and knowledgeable in order to make their finished fragrance truly rounded. This can certainly be said of Oud Octavo by Prosody London. Created by Keshen Teo, it takes the star ingredient but presents it in a wonderfully accessible way that is missing from many of the other oud fragrances on the market.

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Monday, 26 November 2018

Fragonard's Patchouli Scented Christmas

With the arrival of Christmas, perfume companies are always looking for inspiration for their festive offering. This can go off in many unusual directions and, whilst some hit the mark perfectly, others are often earmarked for the January sales before the first present is even unwrapped. One company that has excelled this year is Fragonard. From design through to product selections, and obviously a beautiful scent, they have released a patchouli inspired collection that offers customers an alternative to the ruby red and pine aromas that you usually get at this time of the year, and this is why it’s my recommended collection for Christmas 2018.

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Thursday, 17 May 2018

EAU DYNAMISANTE by Clarins

Is it too soon to cross our fingers and hope that summer is now well and truly on its way? The first burst of sun sees people reaching for the latest spritzing blockbuster in an attempt to feel even more zesty and upbeat, but there is a beach hut full of classics that we can also call into action. One of these is the truly fantastic Eau Dynamisante from Clarins, which celebrates its thirty-first birthday this year. This was the original fragrance in their “Eau” trio, but what has made it such a favourite with both men and women? Let me show you the magic that is hidden inside that classic red spherical bottle.

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Thursday, 2 June 2016

Does HABANITA Still Have Her Bite?

“Le parfum le plus tenace du monde” was a huge statement to make about any fragrance, but the one that was being described definitely deserved the accolade. Outside of its home town it translates as “the longest lasting perfume in the world”, and it is interesting to note that this “tenacious” fragrance actually came about by accident. I’m talking about Habanita by Molinard, and in her ninety-fifth year it’s time we looked back on this sensual grand dame. How did she become such a phenomenon, what does it share with Chanel No.5, and are the rumours of a discontinuation really true?

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Wednesday, 28 October 2015

The Library Of Fragrance Stripped Bare

It's been fourteen months since the Library of Fragrance launched in the UK, and in that time it's had to fight hard to secure a portion of an ever expanding perfume market. Already very well known in America, after one year of trading have they succeeded in converting the British audience? Their uniqueness has actually turned out to be one of their biggest challenges but, with people now becoming more perfume-savvy, this is about to change. So, it's time to take another look at the company that creates the fragrances of everyday life, and even gives you the opportunity to blend your own "erotic" scent.

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Saturday, 16 May 2015

NAPOLEON by Galimard

When Galimard were approached by "L’Association Action Nationale des élus pour la Route Napoléon" to create a perfume to celebrate the bicentenary of the passage of the Emperor from Golfe-Juan to Grenoble, Chantal Roux, Galimard’s co-owner, began by researching the man himself. Interestingly she found that Napoleon possessed an excellent sense of smell. He loved the scent of rose, orange water and violet, and as he was from Corsica had also grown up with the aroma of the scrubland. Any research on Napoleon will always reveal his love of the ladies, so Chantal thought it important to bring feminine notes into the fragrance in a way that meant it could be enjoyed by both men and women. On the 20th February 2015 Napoléon was launched at Galimard’s factory in Grasse.

So, a perfume inspired by a man who adored Eau de Colognes. Can it work?

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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, 14 January 2019

Monday, 10 December 2018

Monday, 26 November 2018

Thursday, 17 May 2018

Thursday, 2 June 2016

Wednesday, 28 October 2015

Saturday, 16 May 2015