Monday, 15 July 2019

RÉGLISSE NOIRE and ROSE CASSIS PARADIS by Jessica Buchanan

The road to becoming a perfumer is an incredibly varied one with choices and sacrifices needing to be made from the very beginning. One of the biggest decisions though is whether to train privately or as part of an institution, or even to dispense with formal training all together. When Jessica Buchanan took the brave leap to move from western Canada to Grasse she really did put all of her eggs in one basket, but she was determined to succeed. Twelve years later she is the founder of her own company, 1000 Flowers, and the creator of the exquisite fragrances Réglisse Noire and Rose Cassis Paradis.

Thursday, 11 July 2019

BLUEBERRY & BERGAMOT by The Otter Candle Co

When you’re launching a new brand it’s important to match the image to the product. This may sound like a very basic idea but, unfortunately, it is often something that is misjudged. Once the world has seen the way your company looks it’s very difficult to reinvent yourself. Now, major corporations can spend millions to get this right and so it always comes as a surprise when a small, independent company gets it right first time. The Otter Candle Co was launched in September 2018 and has managed to perfectly combine its playful scents with the cheekiness of the animal, but how do the candles actually perform?

Monday, 8 July 2019

GUESS 1981 LOS ANGELES by Clément Gavarry

The perfumes that launch with the name of a fashion house or a celebrity on them are often looked down on by certain sections of the fragrance industry and also some customers. It is wrongly assumed that they will be low quality, unbalanced affairs that have been hastily put together and will disappear as quickly as they arrive. However, this isn’t the case and just as much effort often goes into them as you would expect from a Dior, a Chanel, or even a Guerlain. The latest fashion release is Guess 1981 Los Angeles and, if you’ve shied away from fashion houses in the past, you may be surprised by this beautiful summer fragrance.

Thursday, 4 July 2019

NEROLI NUANCE by Prosody London

With the summer weather now starting to tease us with its sunshine warmth, it’s natural that our thoughts should turn to fragrances that have a more zesty edge to them. Our instinct is to reach for those gloriously mouthwatering citrus scents that accentuate the radiant heat or even the cooling aromatic ones if you long for a little respite from the constant humidity. Unfortunately, it’s pretty rare to find a perfume that truly offers a combination of the two, whilst also providing a depth of scent that can carry you well into the balmy evenings. However, that is until you try the devilishly sensual Neroli Nuance by Prosody London.

Monday, 1 July 2019

OUD BOURBON by Byron Parfums

France is often referred to as the spiritual home of the perfume industry and it’s one of the many reasons why people still pilgrimage to the country in a quest for scented inspiration. You have the perfume attractions in Grasse, including the famous Institute of Perfumery, but there is also a lot happening in the nation’s capital. Paris boasts numerous fragrance companies and perfumers ready to create whatever is required, but it also promises something a little different thanks to the niche houses that have sprung up. One of the newest is Byron Parfums, and its current collection of five fragrances is intriguing.

Thursday, 27 June 2019

VANILJ by Maya Njie

With the seemingly constant stream of new perfume companies launching on an almost daily basis, I often find myself thinking, “Is it really possible for a new brand to present themselves in a way that feels original and interesting?” Everything has been done before, in one way or another, but sometimes it’s actually a hark back to the past that provides a springboard in the present. Maya Njie has launched her own perfume company and is the perfect example of how someone can combine a personal history with a passion for creation. With a celluloid inspiration transformed into scent, it’s time for Maya Njie to take centre stage.

Monday, 24 June 2019

THE SOAP RESURGENCE

It’s always interesting to see something become “fashionable” that was, just a matter of years ago, seen by many as belonging to another generation. “Everything comes back into style” was the mantra of my mother and, as I’ve grown older, I’ve realised that she is absolutely right. One of the recent popularity resurgences in the beauty industry has been the revival of the humble bar of soap, although some companies are anything but humble in the pricing of these scented tablets. So, to help you navigate the suds, I’ve chosen my top five perfumed soaps and none of these fragranced beauties will break the bank.

Thursday, 20 June 2019

LONDON 1969 by 4160 Tuesdays

I don’t think a perfume review is ever written without the word “inspiration” appearing somewhere within it. We love to know the background to a scent and the concept of the perfumer, but sometimes the original inspiration becomes entwined in ways that were never imagined. When Sarah McCartney of 4160 Tuesdays created London 1969 five years ago she could never have dreamed that it would take on a personal significance for the company, and just how important that date was. Far more than just an effervescent citrus, London 1969 takes you on a journey into the past but with one foot firmly in the present.

Monday, 17 June 2019

BENGALE ROUGE by Papillon Perfumery

A new fragrance launch from a beloved company is always a source of excitement, but when the frenzy is generated by a niche perfume house’s pre-launch press samples then you know that something truly extraordinary is happening. The industry call it “pre-seeding” and it’s a way of drumming up interest, but it rarely results in the sheer number of advance reviews that Liz Moores is receiving for Bengale Rouge, the latest release from Papillon Perfumery. Luca Turin described her previous creations as having “confidence, balance, and polish,” and this newest addition to the collection echoes that observation.