Monday, 4 September 2023

MAGIC + SCIENCE by Thursday Fragrance

A bottle of the perfume Magic + Science from Thursday Fragrance
Anybody that launches a new perfume brand in the current climate either needs a huge round of applause for throwing all of their common sense out of the window, or a serious talking to about the inevitable pitfalls that they will experience. However, when a person’s passion to create bubbles to the surface, it’s often impossible not to follow that dream. You obviously have a better chance of survival if you study hard and take expert advice, and that’s the case with Thursday Fragrance. One of the latest cabs off the rank in terms of perfume companies, they’ve done their homework, and it shows in their debut trio of scents.

Monday, 28 August 2023

1828 by Histoires de Parfums

A bottle of the 1828 perfume from Histoires de Perfumes in front of two Jules Verne books
The quest for new experiences and undiscovered places is something that seems to resonate deeply with fragrance fans. This may be because the ingredients that are used in perfumery come from all around the world, perhaps it’s because we understand the exciting link between science and synthetics, or it could just be that we’re an inquisitive bunch. Whatever the reason, linking fragrance to the idea of mysterious lands and vast oceans is irresistibly tantalising. When Histoires de Parfums used Jules Verne as the inspiration for a scent it was always destined to have a nod to travel, so get ready to set sail with 1828.

Monday, 21 August 2023

GARRIGUE by Maître Parfumeur et Gantier

A bottle of Garrigue perfume by Maître Parfumeur et Gantier
There are few things as instantly pleasurable as being confronted with a little piece of French history, especially when it doesn’t come with an auctioneer’s price tag. The act of holding something that harks back to a simpler time, a pre-social media time, is sometimes the much-needed reset that we all crave. Now, achieving this through genuine antiques can be costly, but that’s where companies that use traditional crafts as their inspiration can thrive. Maître Parfumeur et Gantier is one such company, and their grasp of timeless French tradition goes “hand in glove” with what a modern audience is searching for.

Monday, 14 August 2023

STEPHAN'S SIX - JANE JOHNSON

A picture of author Jane Johnson

Disappearing into a book is something that was instilled into me from childhood, and it’s still a wonderful alternative to costly airfares and long journeys. Jane Johnson is a Cornish author who splits her time between Mousehole and Morocco, and is lucky enough to work from home as a Fiction Publishing Director for HarperCollins. Her latest book, The Black Crescent, uses scented descriptions to help conjure emotions and locations, and so it’s the perfect time to discover her own fragrance memories in “Stephan’s Six”.

Monday, 7 August 2023

G CLEF by Sarah Baker Perfumes

A bottle of G clef perfume on top of a copy of Agatha Christie's Dead Man's Folly book
The way each of us interprets a fragrance is often, in a great way, completely different. The ingredients stir up memories that are individual to the wearer and, even though the perfume company may have given us their inspiration and fragranced story, the ultimate reaction to the spritzed scent is very personal. It’s also often the case that fragrances cross over into our other passions and interests, and that’s exactly what happened with G Clef from Sarah Baker Perfumes. Originally designed as a salute to “live jazz and waterfront clubs”, in my crime fiction-filled head it evoked the boathouse murder scene from Agatha Christie’s Dead Man’s Folly.

Monday, 31 July 2023

STEPHAN'S SIX - DAVID BENEDEK

Photograph of David Benedek, founder of bdk Parfums

Launching a fragrance company is something that isn’t for the faint hearted, but the success of bdk Parfums shows that it’s possible when quality and dedication isn’t compromised. David Benedek founded the company in 2016 with a quintet of fragrances, and the collection now numbers an impressive nineteen. With a family link to fragrance that drew him to create bdk Parfums, I thought it was time to discover David’s scented memories during “Stephan’s Six”.

Monday, 24 July 2023

NATURE by Contradictions in ILK

A bottle of the new Nature perfume from Contradictions in ILK
Our natural surroundings are being destroyed and disrupted by mammoth building projects and ill-thought-out renovations. It's a fact. City streets are having their trees uprooted, parks are being locked outside of “respectable” hours, and wild habitats are being constantly covered in concrete and breeze blocks. We’re in danger of forgetting that nature and architecture used to once coexist happily alongside each other, so it’s the perfect time to be reminded by the inventive Contradictions in ILK. Famous for offering us all two sides of the same coin, you're going to love their latest fragrance Nature.

Monday, 17 July 2023

STEPHAN'S SIX - NANCY MEILAND

A picture of perfumer Nancy Meiland

A journey into the world of perfume can come in many ways, but for Nancy Meiland it was a coming together of two disciplines. Originally a successful actress, Nancy also worked as assistant to renowned perfumer Anastasia Brozler. Now a perfume run her own right, this combination of theatricality and technical knowledge shines through in her fragrances, but I wanted to see what scented secrets she would reveal during “Stephan’s Six”.

Monday, 10 July 2023

ENCENS ET CREDRE by 1000 Flowers

A bottle of Encens et Cedre wellness water by 1000 Flowers
There are certain fragrance styles that forever feel as though they’re pushed to the limit with overwhelming volume and aggression, and so finding one where the perfumer has deliberately gone in the other direction is always an absolute joy. Delicacy and contentment mixing with a feeling of intimacy and fascination may sound like a combination that is impossible to achieve, but I’m happy to say it has. Encens et Cedre is the latest release from 1000 Flowers and, under the ever-inspiring eye of perfumer Jessica Buchanan, sits seamlessly alongside her existing “eau de bien-être” fragrances to create an unrivalled trio.