PARFUMS DE MARLY VALAYA
FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FLORAL
TOP NOTES: bergamot, mandarin, white peach
HEART NOTES: orange flower, nympheal, vetiver
BASE NOTES: akigalawood, ambrofix, musk
PARFUMS DE MARLY VALAYA
An investment piece we like to imagine as couture lingerie – think of this scent as a silken second skin that may be layered beneath whatever you choose, to make it your very own bespoke scent; or delicately flaunted in all its bare glory. The reassuring chicness of pared-back aldehydes and lily of the valley add tender delicacy to transparent orange blossom, while the woodier dry-down gently whispers of airy, cool vetiver, and a whisper of ambroxan-laden muskiness. Gauzy and graceful it may be, but it stays on skin like the memory of a kiss which makes you shiver delightfully at the suggestive innocence of, and feel a blush blooming beneath... We suggest wearing Valaya on its own for your first sniff, to allow your skin to take on its character and experience this in its own right. Later, though, we urge you to try it as a silken, secret layer to experiment with.
Renowned for their scented extravagances, the Royal Court of King Louis XV became known as ‘la cour parfumée‘ – ‘The Perfumed Court’. Parfums de Marly continue that 18th Century tradition of fine fragrance, harnessing the very best of traditional and modern perfumery techniques and materials and revisiting the decadent flacon designs of perfume’s golden age. With stunning bottles and a wide range of luxurious fragrances for men and women that encompass every taste it is easy to fall head over heels for this heritage brand. For truly, Parfums de Marly have cracked the code of mixing historic intrigue with contemporary style.
SMELLING NOTES:
EXPLORE: Parfums de Marly VALAYA
• Close your eyes and imagine where Valaya takes you – what do you dream?
• If Valaya were a piece of music, what instrument would play it?
• How do you imagine layering Valaya after this first wearing?
• Would you consider wearing Valaya to bed, perhaps?
• Which three words best sum up Valaya for you? Silky? Soft? Chic? Over to you…
From £230 for 170ML EAU DE PARFUM uk.parfums-de-marly.com
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SIGNORINA LIBERA
FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FLORAL
TOP NOTES: bergamot, pear, elemi
HEART NOTES: orris, rose, plum
BASE NOTES: pink sugar, ambroxan, cashmeran
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
SIGNORINA LIBERA
Jérôme Epinette adds a delicious luminosity to this latest fruity, floral and oh-so fun fragrance, the bergamot and elemi zipping through the lusciously juicy pear notes in the opening whoosh, while the bouquet appears in the heart and the addictive base swoons with delight. Think sunshine illuminating an Italian street, a confident woman walking insouciantly about her day, stopping now and again to buy from local market stalls. Signorina Libera is all about celebrating freedom, being whomever you wish and living life your own way. So, let’s have her wearing a lemon tulle ballgown in the day, just because. She gathers armfuls of roses, dusts fresh plums with pink powdered sugar and twirls with abandon, empowered by sunlight and optimism.
Today, Salvatore Ferragamo is a global luxury brand. But its roots are quite humble – and fascinating. Salvatore Ferragamo was a farmer’s boy from Bonito, a small village 100 kilometres south of Naples, whose ticket to a new life in America happened to be a way with leather. When his family couldn’t afford a pair of white shoes for his sister’s confirmation, Salvatore had a go. Clearly a natural, he went on to create over 20,000 styles, for stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Lauren, Lauren Bacall, Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe. The fragrances are equally Italian style personified, eternally youthful in spirit and with the classic grosgrain ribbon on the bottles echoing Ferragamo’s bestselling ‘Vera’ shoe design. Bellissima!
SMELLING NOTES:
EXPLORE: Salvatore
Ferragamo SIGNORINA LIBERA
• Where in the world would you like to wear this scent?
• Imagine the bespoke shoes you’d have made to accompany Signorina Libera’s outfit…
• Which of the fruity notes do you notice first, on your skin?
• And what of the floral heart –when does it appear, for you?
• Which three words best sum up Signorina Libera for you? Joyful? Optimistic? Mediterranean? Over to you…
ATKINSONS
MINT & TONIC
FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FRESH CITRUS
TOP NOTES: mint, lime, grapefruit
HEART NOTES: ginger, geranium, mandarin
BASE NOTES: white cedar, musk, vetiver
ATKINSONS MINT & TONIC
A bracingly fresh fragrance as the cold weather-front sets in, you say? Icy cool mint for icy cold climes, you say? Well, why the devil not, we say. This is, after all, an Atkinsons fragrance — the brand that epitomises English eccentricity better than any other, in our opinion. And there is method in this seeming madness: the invigorating energy brought about by mint, particularly when amplified with zingy grapefruit and lime, whips up a sort of sparky heat that is as aromatically warming as it is unexpected. The clever heart accord of warmth-giving ginger and crunchy-green geranium then keep this feeling going,only to be perfectly rounded off by a lightbut-toasty base of white woods and musk.
Smart scents that play on, challenge and defy expectations is something Atkinsons has become extremely good at; no surprise, really, since the brand has been fine-tuning fragrances since 1799. Quirky concepts are balanced with remarkable compositions; dandified characters juxtaposed with nonchalant elegance; and all of this with a generous dose of utterly original contemporary British style and, naturally, good humour.
SMELLING NOTES:
EXPLORE: Atkinsons
MINT & TONIC
• What era would this fragrance suit? Why?
• Do you feel this scent is genderneutral / shareable?
• Which cocktails does this fragrance bring to mind?
• Do you find that this scent warms you up or cools you down? How?
• Which three words best sum up Mint & Tonic for you? Refreshing? Eccentric? Refined? Over to you...
MOLTON BROWN
NEON AMBER
FRAGRANCE FAMILY: AMBER ORIENTAL
TOP NOTES: bergamot, cistus oil
HEART NOTES: hay, tonka, amber
BASE NOTES: ambroxan, tobacco, patchouli
MOLTON BROWN NEON AMBER
If you’re looking for a scent to wrap up in this season; one that feels like a butter-soft cashmere blanket giving you a warm, enveloping hug, then look no further. In this, Neon Amber Eau de Parfum, glowing amber is reimagined with some unexpected bedfellows – a generous dose of creamy tonka, dark, toasty hay notes and deep tobacco undertones. The result is a shareable scent that is classically sophisticated while being piqued with little nuggets of olfactive surprise – an intelligent and enquiring fragrance, we feel.
Like all Molton Brown’s finely crafted, RoyalWarrant-holding fragrances and toiletries, the Neon Amber scent – which is part of its new The Opulent Collections – extends to an Eau de Toilette, Bath & Shower Gel, Body Lotion, and Deodorant Spray, all of which are blended in London with ingredients sourced from all over the world. And if you can’t get enough, it’s worth sampling The Opulent Collections’ sister scent, Labdanum Dusk you’re welcome
SMELLING NOTES:
EXPLORE: Molton Brown
NEON AMBER
• Which novels and their characters does this scent bring to mind? Why?
• How would you accessorise this fragrance?
• What amber-coloured cocktail would best accompany this scent?
• Which note feels the most glowing and warm? Why?
• Which three words best sum up Neon Amber for you? Comforting? Glowing? Sophisticated? Over to you…
£120 for 100ML eau de parfum moltonbrown.co.uk
EDENISTE
VÉTIVER IMAGINAIRE
FRAGRANCE FAMILY: WOODY SPICY
TOP NOTES: grapefruit oil, mandarin oil, orange
HEART NOTES: jasmine, freesia, rose
BASE NOTES: vetiver oil, cedarwood, musk, amber
EDENISTE VÉETIVER IMAGINAIRE
Fresh, zesty grapefruit and mandarin sparkle and fizz waking up the senses on first spritz. You can feel the light and joy permeating your lungs as you breathe this in. Fresh, powdery freesia and slightly sweet jasmine add an opulence along with the rose swirling around. All grounded by the vetiver, herbal, earthy and a little bit smoky for extra depth to this up-lifting, heart-warming, life-enhancing fragrance.
Edeniste is a ground-breaking perfume house incorporating neuroscience into fine fragrance. Olfactory research has proven the effect of molecules on an individual’s well-being. Founder Audrey Semeraro has brought together this research, and perfumers Aurélien Guichard and Jérôme di Marino using the finest ingredients, to produce perfumes that really do impact our mood. Each of the eaux du parfum in the Edeniste range contain the active patented accord ‘Destress’. As well as the eaux de parfum, there are Lifeboost® essences. Proven to stimulate certain areas of the brain, they can all be layered over any of the eaux de parfum to give a myriad of possible scent experiences.
Audrey says "Becoming aware of our inner self and how it balances with our outer self is the foundation for good physical and mental wellbeing."
SMELLING NOTES:
EXPLORE: Edeniste
VÉTIVER IMAGINAIRE
• Does this fragrance bring any moments of calm to mind?
• If you could travel anywhere with this scent, where would it be?
• Do you wear fragrance to change your mood?
• What do you think the citrus notes add to this scent?
• When you need cheering up?
• If you could describe Vétiver Imaginaire in three words, what would they be? Elegant? Sparkling? Uplifting? Over to you…
AR g ENTUM
LOVER + LOVER SERUM
FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FLORAL MUSK
TOP NOTES: green geranium, pink peppercorn
HEART NOTES: Iranian rose, raspberry
BASE NOTE: musk
AR g ENTUM LOVER + LOVER SERUM
Yearning for summer days and the warm sun caressing the skin, beautifully realised in Lover The opening burst of pink pepper and citrus sets up that sunshine illusion before delicious notes of rosy raspberry conjure a relaxed comfort that is so associated with warmer months. You’re also gifted an aromatic green quality, thanks to the geranium, that adds a long-lasting interest on the skin. With a final dusting of sand-like musk, you really are transported to a beach setting, with the gentlest tease of water lapping at your feet.
We love new ways to wear fragrance at the Perfume Society, so when Argentum created their collection of alcohol-free eau de parfums we knew we had to try them. The water-based formulas created by perfumer Delphine Thierry make them perfect for the hair and the skin, and even moisturise at the same time. So now you really can “perfume positively”.
SMELLING NOTES:
EXPLORE: Argentum
LOVER + LOVER SeRUM
• What do you notice about the difference between this water-based fragrance and the traditional alcohol-based fragrances?
• This fragrance has 94% ingredients from natural origin – how does this change the way you approach it?
• Raspberry notes are popular in perfumery at the moment, but how do they make you feel?
• How does the performance differ between spraying it on your hair to spraying it on your skin?
• If you could describe Become in three words, what would they be? Solar? Captivating? Tender? Over to you…
From £228 for 70ML EAU DE PARFUM perfumesociety.org
SHAY & BLUE BLUEBERRY MUSK
FRAGRANCE FAMILY: light floral
TOP NOTES: blueberry, orange
HEART NOTES: magnolia, orange blossom
BASE NOTES: musk, cashmere wood
& BLUE BLUEBERRY MUSK
Blueberry Musk feels like the ultimate fruit salad, and there’s even a bit of a 1980s vibe to it. The blueberries and orange segments are blended with slices of banana and crisp apple slices, all covered with a delicately sweetened juice. The perfume does also has a floral heart of magnolia and a cashmere wood, that could almost hint at fuzzy peach skin. Who’s craving a fruit salad?
Perfumes that are “made for everyone and anyone” are definitely the way ahead, as we start to break the myth that flowers are for girls and woods are for boys. Shay & Blue are a small team of rebels who create fun fragrances that are 100% natural and, in their words, ask us to “be bold – be different – be better”.
SMELLING NOTES:
EXPLORE: Shay & Blue BLUEBERRY MUSK
• Fruity notes, like blueberry, are often described as 'mouthwatering', but how does this perfume make you feel?
• How does Blueberry Musk compare to other fragrances that you’ve tried from Shay & Blue?
• Floral fragrances are often more associated with women’s perfumes, so how have they made this fragrance genderless?
• What berry would you like to see turned into a fragrance, and why?
• If you could describe Blueberry Musk in three words, what would they be? Youthful? Joyous? Light-hearted? Over to you…
MONCLER
SUNRISE POUR FEMME
FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FLORAL woody
TOP NOTES: pear, violet leaves, grapefruit
HEART NOTES: peony, freesia, lilly of the valley, jasmine
BASE NOTES: sandalwood, amber, cedarwood
MONCLER
SUNRISE POUR FEMME
Creating an exciting yet delicate bouquet is a real art, but that is exactly what you are treated to thanks to the expertise of Christophe Raynaud, Antoine Maisondieu and Quentin Bisch. The floral heart of peony, freesia, lily of the valley and jasmine is pierced with a crunchy pear and grapefruit blend but, in a very clever addition, the hint of violet at the beginning creates a sensuousness that links perfectly to the amber in the base. This perfume is described as “a contrast between softness and strength”, and the final touch of sandalwood plays perfectly with both of these.
Italian luxury meets alpine living with Moncler, thanks to its original home town of Monestier-deClermont in France. Founded back in 1952, it would be an incredible 69 years before it launched its debut duo of fragrances, but it’s quickly established a lasting reputation for perfume that truly mirrors its reputation for fashion. You don’t need snow anymore to enjoy Moncler!
SMELLING NOTES:
EXPLORE: Moncler
SUNRISE POUR FEMME
• Violet as in ingredient is experiencing a revival, but how would you describe its scent?
• Which of your friends would love this perfume, and why?
• This perfume is aimed at women, but do you think that fragrance has a gender, and why?
• What ingredients would you pick to bring to life the idea of a sunrise?
• If you could describe Sunrise Pour Femme in three words, what would they be? Feminine? Charming? Sophisticated? Over to you…
YARDLEY LONDON
ENGLISH ROSE HAND CREAM
FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Floral
TOP NOTES: citrus, rose, tea accord
HEART NOTES: rose bud, magnolia, violet, cassis
BASE NOTES: patchouli, musk
YARDLEY LONDON
A light but luxurious nourishing hand cream from one of the most successful and iconic soap and perfumery houses in the UK. Inspired by England’s diverse and varied flowers, and the most classic of all English blooms – the English Rose – a flower associated with beauty, grace and femininity throughout the ages, Yardley London remain committed to discovering fragrances using natural ingredients.
With Vitamin E to fight against ageing English Rose Hand Cream absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving hands feeling soft, smooth and delicately fragranced, whilst conditioning and strengthening the nails. Citrus and a tea accord are used to refresh the scent of rosebuds, along with charmingly green yet softly powdery violet, the perfect creamy waxiness of the magnolia blossoms and a fruity note of cassis. Adding a velvety tone, the base is enhanced with patchouli and musk.
Unmistakeably feminine, calming and comforting notes put us in mind of twilit parties on a summer lawn, floaty dresses and a glass or two of something fizzy, perhaps…
ENGLISH ROSE HAND CREAM From £2.99 for 50ML yardleylondon.co.uk
SMELLING NOTES:
EXPLORE: yardley
london english rose
hand cream
• What emotion(s) does English Rose evoke in you?
• Which famous English garden does this hand cream remind you of?
• Which rose are you? Classic? Modern? Wild?
• Which three words best sum up English Rose for you? Playful? Welcoming? Airy? Over to you…