Scintillating Scents Smelling Notes

SCINTILLATING SCENTS

The dictionary definition of ‘scintillating’ is sparkling, twinkling, or brilliant.

In this box we have brought together a collection of utterly fabulous fragrances to enchant, enrapture and enthrall. Whether that’s because the fragrance itself exudes a certain radiance, or it enhances your own endearing qualities. Be captivated with an evocative new perfume. Or try layering a deeper, muskier scent with a shimmering, brighter one over the top, creating your own unique expression.

Whatever you decide, enjoy this exciting array of essences.

The Perfume Society theperfumesociety Perfume_Society

AKRO INK

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Woody

TOP NOTES: jasmine, birch

HEART NOTE: ink

BASE NOTE: vetiver

AKRO INK

Master Perfumer Olivier Cresp’s house explores addictions in olfactory form; inspired here by those addicted to adorning their skin via the art of tattoo, Cresp spent time in tattoo parlours smelling inks and materials used. Featuring guaiac wood, ambrette seed, cypriol, birch and vetiver on a musky cedar base, there are ripples of cool milkiness, too, and for those not particularly into tattoos, we think the smoky, almost metallic accord evokes pools of spilled ink on wooden desks. Addictive? Absolutely!

Explaining this latest creative exploration of desire, AKRO says, "We’ve always been fascinated by the parallels between tattoos and perfumery… Cold, alluring, with notes of black ink, tar, vetiver, and jasmine – For those who’ve fallen under the spell of this ancient art, it’s much more than a bit of body decoration; it’s a reminder of a time, a place, a fleeting moment that becomes a permanent memento. A good fragrance works similarly –something you carry on your skin, to remind you of who you were at a moment in time."

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: AKRO INK

• Have you got (or ever thought of having) a tattoo? What symbol would you choose?

• Does this fragrance remind you of a particular time, person, or place?

• What celebrity could you picture wearing this scent?

• If you drew this perfume’s portrait in ink, what designs would you incorporate?

• Which three words best sum up Ink for you? Mysterious? Creative? Magnetic? Over to you...

From £140 for 100 ml eau de parfum fenwick.co.uk

akro fragrances akrofragrances

FLORAL STREET BLACK LOTUS

FLORAL STREET BLACK LOTUS

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Ambrée Woody

TOP NOTES: black cherry, red peppercorn, saffron

HEART NOTES: centifolia rose, black violet, narcotic musk flower

BASE NOTES: patchouli fraction, labdanum, black leather

This is not your average rose: here, the bloom is dressed to swagger in a vegan leather jacket – the kind of insouciant cool we all crave, a speciality that oozes confidence and charm in equal measure. Says Floral Street: "Complex and multi-faceted, the sweet, honeyed scent of centifolia rose adds depth to lighter, spicy nunaces by way of red peppercorn and saffron. Once smelt, forever adored." And we couldn’t agree more! Having lavishly sprayed this scent we feel a certain swagger to our own steps.

A melting-pot of British culture and style was the inspiration for this flower-powered house. As perfumer Jérome Épinette explains: "Floral Street represents a modern way to emphasise the beauty of flowers. The collection is vibrant, energetic, and feminine. I am lucky enough to work with the most exquisite raw materials extracted from nature –but with the same high level of quality." With an impeccable ethos for sustainability, recycling and not harming nature, this award-winning house have shaken up the scent world in the best way.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: FLORAL STREET BLACK LOTUS

• Other than leather, what textural sensations does this scent suggest to you?

• Do you notice rose throughout, or is it particularly prominent at some stage?

• Inspired by London’s cool fashion-savvy, what outfit would you wear with it?

• Directing the ad campaign, what soundtrack would accompany this scent?

• Which three words best sum up Black Lotus for you? Cool? Vibrant? Effortless? Over to you...

From £100 for 100 ml eau de parfum floralstreet.co.uk

floralstreetfragrances floralstreet_

JULIETTE HAS A GUN EGO STRATIS

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FRESH

TOP NOTES: bergamot, mandarin, lemon

HEART NOTES: neroli, calone (marine note), blueberry

BASE NOTES: cedar, ambroxan, musks

JULIETTE HAS A GUN EGO STRATIS

With a motto of ‘I am not one, I am many’ this always-exciting French niche house invites us to explore the multiple layers of who we actually are. Looking within, then, let us revel in the layers of this ultra-modern Cologne style fragrance, which reveals sparkling freshness up top with refined yet joyous notes of citrus. Neroli always brings us radiant joy no matter our mood (or the weather!) With a mysterious marine note in the heart, resting on a base of transparent and immediately transporting reassuring muskiness, here’s a way to discover our true scented selves.

Juliette Has a Gun’s founder, Romano Ricci, has perfume in his DNA. His great-grandmother was the legendary couturier Nina Ricci, and his grandfather Robert was creator of the equally iconic L’Air du Temps. Although growing up surrounded by fashion and fragrance, Ricci learned the art of fragrance creation from scratch. As for the name? "The innocent Juliet of Shakespeare is a metaphor for the perfume: weapon of seduction, or simple accessory of bluff."

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: JULIETTE HAS A GUN EGO STRATIS

• Which of the citrus notes does your nose recognise first?

• Have you tried wearing ‘Cologne’ style scents in cooler weather before?

• If this Juliette were in a modern adaptation, who’d play her in your movie?

• In the dry down, when are you aware of the musk warming on your skin?

• Which three words best sum up Ego Stratis for you? Refreshing? Fascinating? Modern? Over to you...

From £120 for 100 ml eau de parfum Johnlewis.com

juliettehasagun juliettehasagun

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

LA BELLE

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Floral Ambrée

TOP NOTES: pear, bergamot

HEART NOTES: floral notes, leather

BASE NOTES: vanilla, vetiver, amber, musk

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER LA BELLE

Deliciously alluring, and always with the cheeky wink one expects of a Jean Paul Gaultier creation, La Belle exudes a mouth-watering sensuality amidst succulent fruitiness. As juicy, ripe pear juice trickles on the zesty sparkle of bergamot’s brightness, suddenly the lights are dimmed, candles lit, and the dance of seduction begins… We love the way the soft, supple leather notes are entwined by swags of flowers in the heart, and we don’t know about you, but for us the greatest pleasure is in the base: Warm, inviting, vanilla-rich – it’s irresistible.

Jean Paul Gaultier (b. 1952) grew up in Arcueil, a suburb south of Paris. His grandmother, so we’re told, was hugely influential: Calèche -swathed Marie Garrabe was a ‘wellness counsellor’ who advised her clients to dress better to improve their lives –thus introducing Gaultier to the power of clothes. Often described as the ‘enfant terrible’ of the fashion and fragrance world, Jean Paul Gaultier is provocative, saucy, rebellious, witty – and a creative genius; characteristics most certainly found in the fragrances, too.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: JEAN PAUL GAULTIER LA BELLE

• We detect a saucy sweetness throughout the scent, do you?

• Have you tried any other JPG fragrances? Do you recognise his style?

• What occasion or time of day do you think this fragrance would best suit?

• What types of fragrance are you usually seduced by? Does sweetness help?

• Which three words best sum up La Belle for you? Enticing? Confident? Naughty? Over to you...

From £78 for 50 ml eau de parfum boots.com

jeanpaulgaultier jeanpaulgaultier

ROBERT PIGUET

ROBERT PIGUET V

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Floral Ambrée

TOP NOTES: bergamot, pear, ylang

HEART NOTES: rose, peach

BASE NOTES: vanilla, sandalwood, gourmand leathery accord

V was formally known as Visa when it launched in 1947, and having been carefully re-imagined and recomposed in 2007, has since regained the love of its avid followers, as well as gathering a whole new selection of ardent admirers. And no wonder. Celebrating the excitement and glamour of travel via exotic ylang ylang and succulent pear on armfuls of roses and cinnamon-flecked white peach, V remains faithful to Robert Piguet’s original concept with a few new fragrant charms of its own.

Having opened his first Parisian atelier in 1933, it wasn’t long before the great and the good flocked to his doors demanding to be dressed by him. World-famous artists such as Jean Cocteau, Colette, and Jean Marais. Robert Piguet’s legendary designs earned him the nickname 'The Prince of Fashion', with artists and stars clustering around him and none other than Christian Dior declaring that Piguet "…taught me the virtues of simplicity through which elegance must come." Now, the utterly exquisite Piguet perfumes have even eclipsed this fashion fame.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: ROBERT PIGUET V

• Do you recognise a classic style of perfumery in V, along with a daring modernity?

• Wearing this fragrance, where in the world would you like to travel?

• Which classic film star would wear this, and which modern star?

• What stage of the scent’s development on your skin are you most drawn to?

• Which three words best sum up V for you? Timeless? Exotic? Decadent? Over to you...

From £165 for 100 ml EAU de Parfum fenwick.co.uk

Robert piguet parfums rpparfums

BDK PARFUMS

GRIS CHARNEL EXTRAIT

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Ambrée WOODY

TOP NOTES: cardamom, black tea, fig accord

HEART NOTES: iris, ciste, vetiver

BASE NOTES: patchouli, vanilla, cedar, sandalwood, tonka bean

BDK PARFUMS

GRIS CHARNEL EXTRAIT

An intensified version of the original, this doesn’t merely turn up the power: patchouli has been invited to the party, a seamless ripple of noir that nuzzles at the silkiness of sandalwood and nutty tonka in the base. Cool cardamom slinks throughout, combined with smoky black tea, Bourbon vetiver, a lick of fig milk and dusting of orris. Wearing this, we know those who’ve been begged to reveal their addictive scent.

Founder David Benedek‘s family played a pivotal role in sharing the love of fine perfume, shaping the fragrance industry itself. His Romanian grandfather studied French and, together with David’s grandmother, imported French fragrances to U.S. troops on army bases to send as gifts. David’s grandmother built up a clientele of elegant, perfume-wearing people, and now the family’s prestigious Benlux perfumery boutique, opposite the Louvre near the Palais-Royal – purveying luxury goods, while continuing to attract scent-seeking tourists from around the world. For BDK Parfums he says: "I wanted to translate the Parisian heritage of perfume, in a very contemporary way."

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: BDK PARFUMS GRIS CHARNEL EXTRAIT

• Have you ever been asked by a stranger what scent you’re wearing?

• What is it that makes this fragrance so addictive, do you think?

• Have you tried the original version of this scent, yet? How do they compare?

• Do you recognise the fig note in Gris Charnel Extrait? Or the tea?

• Which three words best sum up Gris Charnel Extrait for you? Smoky? Milky? Moreish? Over to you...

From £220 for 100 ml extrait de parfum selfridges.com

bdk parfums bdkparfumsparis

COMME DES GARÇONS

ZERO

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: WOODY

TOP NOTE: bergamot

HEART NOTES: Haitian vetiver, rose oxide

BASE NOTES: cashmere, musk, cedar

COMME DES GARÇONS ZERO

Paring back excess and delivering a radical expression of simplicity, and with ‘sustainability’ being the buzzword in the fragrance world right now, here’s Comme des Garçons’ initiative. This fragrance aims for zero carbon, via cool vetiver – which is having a ‘moment’ right now – sitting alongside bergamot oil and synthetic, almost varnish-like rose oxide. Then as ZERO warms on the skin, cedarwood – hand-harvested and extracted using hydroelectric power, we’re told – emerges, sweetened by Cashmeran. Minimalist construction, maximum olfactory pleasure…

When Comme des Garçons moved into fragrance, they became become known (and loved) for breaking rules in the fragrance world, just as they have with fashion: often taking single ingredients (such as incense, or leaves, or sherbet), and interpreting them in myriad, modernist ways. The house’s name means ‘like the boys’ and was inspired by lyrics by the French chanteuse Francoise Hardy. As Vogue commented, it was chosen because it sounded good, "but it proved ironically apt for designs that challenged the traditional feminine ideal." Bravely uncompromising, ZERO resets your scented expectations.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: COMME DES GARÇONS ZERO

• Are you consciously looking for more sustainable scent brands, now?

• We feel this is the perfect go-to scent for every day, how about you?

• Is the aroma molecule Cashmeran fluffy, cosy, and comforting for you?

• Do you have a scent you go for on those ‘nothing to wear’ days? Could this be it?

• Which three words best sum up ZERO for you? Minimalist? Wearable? Comforting? Over to you...

commedesgarconparfums

From £120 for 100 ml eau de parfum Selfridges.com

EIGHT & BOB CAP D’ANTIBES

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FRESH

TOP NOTES: mint, violet leaves, birch

HEART NOTES: cinnamon, moss, aromatic notes

BASE NOTES: cedarwood, incense, vanilla

EIGHT & BOB CAP D’ANTIBES

Perfumer Albert Fouquet enjoyed long holidays from spring until the last days of summer (lucky him!), in Antibes. "Unforgettable mornings spent sailing in the Grande Bleue, golden sunsets were enjoyed, and balmy evenings enlivened with exclusive celebrities and charming parties", explains Eight & Bob. Striving for a scent that recalling pleasant memories, even in colder climes, the result was Cap D'Antibes. Radiating sunshine, uplifting no matter the weather. Here’s a fragrance that dares you to dream of better days.

Eight & Bob’s story began with Albert Fouquet, then a young Parisian aristocrat, and perfume connoisseur who loved to blend his own essences, on the top floor of the family chateau. One night on the French Riviera, during his summer vacation, Albert met and got on incredibly well with a young American student. His name was John F. Kennedy. JFK was apparently ‘captivated’ by the scent his new friend was wearing and persuaded him to leave a sample of the Cologne at his hotel. The rest, as they say, is history…

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: EIGHT & BOB CAP D’ANTIBES

• Try wearing this on a colder or darker-mood day: does it uplift you?

• Did you know the fascinating history of the house? (perfumesociety.org for more!)

• What does the note of violet leaf add? How about the incense?

• Who would you invite to a party, while wearing this?

• Which three words best sum up Cap D’Antibes for you? Sophisticated? Joyful? Aromatic? Over to you...

From £161 for 100 ml eau de parfum fenwick.co.uk

eight&bob eightandbob

LALIQUE SOLEIL VIBRANT

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: WOODY

TOP NOTES: bergamot, pear, ginger, clementine

HEART NOTES: jasmine sambac, saffron, orange blossom

BASE NOTES: dreamwood, bourbon vanilla, cedar

LALIQUE SOLEIL VIBRANT

Pale gold fingers of light stroke pearly skin, a sip of coffee, a moment of peace, a hushed sigh of satisfaction. A collaboration between perfumers and neuroscientists, here’s a scent specifically designed to trigger the feeling of happiness. How we still need it! Featuring 100% ‘upcycled’ jasmine used in traditional Indian spiritual ceremonies (and usually thrown away) atop honeyed orange blossom, a tingle of ginger and sizzling saffron grants the warmth of afternoon sun kissing the skin, a luxuriant sense of stretching golden limbs and urging yourself on to explore every facet of your adventurous soul.

The tale of Lalique is inextricably bound up with the history of perfume itself. René Lalique, who began designing jewellery for Cartier, Boucheron (and so many more) became the most innovative glass designer of his time, creating collectible bottles for many of the world’s most exclusive and iconic perfumes. Still ensuring their fragrances are housed in exquisite flaçons, Lalique use the world’s best noses and high-tech, modern perfumery techniques alongside their unique heritage.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: LALIQUE SOLEIL VIBRANT

• Can you ever feel a fragrance changing your mood? How about this one?

• Have you noticed which notes in a scent can make you feel more vibrant?

• How would you describe the character of someone wearing this?

• Where abouts does this fragrance make you think of, or dream of being now?

• Which three words best sum up Soleil Vibrant for you? Luminous? Warm? Exciting? Over to you...

lalique lalique

From

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

LOUBIMAR

LÉGÈRE CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN LOUBIMAR LÉGÈRE

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: WOODY

TOP NOTES: lemon oil, salty accord

HEART NOTE: tuberose

BASE NOTE: musk

Immersing your senses in a love of mystery, distinct ocean memories plunge from the brightness of the opening trough a salty splash of waves and into the unexpected opulence of the floral heart. Notoriously a hyper feminine fragrance note, here the tuberose has been perfectly juxtaposed against the more savoury sense of the beginning, creating a rounded scent finally (and perfectly) cocooned in the embrace of the musky base.

Fragrance is often described as an ‘invisible accessory,’ and to the delight of fragrance (and fashion) fans everywhere, the acclaimed design house of Christian Louboutin added perfumes to their wardrobe. Having first burst onto the fashion scene in 1992, his mantra was: "I create things that allow people to tap into what’s already there." Well, he clearly tapped in to a deep, latent longing for the full-force, unashamed glamour. It wasn’t long before the Hollywood glitterati began striding forth in the now iconic, red-soled shoes. These are scents imbued with the vibrancy, vivacity and va-va-voom that’s so emblematic of the house.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN LOUBIMAR LÉGÈRE

• How long do you notice the salty notes on your skin, what do they add?

• What mood would you ascribe to this fragrance, when would you wear it?

• Do you feel the tuberose in here becomes gender-free thanks to the balance?

• Where abouts does this fragrance make you think of, or dream of being now?

• Which three words best sum up Loubimar Légère for you? Unexpected? Glamorous? Balanced? Over to you...

From £235 for 90 ml eau de parfum Selfridges.com

Christian Louboutin louboutinbeauty

D’OTTO

1+7 / 2+6 / 3+5 / 5+3 / 6+2

FRAGRANCE FAMILIES: FougÈre / Woody / Floral / Floral / Woody

You’ll receive one of these five incredibly artistic fragrance from this new niche house, D’OTTO, who explain their creative inspirations, saying: "Visual artists express themselves through shape and colour, free from rigid boundaries and expectations. Perfumers transmit emotional messages by composing fragrances with olfactory notes and accords. These approaches in both art and perfumery are inextricably linked – forms of communication and powerful sources of human emotion that speak to our inner child, bringing memories to the forefront of our minds in an instant..."

For 1+7, Jackson Pollock’s Number 31 painting is imbued through a distinctly aquatic fougère. Citrus notes depict white paint flecks while lavender and sage bring natural tones of green, Cambodian oudh and ambergris pick out the darker splashes.

Within 2+6, Kazimir Severinovič Malevič’s revolutionary painting, Black Square fuses spicy warmth via black pepper and carnation, red sandalwood and Bulgarian rose plunging to the plush, velvety darkness of Indian oudh and an addictive sweetness.

Joyful floral notes, meanwhile, are utilised for the translation of Klee’s abstract Red Balloon within 3+5, ripe apricot and plum atop sparkling jasmine and tuberose, grounded by creamy vanilla and smooth sandalwood.

Piet Mondrian’s painting Composition II in Red, Yellow and Blue is evoked in 5+3, using honeyed tobacco, Florentine iris and delicate florals juxtaposed against dark birchwood and black flecks of vanilla.

For 6+2, the inspiration is Vasily Kandinsky’s painting Yellow, Red, Blue – it throbs threads of golden balsam through smoky swirls of intense woods on a complex amber base.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE: D’OTTO

1+7 / 2+6 / 3+5 / 5+3 / 6+2

• Have you ever thought of connecting colour and smells before, can you now?

• Google the painting your scent’s inspired by – do you feel its character?

• If you painted a picture of this fragrance, what materials would you use?

• Do you think you feel more artistic when wearing a creatively inspired perfume?

• Which three words best sum up your D’OTTO fragrance? Creative? Textural? Colourful? Over to you...

D’Otto Fragrances dottofragrances

From £225-£275 for 100 ml extrait de parfum Selfridges.com

perfumesociety.org

We hope you love your box – and enjoyed these Smelling Notes Explore our other Perfume Society Discovery Boxes – and print issues of our 60-page award-winning magazineThe Scented Letter – via: perfumesociety.org/SHOP