Tag: green

Magical-feeling herbal scents – for ‘spooky season’ & beyond…

Magical herbs have been woven into the fabric of folklore and perfumery for centuries, their aromatic qualities inspiring legends of healing, protection and enchantment. In ancient times, thyme and sage were heaped on embers to ward off evil, mint was tucked under pillows to bring dreams of prosperity, and basil was treasured as a sacred plant believed to open pathways to other realms.

 

What better time to reach for one of these herb-infused fragrant brews, then? Let’s delve deeper…

As autumn’s chill descends and shadows stretch longer, it’s instinctive to reach for perfumes filled with spiced warmth and comforting woodiness. Yet, herbaceous notes offer something altogether different — a spell of frosted clarity and grounding joy that feels especially magical to wear in colder months.​​

 

 

 

 

In fragrance, herbs don’t only serve to add a fresh-green twist of crunchy verdancy; these botanicals can conjure an olfactory alchemy, transforming the wearer’s mood and imbuing each composition with nuanced complexity. Layered with citrus, verdant moss, vetiver or crystalline woods, aromatic herbs lend both brightness and depth — a whisper of forgotten secrets or the cool breath of wild air. Wearing such scents in autumn and winter reveals their shifting personality as they warm and evolve on the skin, weaving a memorably evocative spell around the wearer.​​

Let’s explore some of the most magical-feeling herbaceous perfumes for spooky season and beyond, each harnessing a different botanical and its ancient mystique.

 

 

Bottle of About Thyme fragrance by Thursday Fragrances

 

Thursday Fragrance About Thyme

Centred around the luminous, grassy-green note of thyme, this fragrance feels like a walk through a sun-warmed Mediterranean herb garden. Lemon and bergamot bring sparkling vitality, lifted further by a soft touch of lavender and grounded by vetiver, sandalwood and tonka. Thyme itself is fraught with mythical resonance — once strewn in Greek temples for courage, it still carries an air of uplifting clarity and protection. Wearing About Thyme is like anointing oneself in sunlight and fresh mountain air; the herb spirals up from the skin, dry and bright, revealing undertones of woody cosiness as the temperature drops.​​

Try a sample in the Thursday Fragrance Discovery Set £20 for 3 x 2ml of their eaux de parfums in the Shop

 

 

 

30ml bottle of Innocent by Argentum

ARgENTUM Innocent

This gentle breeze of minty herbs, tropical basil and clary sage is sensorially swirled with bright green apple and topped with a squeeze of lemon. Basil stands at the symbolic heart here: revered since antiquity for its supposed magical power to keep evil at bay, it brings a playful, almost effervescent touch alongside sage’s wisdom and cleansing energy. The dry-down reveals plush layers of sandalwood and ambrette, allowing those green herbal nuances to pulse with quiet warmth. This is modern alchemy – an uplifting, micro-biome friendly composition that feels like catching a bracing breeze in a bottle.​​

£78 for 30ml eau de parfum in the shop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4160 Tuesdays Paris 1948

A classic chypre, Paris 1948 opens with soft sprays of peach, grapefruit and an elegantly herb-y peculiarity that may perplex at first but will surely entrance vintage fragrance fans. The basil adds crisp coolness, threading through velvety roses, cedarwood and honeyed orange blossom with a green glamour. Chypre afficionados will especially revel in its mossy, musky base of oakmoss, hay and labdanum. Taken together, these notes evoke deep autumn woods, with basil’s magical legacy lending a sense of wisdom and mysterious provocation beneath the plush fruits and florals.​​

Currently £48 for 50ml eau de parfum 4160tuesdays.com

 

 

 

 

 

To the Fairest Élan Vital

This verdant, grounding fragrance spins a tapestry of vetiver, oakmoss, patchouli and white nettle. Nettle is the hidden magic here – a plant still brewed for nourishing soups and once used in spells to promote strength and resilience. As the scent settles on skin, it unfurls the earthy depths of moss, golden leaves, and gently smoky patchouli, evoking a woodland sanctuary where the line between wild reality and enchanted dream is blurred. Wearing Élan Vital is like donning a leafy cloak, its green notes whispering of ancient forests and unfaltering steadiness.​​

£85 for 50ml eau de parfum tothefairest.com

 

 

 

 

Roos & Roos Globulos

The mystical energy of eucalyptus is at the core of Globulus, its camphoraceous mintiness lending a crisp whoosh of invigorating freshness. Eucalyptus globulus (hence the odd name!) was long believed in folklore to banish bad spirits and “clear the air.” Here it combines with sparkling green cardamom, torn mint leaves, sage, and a crystalline moss base for a fragrance that feels like breathing winter dawn from your own skin. There’s both frosted clarity and a clean, modern grounding to this composition – perfect for those who crave purity with a spellbinding twist.​​

£119 for 100ml eau de parfum thefragranceshop.com

 

 

 

 

In these darkest, most bewitching days of the year, perfume can conjur a very modern kind of alchemy, where one drop can wrap you in forest shadows, or illuminate your soul with the power of herbs. For those seeking more than ordinary cosiness, these herbaceous scents promise a subtle, magical transformation. Why not let their spell weave around you this ‘spooky season’ and beyond…?

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Garden Party Perfumes

There’s something inherently magical about a garden party: the gentle clink of glasses, laughter floating on a breeze, and the air alive with the scent of fresh blooms and cut grass.

While many of us picture these joyous gatherings taking place in our own back gardens – surrounded by familiar flowers and cherished memories – the beauty of fragrance is its ability to transport us far beyond our fences.

In this special edit, we celebrate perfumes that evoke the spirit of the garden party, whether rooted in the English countryside or whisking us away to sun-dappled groves and grand estates abroad.

Join us as we explore a selection of scents that capture the essence of alfresco revelry, inviting you to travel via your nose to garden parties both near and far…

 

 

 

Kingdom Scotland Botanica

Kingdom Botanica was a passion project for founder Imogen Russon-Taylor, who told us: ‘When I moved to Edinburgh and had my first child, I’d walk with my pram through the gardens every day. I saw them through all the seasons, as my maternity leave progressed, and the gardens always gave me such an incredible sense of peace and tranquillity.’ Having been given access to botanic samples carried over by Darwin on the Beagle, Botanica is a scented tribute to ‘all the botanists, scientists and adventurous Scottish plant hunters of the past, present and future’, created with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Think blackcurrant meets pine needles, herbaceous verdancy and a soothing woodiness that hugs its borders. Glorious!

£132 for 50ml eau de parfum in our shop

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mizensir Vert Empire

For this one, let’s imagine we’re attending a garden party in Italy (how fabulous!) and are sauntering beneath the shade of citrus groves – the sparkle of their zest filling the air, the whole trees appreciated, from leaf and stem to trunk and earth, and of course the abundance of luscious, sun-warmed fruit. The house say: ‘Vert Empire from Mizensir is inspired by the beauty of the Mediterranean, the abundance of lemon and orange trees basking in the sunshine. Uplifting in composition with aromatic intensity and zest. Essence of mandarin and petitgrain conjure the beauty of citrus fruits yet to be harvested, the freshness of the Mediterranean is represented with paradisone, a floral citrus note, with a hint of cardamom. The scent allows you to travel amongst the Italian groves with hints of woody notes, sandalwood and ambrox, angelica and sage.’ Oh let’s grab our passports and go, shall we?!

£185 for 100ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4160 Tuesdays Ealing Green

Firmly on home ground for this garden party, we imagine bunting gently fluttering in the breeze, cloudless blue skies, bumblebees droning and afternoon teas. Perfumer and founder Sarah McCartney explains the inspo best, saying: ‘We were invited to make a midsummer scent for a 2013 charity evening in Ealing, West London, using plants and flowers named in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, so we imagined the scenes taking place by Pitzhanger Manor on Ealing Green, and created the aroma of a magical summer evening. Its perfect for wearing in the heat. It starts with a wander through the herb and flower gardens of Walpole Park, takes in a picnic on the grass and ends up lying on the lawn by the pond, staring at the clouds floating by, smelling the warm earth.’ Just about the perfect English summer’s day, bottled, we’d say.

£65 for 50ml eau de parfum in our shop

 

 

 

 

Angela Flanders Taffeta

For this party, we think of a grand house, and an elegant lady flitting from the hubbub for a moment of contemplation in the wilder part of the garden. Her taffeta skirt brushes hedges and flower borders along the way, and as dusk settles the scent of the garden is carried in swirls and eddies around her, like an invisible shawl to match her light-shifting gown. As Angela Flanders beautifully evoke: ‘A dewy top note of hyacinth enhances the delicate notes of iris and rose in the heart of Taffeta. A touch of smoky vetiver, calamus and civet in the base add a sophisticated depth as the perfume warms and opens on the skin. Taffeta captures the early evening when dusk starts to fall, and we prepare to embark on an evening adventure. The elegant dry and mysterious quality of silk taffeta, which appears to change with the light, is the inspiration for this elusive and elegant perfume.’

From £85 for 30ml eau de parfum angelaflanders-perfumer.com

 

 

 

Penhaligon’s Highgrove Bouquet

A right royal garden party, this one, which Penhaligon’s explains as having been inspired by the unique atmosphere of this treasured place: ‘In Summer, Highgrove Gardens hum with a smell often described as earthly sunshine’ they say, continuing: ‘The grass bows to weeping silver lime, mimosa, and cedar.’ Captured quite literally (using Headspace Technology) the linden blossom in this beguiling scent glides through a fluffy breeze of of that mimosa, grounded in the cedar, and enlivened by citrus. It’s a radiant delight to wear at any time, of course, but really comes into its own when wafted forth during the summer – the very season it seeks to capture in scented form. Incredibly, this wasn’t a mere ‘inspired by’ project. Highgrove Bouquet was created with HRH King Charles III (then The Prince of Wales), in part as a tribute to the magnificently fragrant summers he’s spent at his beloved Highgrove Gardens.

£175 for 100ml eau de parfum selfridges.com

 

 

 

Whether you’re hosting friends on the lawn, daydreaming beneath a shady tree, or simply longing for a moment of escapism, these garden party perfumes promise to conjure the joy and splendour of outdoor celebrations with every spritz. From the comforting familiarity of homegrown blooms to the allure of distant, fragrant landscapes, let your senses lead you on a scented adventure. Wherever your garden party takes place – be it close to home or in the wildest corners of your imagination – these fragrances ensure the festivities are always in full bloom.

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Craving salad? Let these crisp veg-inspired scents refresh you!

After the festive season’s indulgences, our palates and noses often crave a refreshing change. Just as we might yearn for a crisp salad after weeks of rich fare, our olfactory senses seek lighter, more invigorating scents. Enter the world of vegetable-based fragrances (featuring ingredients that wouldn’t look out of place in a a salad), and get ready to discover this burgeoning trend in modern perfumery that’s as surprising as it is delightful…

The past few years have seen a veritable harvest of vegetable notes sprouting up in perfumes. From the earthy sweetness of beetroot to the green crunch of cucumber, perfumers are exploring a whole new ‘gourmand’ category that leans away from sugary sweetness and into savoury notes. These scents don’t merely mimic their botanical inspirations; thanks to cutting-edge extraction techniques and innovative aroma molecules, they capture the true essence of these garden delights in ways that are both familiar and fantastically novel.

 

 

Victoire in her gorgeous vegetable garden

 

 

The launch of L’Officine Universelle Buly’s ‘The French Garden’ collection exemplified this trend beautifully. Co-founder Victoire de Taillac describes a garden as ‘a perfect universe, a paradise, a haven,’ where ‘smells come together and surprise you.’ The six fragrances in this line intertwine vegetable notes with flowers and musks, creating olfactory experiences that evoke the dewy freshness of a morning garden stroll.

 

 

 

Les Jardin Français is available online at www.buly1803.com and at their Selfridges counter: £145 for 75ml. La Sizaine collection of six x 9ml travel perfumes is also available for £108, selfridges.com. The perfect way to sample the whole collection (because you will need to smell them all!)

 

 

 

 

Another notable entry in this verdant realm is L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Le Potager collection. This range celebrates the humble vegetable patch, transforming common garden produce into sophisticated scents. As perfumer Quentin Bisch, who worked on the collection, notes, ‘The challenge is to dress the vegetable with a classic material to keep a part of the mystery.’ This approach results in fragrances that are both reassuringly familiar and intriguingly complex.

So now, with the spirit of freshness and seeking something new for our noses, let’s explore these garden salad-inspired scents – which would you pick as a refreshing change from the heavier scents you’ve been wearing, we wonder…?

 

 

 

4160 Tuesdays Le Jardin de Monsieur McGregor

This whimsical creation traces a mischievous rabbit through a Lake District garden. The scent opens with crisp cucumber and celery notes, complemented by leafy greens and creamy mushrooms. A hint of nibbled strawberries adds sweetness, while a trail of pipe smoke lends a touch of human presence to this botanical adventure.

From £40 for 15ml eau de parfum 4160tuesdays.com 

 

 

 

 

 

Shay & Blue Clementine

Don’t let the name fool you – this fragrance is more than just citrus. Succulent clementine is entwined with swags of laurel leaves and the surprisingly bright, peppery green of watercress. The addition of petitgrain brings a piquant sunshine that revives flagging spirits, making this an ideal scent for banishing winter blues.

From £25 for 10ml eau de parfum shayandblue.com

 

 

Officine Universelle Buly Indian Cucumber and Syrian Mint

Offering us a refreshing olfactory journey through a sun-drenched garden (yes please!) the crisp cucumber provides an invigorating opening, while Syrian mint adds lively aromatics that feel cool and clean, yet definitely pep-up flagging sprits. A whisper of iodine evokes sea breezes, and white musk lends a soothingly soft base. It’s, elegantly wearable and will have you craving more!

150 for 100ml eau triple buly1803.com

 

 

 

 

 

Jack Perfume Covent Garden

Inspired by London’s famous market, this scent captures the essence of a morning stroll among the stalls. Carrot takes centre stage, its aromatic sweetness tinged with ginger. The overall effect is reminiscent of munching on fresh vegetables while an exciting breeze carries hints of exotic spices.

£95 for 100ml eau de parfum jovoyparis.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diptyque Eau Rose Eau de Parfum

In this reimagining of their classic rose scent, Diptyque add an unexpected twist: artichoke. This fleshy, green note enhances the original rose oil, adding a slightly bitter edge that speaks of melancholy moments in walled gardens. The result is a more complex, arboreal take on floral romance.

 £153 for 75ml eau de parfum diptyqueparis.com

 

 

 

 

To the Fairest Élan Vital

Oh this takes us to a forest floor in all its lush complexity. A medley of green notes, including a hint of stinging nettle (which make a nourishing soup, apparently – have you ever tried it?), and settles onto a base of grounding vetiver. Soft moss and patchouli create a cosy bolthole, while a cover of golden leaves adds warmth to this woodland-inspired scent.

£85 for 50ml eau de parfum tothefairest.com

 

 

 

 

 

Comme des Garçons Rouge

True to the brand’s avant-garde spirit, Rouge subverts familiar notes in daring ways. Blood-red berries mingle with earthy beetroot, creating a vegetal sweetness that’s grounded by swirls of iced incense and charred leather. It’s a bold, unconventional take on the vegetable trend we can get behind.

£135 for 100ml eau de parfum libertylondon.com

 

 

 

 

L’Artisan Parfumeur Iris de Gris

‘How many times, while shelling fresh peas, have I dreamt of this green fragrance?’, exclaims perfumer Quentin Bisch. Ethereally airy thanks to bright green galbanum, (‘an herbaceous plant with a scent akin to the pea’ L”Artisan tells us), ‘this fragrance is a hymn to green in all its forms, punctuated with iris, which makes a refined imprint on skin.’ We concur – and it has us dreaming of dew-dappled plants and brighter days, for sure.

£170 for 100ml eau de parfum artisanparfumeur.com

 

 

 

 

 

As we embrace a new year, why not resolve to explore these garden-veg inspired scents? They offer a fresh perspective on perfumery, proving that vegetables can be just as alluring as flowers when it comes to fragrance. So go ahead, spray your five a day – your nose will thank you for the olfactory boost!

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Green Scents of the 70s – a bridge between seasons

Green fragrances are often thought of as spring-like, but these olfactory marvels are far more complex than mere harbingers of vernal renewal – and they’re PERFECT for ‘not quite autumn’…

Beneath their fresh, leafy exteriors lies a world of depth and sophistication, where earthy musks and woody notes create a captivating juxtaposition of light and shadow. And because they classically lean toward the Chypre fragrance family – full of mossy, musky delights as they warm – green can be the perfect perfumed bridge for the autumnal seasonal shift.

In recent years, we’ve witnessed a resurgence of fragrances that harken back to the golden age of green scents, but while later features will show some modern scented examples of the trend, first we wanted to go retro, and see from whence this scented trend originally sprang. The 1970s first saw an explosion of these verdant creations, beloved by both men and women for their bold, nature-inspired profiles. So, exactly WHY were they so popular then (and what’s made them stand the test of time, to be relevant again…?)

 

 

Green Connection to Nature and Counterculture

The green fragrance trend aligned with the growing environmental movement and counterculture of the 1970s. These scents evoked a sense of naturalness and connection to the earth, appealing to those embracing a more eco-conscious lifestyle. The use of patchouli, with its deep, earthy aroma, became particularly popular among hippies and free spirits of the time.

Gender Fluidity in Fragrance

Green fragrances often blurred traditional gender lines, reflecting the era’s evolving attitudes towards gender roles. Many green scents were considered unisex or were popular among both men and women, challenging conventional fragrance marketing.

Fashion and Lifestyle Integration

The popularity of green fragrances coincided with broader fashion trends of the 1970s, including the rise of casual wear and natural fabrics. These scents complemented the era’s style, which often emphasised a more relaxed ‘Hey man, let’s just go with the flow’ vibe and the overall nature-inspired aesthetic.

 

 

Green fragrances of the 1970s

Classic Green

The annals of perfumery are rich with legendary green fragrances that have stood the test of time: Paco Rabanne Pour Homme (1973): A masterful blend of lavender, oakmoss, and honey, this scent epitomizes masculine freshness with a warm, sensual base; Chanel No.19 (1971): Named for Coco Chanel’s birthday, this fragrance marries galbanum’s sharp greenness with the powdery elegance of iris. Sisley Eau de Campagne (1976): A tribute to the French countryside, it captures the essence of tomato leaves, herbs, and cut grass. Silences by Jacomo (1978): A study in contrasts, Silences juxtaposes bright galbanum with deep, mossy undertones. Clinique Aromatics Elixir (1971): A bold chypre that intertwines green notes with a rich, spicy heart and a warm, ambery base.

The Green Chypre Connection

Green fragrances often blur the lines with the chypre family, sharing a love for oakmoss, patchouli, and woody notes. This overlap creates scents that are at once fresh and grounded, making them ideal for transitional seasons.

Bridging the Seasons

As summer’s warmth begins to wane, green fragrances with their aromatic, woody, and musky facets offer the perfect olfactory bridge to autumn. These scents echo the changing landscape, where lush foliage gives way to earthy forest floors and sun-warmed bark.In essence, green fragrances are a testament to nature’s complexity, beckoning an undercurrent of depth and mystery, just waiting to be discovered…

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Summer Garden Scents – set your senses free

With the gardens in full bloom, so many of us are taking every opportunity to run to a patch of green and bask in sunlight this summer (you only have to see the parks or green spaces of any major town or city, filled with workers making the most of their lunch breaks, to know how vital it is for us to be taking time out to enjoy nature.

And – naturally – this leads us to ponder which perfumes we’d wear to maximise this fabulously flower-filled time of year.

 

 

 

Not a fan of floral fragrances? We’ve all manner of gorgeously evocative scents, from green and shady to full-on florabundant to recommend, each of them celebrating the joy of gardens in their own unique way, and all of them blooming beautiful…

 

 

 

THoO Cypress Shade

Part of their ‘Klem Gardens’ collection – which celebrates ‘the timeless garden’ that’s inspired perfumers through the centuries, Cypress Shade offers a welcome breeze of coolness, in shadows ‘cast by the boughs of a cypress tree brings a moment of relief and refreshes the soul. The sparkling notes of mandarin, lemon and bergamot light up to enjoy the first invigorating lights of sunrise. The fresh and vivid light of the dawn has something miraculous. each ray cleaves the huge fronds of the cypresses moved by the wind as in a dance. On the skin, aromatic and woody variations break up and overlap each other, giving the fragrance a disarming depth.’

From £220 for 75ml eau de parfum  harveynichols.com

 

 

 

Fornasetti Giardino Segreto

Creators of the most covetable candles, Fornasetti are back on the scent scene with three so-divine wearable fine fragrances: the florabundant Giardino Segreto being our focus here, of course. The powerful green of Tomato leaves and frshly plucked black raspberries are mysteriously swirled with myrrh, and draped in silken sandalwood to create the kind of secret garden you long to explore – we picture tiptoeing through dew-pearled grass at dawn in a gauzy gown, the morning sunlight drowsily awakening the freshness before settling to a contented cat-stretch in a patch of warmth (on a Fornasetti-patterned cushion amidst a garden maze? We feel it’s scent appropriate). A considered purchase, for sure, but oh it’s a glorious journey (and oh! That BOTTLE!)

£480 for 100ml extrait de parfum harrods.com

 

 

 

Clive Christian Queen Anne Rock Rose VII Noble Collection

The fragrant inspiration for this garden-centric scent came from none other than Clive Christian’s own Queen Anne house gardens, which he’s worked hard to restore to their former glory, encompassing a planting scheme that echoes the history of the place. Inspiration that blossoms fully within this classically styled and late summer-mistily refined fougére with a surprisingly modern edge. Citrus, bergamot and neroli are sprinkled with black pepper a superbly dry lavender, violett and intriguing scent of rock rose simmer in the heart. In the base, base, cocoa, patchouli, amber and vetiver glow as if lit by the last sunlight of the day.

£490 for 50ml parfum selfridges.com

 

 

Penhaligon’s Highgrove Bouquet

Captured quite literally (using Headspace Technology) the linden blossom in this beguiling scent glides through a breeze of mimosa, cedar, and citrus. It’s a radiant delight to wear at any time, of course, but really comes into its own when wafted forth during the summer – the very season it seeks to capture in scented form. Incredibly, this wasn’t a mere ‘inspired by’ project. Highgrove Bouquet was actually created with HRH The Prince of Wales, in part as a tribute to the magnificently fragrant summers he’s spent at Highgrove Gardens.

£175 for 100ml eau de parfum selfridges.com

 

(Psst! See details for The Garden of Delights Discovery Box, below, to learn how to get a sample of this and many more…)

 

 

 

Adscenture Secret Garden

‘Luring you in, you’re unable to resist the enchanting bouquet of white flowers. Night is looming, the last sunlight cascades over this secret place. As darkness descends, frangipani comes to life. Magical notes of peach and coconut delight you, whilst undertones of amber and woods ground you. You’re on your ADSCENTURE. Exotic notes of bergamot and peach linger with sweet and creamy coconut. The heart of this scent brings sun-kissed frangipani combined with delicate jasmine and fleshy ylangylang. A base of vanilla santal, warming amber and musk complete this scent.’

£60 for 30ml eau de parfum in our shop (or why not try this AND the Penhaligon’s Highgrove Bouquet as part of the sample found in The Garden of Delights Discovery Box? See below for all the details!)

 

Now we are all set to scamper with wild abandon this summer in our gardens (when the weather allows!), why not treat yourself to that fragrant feeling of joy and freedom via an entire wardrobe of verdant and flora-bundant fragrance samples to be found in The Garden of Delights Discovery Box?

 

We know that gardens help us to feel renewed, so we curated this collection of vibrant, bright fragrances, so everyone can feel the rejuvenating benefits of gardens in every single spritz…

 

Garden of Delights box

 

The Garden of Delights Discovery Box is priced £19 + p&p to VIP Club Members & £23 + p&p to everyone else – be sure to log into your account to take advantage of the special VIP Club price. Inside, you’ll find this amazing line-up of scents…

Adscenture Secret Garden 2ml eau de parfum
Cosmoss Sacred Mist 1.5ml eau de parfum 
EauMG Rockin Rose 2ml extrait de parfum
Floral Street Sweet Almond Blossom 2ml eau de parfum
Granado Jardim Real 1.8ml eau de parfum
Juliette has a gun Magnolia Bliss 1.7ml eau de parfum       
Mizensir Vert Empire 2ml eau de parfum
Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily 1.5ml eau  de parfum
Penhaligon’s Highgrove Bouquet 1.5ml eau de parfum 
Shay&Blue Amber Rose 2ml eau de parfum 
Versace Dylan Purple 1ml eau de parfum
Yardley London English Rose Body Mist 200ml
SBC Arnica Moisturising Gel 100ml

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Blustery Walks, Bottled! Fragrances for Feeling Outdoors-y (when you can’t be)

Given the horrendous weather of late – snow, torrential rain and flooding, gales, hurricanes, even tornados in the U.K! – it’s not exactly been ideal for getting outdoors and enjoying a stroll. However, this is where fragrances can come into their own during inclement weather: we can wear them to get a sense of being outdoors, of experiencing the freedom and head-clearing calm of being so, without setting a foot (or wellington boot) outside the door if we don’t feel up to facing it!

 

 

 

Here’s our edit of outdoors-y scents that, while feeling seasonally appropriate, also allow an exploration of woodlands, coastal paths and countryside escapism with every spritz…

 

 

Sarah Baker Tartan Extrait

This is a classic of the collection that’s been adored since the scents were first launched. Sarah McCartney, the nose for this one, is better known as the founder of quirky British house 4160 Tuesdays, but here collaborated with Baker to compose this marvel. Picture it: Warmth and heritage envelope you after a bracing walk through mossy ruins in Scotland’s Highlands. A fire is roaring in the library. You put your feet up and slowly sip a rare single malt. Bliss!

£145 for 50ml extrait de parfum In Our Shop

 

 

Kingdom Scotland Portal

Portal is described as ‘a gateway to the ancient Caledonian forests of Scotland.’ It’s fresh, outdoorsy, gusting with herbaceous botanicals and bergamot, notes chosen to evoke verdant florals, resting on a veritable forest floor of vetiver and Scots pine. Kingdom Scotland’s description – ‘an escape to a sylvan wonderland’ – hints at its power to transport you to the shade of the tranquil forest. All the benefits of hiking minus the mud (and smelling rather more fabulous). Bonus,

£120 for 50ml eau de parfum  in our shop

 

 

Goldfield & Banks Wood Infusion

An homage to the perfect beauty of a landscape you’ve fallen in love with, this moss-nestled hug of woods feels lined in silk, being dusted with smooth iris and slicked with a sheen of sandalwood. Inspired by Australia’s heritage-listed Fraser Island, it’s an immediate escape route in a bottle – spray, breathe in, close your eyes and exude the power of nature.

£138 for 100ml eau de parfum selfridges.com

 

 

 

Houbigant Fougère Royale

Think of a scenario where you’ve found a cosy bolthole in an incongruously wonderful old pub in the middle of nowhere. The door opens, a cold blast blows through the open door, and a dapper walker removes their heavy (£££) wool coat to reveal a sprig of herbs carefully tucked into the lapel of a herringbone jacket, worn beneath. The olive from his dry Martini is sucked in a slightly lascivious manner. Suddenly much warmer than you were, you are deliciously intrigued…

RRP £165 for 100ml eau de parfum (currently £145)  libertylondon.com

 

 

 

 

Olfactive Studio Woody Mood

Close your eyes and imagine taking a walk among the giant sequoias, as legend has it so tall and densely packed that sunlight never touches the ground at their roots, a darkly woody haunt of a scent that lingers long after you’ve first sprayed, like some mischevious woodland sprite always darting further ahead. Dry with black tea, cheering with cocoa, it’s pepped up with a glow of saffron and ginger for added warmth, and beguilingly addictive.

 £140 for 100ml eau de parfum jovoyparis.uk

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Green with En Vie – verdant, leafy, joyful fragrances

Just when we thought the grey drizzle would be here forever, (just as we do every year around this time), suddenly there’s a green gasp of true spring in the air – a verdant pop of buds bursting, and a euphoria induced simply by looking at delicate, lime-coloured leaves unfurling.

Rather wonderfully, that new-leaf obsession is sometimes referred to as a ‘chlorophyll rush’, and it does almost feel as though we’re drugged with the joy of revival, so greedily do our eyes drink in the green, the newness of things, signs of life – of hope – re-emerging. In fragrances, green may be expressed as freshly-cut fleshy stalks in a florist’s shop, that insistent quickening of the blood in all living things as the sap rises.

 

 

As a colour, we have a peculiar relationship with green. As well as being the colour of spring, it can be classed as an unlucky colour that ‘belongs to the fairies’ and other mythological forest-dwellers, or the unsettling Pagan figure of ‘the green man’. It’s the ‘green-eyed monster’ of jealous rage, and the ‘green fairy’ of Absinthe addiction, too. Conversely, green can mean lucky – being associated with clover/shamrocks and St Patrick’s Day celebrations; or naïve, raw, young and inexperienced, and more recently, natural, organic – and indicating a belief in sustainable living.

 

 

As a smell, ‘green’ can brashly thrust or softly beckon, depending on the perfumer’s proclivities. The ultimate ‘green’ note in fragrance is called galbanum. It’s been used for centuries – millennia, actually, dating back to Biblical times, with the ancient Roman and Greeks burning galbanum-laden incense sticks, scenting their baths, adding to soothing skin balms, and also as a personal perfume.

Woody yet alive with the smell of clean, damp earth and the icily pure air of a mountain forest, galbanum essential oil is obtained via steam distillation of resin from the umbelliferous plant Ferula galbaniflua, native to Iran, Turkey and some neighbouring countries, and from a near-relative, Ferula gummosa. The plant looks a little like fennel and angelica, with a starburst of yellow flowers – but slice the stalk, and out oozes a milky juice, released by the plant to heal itself.

Other notes used to evoke this breath-of-fresh-air-through-an-open-window include green tea, grass, herbs, vines and leaves – violet leaf, for instance, provides an intriguing, almost mystical verdancy of woodland walks, while an accord representing tomato leaf is more astringent, slightly bitter, but evokes in many of us blissful childhood memories of greenhouses, and exploring a garden with all your senses. Geranium leaf, meanwhile, is lemony, quite potently fruity/herbaceous or even camphorously minty. Cassis (blackcurrant) is the distilled absolute of the blackcurrant buds and leaves, a.k.a.  bourgeons de cassis (say it ‘boor-shon da cassee’): a light, fruity, woody note with a slightly animalic edge adored by those of us who appreciate its musky undertones – assiduously avoided by those who detest what they perceive as ‘tom cat’ notes in perfumes.

 

 

When cassis is used unapologetically stridently within a fragrance, and particularly when mosses and earthy patchouli are used to ground the composition; it can take on the more vintage air of a ‘green chypre’ – fragrances that are less Laura Ashley springtime picnic and more Wickerman meets Working Girl in nature. (I think if the music video for Radiohead’s song If You Say The Word were scented, it would be a wonderfully weird green chypre. Have a peek, above, if you’ve no idea what I’m talking about.)

Whichever shade of green scent you feel most drawn towards, I urge you to seek out some of my suggestions here, because they can freshen up your fragrance wardrobe and drag you by the collar out of the grey blah or blanketing wintery perfumes you’ve perhaps become accustomed to. Get some of that chlorophyl rush going with these…

 

 

 

SISLEY – L’EAU RÊVÉE D’HUBERT

An utterly sublime shot of cool, garden air to shake off the cobwebs. The geranium here is incredible quality, slightly minty, with a hint of rosiness (they call it ‘the male rose’ for its more textural, herbaceous furriness) and wrapped in savoury, peppery, grounding shiso leaf, papyrus and loamy patchouli.

£81 for 50ml eau de toilette harrods.com

 

 

 

VYRAO – I AM VERDANT

Sprouting forth greenery with every spritz, this sings of spring from the get-go, with cyclamen joyously bursting through the undergrowth, swags of moss-bedecked ivy draping the powdery comfort of iris, and bergamot bolstering the brightness of orange flower absolute. The kind of scent that just makes you beam.

£135 for 50ml eau de parfum selfridges.com

(Try a sample in the Vyrao High Five Set for £79)

 

 

 

LALIQUE_IMPERIAL_GREEN

 

LALIQUE LES COMPOSITIONS PARFUMÉES – IMPERIAL GREEN

Glorious greenery rendered luxurious, neroli is co-distilled here with ‘a secret molecule’ to amplify its fresh facets, while Ambroxan (the ‘secret’?) adds lengthening shadows in flower meadows. All anchored by grassy vetiver essence and the pared-back, almost aquatic green clarity of Patchouli Heart, it’s a grower.

£190 for 100ml eau de parfum lalique.com

 

 

 

 

CONTRADICTIONS IN ILK – NATURE

Imagine a city at sunrise, dew-speckled wildflowers shoving through cracks in walls and pavements, nature staking its claim via tangles of green ivy, sudden shocks of orange marigold, magnolia trees in private gardens, geraniums and nettles nestled on pathways, earth’s scent, keeping us (somewhat!) sane.

£165 for 50ml extrait de parfum SHOP

(Try a sample in the Contradictions in ILK Discovery Set for £48)

 

 

ERIS_PARFUMS_GREEN_SPELL

 

ERIS PARFUMS – GREEN SPELL

Living up to an ULTRA green promise, vibrant mandarin is squeezed over sharp blackcurrant absolute with Iranian galbanum and violet leaf absolute thrusting of snapped stalks and sap-drenched blooms. Tomato leaf shines with photorealistic phosphorescence, while narcissus and fig leaf nestle and nurture the base.

£115 for 50ml eau de parfum saintecellier.com

Written by Suzy Nightingale

A bumper crop of vegetable patch perfumes to spray your five a day!

There’s a veritable glut of vegetable notes cropping up in perfumes lately, from beetroots and carrots through to artichokes and even cauliflowers in this brand new gourmand category of scents. If you’ve over-indulged on rich food, consider a salad, and (far more enjoyable) getting your greens in fragrant form.

Like any other trend, newness in fragrance can be traced back through cultural patterns, a certain shift in the zeitgeist that suggests something’s in the air. One of the major happenings has been a gardening and grow-your-own vegetable boom in the UK that began during lockdowns and shows no signs of slowing. Google reported that searches relating to how to grow vegetables doubled during May 2020 to May 2021, while new research from beauty and naturopathic product producers Weleda, meanwhile, reveals that in 2021, ‘26.7 million Britons grew their own fruit, veg and herbs’, with almost two thirds claiming that ‘connecting with nature has had a positive impact on their mood.’

Leaps in technology have given perfumers access to new aroma molecules, which for the first time allow natural extracts of vegetable notes to be used in perfumery. To read even more about this remarkable vegetable revolution in the perfume world, take a look at the Spray Your Five a Day feature, which appeared in the late summer issue of The Scented Letter magazine; but meanwhile we urge you to seek out some of this bumper crop as your New Year’s scent resolution…

 

 

 

Salvatore Ferragamo Giungle di Seta (pea)
Inspired by Ferragamo’s exotic silk prints, the verdant sweetness of pea shoots entwine jungle vines, tempered by the powdery familiarity of peony: nature, tamed.

£86 for 100ml eau e parfum ferragamo.com

 

 

Shay & Blue Clementine (watercress)
Succulent citrus wreathed in swags of laurel leaves and the bright, peppery green of watercress; flagging spirits further revived via petitgrain’s piquant sunshine.

From £25 for 10ml eau de parfum shayandblue.com

 

 

Freddie Albrighton Someone Else’s Flowers (watercress, radish)
Rain-washed radishes, watercress and plucked peapods photosynthesise to a florist’s shop of snapped stalks and tin buckets: happy-making bouquets yet to be.

£102 for 50ml eau de parfum freddiealbrighton.com

 

 

Diptyque Eau Rose Eau de Parfum (artichoke)
Artichoke was added to enhance the original rose oil – fleshy, green, slightly bitter, it speaks of melancholy moments wandering walled gardens, arboreal amour.

£140 for 75ml eau de parfum diptyque.com

 

To the Fairest Élan Vital (greens/nettle)
A settling of greens and grounding vetiver on forest-y floors, the gathering of soft moss and patchouli to line a cosy bolthole with, a cover of golden leaves.

£85 for 50ml eau de parfum tothefairest.com

 

 

Comme des Garçons Rouge (beetroot)
Familiar notes are daringly subverted as blood red berries and earthy beetroot meet supremely calming swirls of iced incense and charred leather.

£120 for 100ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com

 

 

Jack Perfume Covent Garden (carrot)
The insouciant naughtiness of Withnail’s ‘Camberwell carrot’ becomes a market stroll, munching on vegetables as an aromatic, ginger-tinged breeze excites.

£95 for 100ml eau de parfum ab-presents.com

 

 

Bohoboco Wild Carrot Oud (carrot)
Carrots ripped out with roots, clods and bundled in newspaper, nestled in the crook of a leather-clad elbow, biked to a pipe-smoking lover down winding country lanes.

£96.50 for 50ml parfum frmoda.com

 

 

 

Maya Njie Voyeur Verde (fennel)
The comfort of cut grass and freshly washed car leather, aniseed sweets sucked on
the back seat, windows rolled-down to drink in forest air – home in time for tea.

£95 for 50ml eau de parfum mayanjie.com

Try a sample of Voyeur Verde in the Maya Njie Discovery Set for £34

 

 

L’Atelier Parfum Verte Euphorie (carrot)
The instant WHOOSH of sunshine-y citrus presages leafiness and crunchy carrot in the heart, earthy sweetness swathed in fluffiness on the softly musky base.

£59 for 50ml eau de parfum qvcuk.com

 

 

Roger & Gallet Verveine Utopie (fennel)
Fronds of licoricey fennel tickle the senses, the herbaceous verdancy rippled with spices and fringed with decadence as wormwood-infused absinthe has its way.

£127.50 for 500ml extrait de Cologne escentual.com

 

 

Stories No.2 (tomato leaf / greenhouse)
The soothing steam of a childhood memory: grandfather’s greenhouse, his pipe smoke encircling tomato plants, rose cuttings, the joy of running barefoot.

£75 for 30ml eau de parfum in our Shop

 

 

DS & Durga Bistro Waters (bell peppers)
A savoury special of juicy green peppers and aromatic, just-chopped herbs with undercurrents of fancy cocktails to follow, late-night lock-ins and snogging the chef.

£148 for 50ml eau de parfum libertylondon.com

 

 

Paco Rabanne Fabulous Me (pumpkin)
Eschewing showiness, a warm snuggle that speaks of cosiness, silky sandalwood wrapped around fleshy pumpkin; rhubarb’s tartness tempering the sweetness.

 

 

4160 Tuesdays Le Jardin de Monsieur McGregor (cucumber/celery)
Mr McGregor’s pipe smoke trail traces a rambunctious bunny through a Lake District garden: leafy greens, creamy mushrooms and nibbled strawberries.

£70 for 30ml eau de parfum 4160tuesdays.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Fragrances For… Track & Field

With a summer of sporting events ahead, in our Fragrances For series this time we’re suggesting Track & Field as a fragrant theme. The Commonwealth Games 2022 have begun in Birmingham, and of course we’re also celebrating the ongoing success of the brilliant women’s England football team getting to the final, woo hoo! Whether you’re sporty yourself, prefer being a spectator or are simply looking for some lovely fresh, summer-y scents to wear – we got you covered, no matter what your team’s colours are…

 

 

 

Freshly snapped stems and verdantly green undergrowth give the feeling of being in the middle of a field on a summer’s day (now that could be indulging in your favourite sport, or perhaps watching on the sidelines with a picnic, which is our preference!) A gorgeously dewy floral bouquet at the heart features hyacinth florets, wild freesia greens and zesty mandarin leaves, with blossoming rose centifolia stems and jasmine buds on an earthier, soul-nourishing base. The flowers proffered to the winners on the podium, perhaps?

Malin + Goetz Stem £78 for 50ml eau de parfum

 

 

Sneaker addicts will want to get their noses on this – an amazingly lifelike scent of new out the box sports pumps in perfumed form! Think the squeak of clean rubber on a court, freshly buffed white leather gleaming in sunshine. What’s more, sing a clever micro-encapsulation technology in a water-based solution, the spray, they say,  ‘works the miracle: a scent of newness and cleanliness will diffuse for a long time as you walk. At ease in your shoes, the world and success lie beneath your feet!’

Officine Universelle Buly 1803 Eau Gymnastique €70 for 500ml spray

 

 

Creative Director Jeremy Scott knows about delivering freshness, and always with a cheeky wink. Having done a limited edition scent for Adidas Originals in a shoe-shaped bottle, we think sporting types will love the wonderful whimsy of seeming to spray a cleaning product on your body in the locker-room! In fact, inside, the juice itself is a joyously refreshing blast of zesty mandarin and bergamot going to work on your nose, before a raspberry juiciness, rich ylang ylang and luminescent woodiness.

Moschino Fresh Couture £51 for 50ml eau de toilette

 

 

A suitably victorious incarnation of the heroically themed fragrances ‘seizes with its power and seduces with its freshness.’ Freshly squeezed lemons offer the juicy bite here while the woody notes of incense wrap tendrils of soft smoke around a purr of vanilla in the base. Spiced tonka bean is the delicious finale for this scent inspired by ‘subtly celebrating modern masculinity.’ We say: any gender who adores the juxtopsition of vibrancy and woodiness would love this – leave everyone else on the track in your smoke trail!

Paco Rabanne Invictus Victory £58 for 50ml eau de parfum

 

We’ve not forgotten about the swimmers – those of you plunging in to the pool (whether it’s in a stadium, or more serene settings on holiday) might like to imagine for a moment that you’re bathing ‘In a mythical ocean,’ where ‘a sea shell gives birth to the goddess of love.’ Well it’s more romantic than a swimming cap and dry robe, anyway! Here, ‘Desire lingers beneath the shimmering surface’ with yuzu, pink pepper and seaweed glistening on slippery rocks, a salty undertow of ambergris and driftwood beckoning you further in.

Sarah Baker Atlante £145 for 50ml extrait de parfum

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Floral Street & World Earth Day – from plastic coffee cups to award-winning perfumes

Putting sustainability at the heart of their scents is not only for World Earth Day at Floral Street – their award-winning reusable, recyclable and biodegradable pulp fragrance box now contains 20% upcycled coffee cups, giving new life to previously unrecyclable waste, every single day. They’ve already upcycled 350,000 used coffee cups to date – proving you can have beautiful and sustainable packaging that is kinder to our planet, while still enjoying fabulous (and now multi award-winning) fragrances.

Founder Michelle Feeney explains…

‘There’s too much beauty packaging in the world already, particularly from fragrance brands. I get so frustrated with the amount of cellophane wraps and bottles that are not recyclable.

When I decided to create Floral Street, I was never in any doubt that it would be a sustainable beauty brand. I thought it was an opportunity to make a statement and do things differently in fragrance. I want to do good for the planet.

We are sustainable every step of the way, from the ingredients right the way through to the packaging. With ingredients, I care about our suppliers and growers being treated ethically. I know that I can ring Robertet (the perfume house that we partner with) and ask exactly where an ingredient is from and how it was farmed. They are experts in sustainable raw, natural materials

 

 

I’m so proud of our pulp cartons, which house our scents. They are 100% compostable, reusable and recyclable. That’s an industry-first. Created in under a minute, they use less energy, with waste water being cleaned and recycled and any waste pulp composted at local farms. Our packaging is printed with vegetable and soy-based inks, and the card and glass fragrance bottles are widely recyclable.’

‘We get it.’ Michelle continues: ‘You love fragrance, but you don’t feel so good about all the packaging that comes with it. We feel the same so, we made it our mission to create a totally new way to house your perfume, a way to deliver it to you without using the same amount of energy or incurring the same amount of waste.

 

 

We did it. Each floral street fragrance comes tucked inside a groundbreaking pulp carton with an embossed lid, made from recyclable paper packaging and held together with a re-usable brightlycoloured band. We’re proud that we can offer a totally recyclable and biodegradable box – a first for the world of fragrance…’

Cruelty free, ethically souced and vegetarian and vegan friendly, Floral Street prove that perfumistas can care for the planet while still enjoying fine fragrance. Read even more about their ethos in our page dedicated to this forward-thinking fabulous house…