fragrance

The scent in question, Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 is cosy, woody, clean, and a little bit sweet. Supposedly undetectable to the wearer but incredibly appealing to those around, it contains only one ingredient, a unique molecule known as Iso E Super. “Iso E Super is a single aroma molecule perfumers use to create a fragrance in conjunction with other chemicals and naturals,” says master perfumer and Escentric Molecules founder Geza Schön. “Its classification is woody. If it were to be compared to an existing natural product people know it would have to be cedarwood. Furthermore, it has this unique velvety and smooth allure, and it has got this magic to it unlike all other chemicals around.” Schön’s process for the creation of Molecule 01 began in the 1980’s, a time when loud, powerful ...

Growing up, the bottles of body sprays, lotions, butters and eau de toilettes that lined my bathroom vanity were far sweeter than a desert-filled episode of The Great British Bake Off. My rotation typically included Britney Spears’s Fantasy (or Curious); a pure-sugar scent that, not surprisingly, was called Pink Sugar; and anything else my collection of glossy magazines was advertising. If it smelled like a frosted cupcake with sprinkles, I was—without a doubt—wearing it.  I’ll always love unapologetically sweet scents, but now my tastes have graduated to fragrance blends that are warm and woody or grounded with spices, leathers or classic florals. That said, signature sweet notes like vanilla are often at the heart of...

“My 2023 signature scent will be Jean Paul Gaultier Le Belle Le Parfum eau de Parfum Intense. I believe perfume should be alluring, mysterious, and bewitching. This perfume does just that,” begins Irene Wainman, TikTok fragrance influencer. “This spellbinding perfume smells of amber, vanilla, tonka, and jasmine. It’s long lasting and the initial blast of sweetness muddles down to a lingering heavenly scent. This perfume falls into the same category as my signature scents like Tom Ford’s Rose Prick, Lancome’s La Nuit Tresor, and Tom Ford’s Noir Pour Femme. All of which have spicy, syurpy, incense-like notes. If you’re looking for an office friendly, non offensive perfume, this is not your category, but I would recommend this perfume to anyone wh...

I love trying new perfumes. Unlike makeup where I tend to stick with what I know, or skincare, where chopping and changing between products is a big no-no, fragrance is a product that affords me complete freedom. My favourite morning ritual is deciding which perfume to wear, and I switch it up each day based on how I’m feeling, what my plans are, and what I’m wearing. Of all the five senses, smell is the one most connected with memory and emotion, so if you’re approaching the new year looking to make changes or about to start something new, then wearing a new fragrance is also a great way to switch things up and acknowledge a new season, phase, or state of mind. Of course, there are plenty of classic scents and bestselling fragrances to choose from, but if you’re search...

The thing is, while I’m more than willing to invest and splash out on efficacious skincare, I’m less willing to on bath and body products. I want my skincare to do the hard graft, whereas I just want my body products to smell nice and feel luxurious to use, without the huge price tag. Because at the end of the day, our bath products mostly end up down the drain, so I like to spend less money here. My happy middle-ground is choosing something which will still look chic in my bathroom, but make far less of a dent in my bank account than some of the more premium brands. One brand has totally nailed this balance, and that is & Other Stories. If you’ve spotted the products in store, you’ll know that the products still look pretty and luxe, and while not as cheap...

The thing is, while I’m more than willing to invest and splash out on efficacious skincare, I’m less willing to on bath and body products. I want my skincare to do the hard graft, whereas I just want my body products to smell nice and feel luxurious to use, without the huge price tag. Because at the end of the day, our bath products mostly end up down the drain, so I like to spend less money here. My happy middle-ground is choosing something which will still look chic in my bathroom, but make far less of a dent in my bank account than some of the more premium brands. One brand has totally nailed this balance, and that is & Other Stories. If you’ve spotted the products in store, you’ll know that the products still look pretty and luxe, and while not as cheap...

The thing is, while I’m more than willing to invest and splash out on efficacious skincare, I’m less willing to on bath and body products. I want my skincare to do the hard graft, whereas I just want my body products to smell nice and feel luxurious to use, without the huge price tag. Because at the end of the day, our bath products mostly end up down the drain, so I like to spend less money here. My happy middle-ground is choosing something which will still look chic in my bathroom, but make far less of a dent in my bank account than some of the more premium brands. One brand has totally nailed this balance, and that is & Other Stories. If you’ve spotted the products in store, you’ll know that the products still look pretty and luxe, and while not as cheap...

You would be forgiven for thinking that aromatherapy only provides benefits through our sense of smell, but it actually works on multiple levels. Indeed, smelling essential oils taps into our olfactory senses and our limbic system—the part of our brain concerned with memory and emotion—to bring a sense of calm and well-being. That being said, the actual inhalation of aromatherapy oils can provide great benefits to our respiratory system too. When you inhale the aroma of essential oils, they are also absorbed inside the body. This makes it great if you’ve been struck with the lurgy, as it helps to support the respiratory system, and the antibacterial and antiviral properties of essential oils make them great for fending off the symptoms of a cold. Finally—this one blew ...

Both Pichon and Mastenbroek agree that lighter scents are best for migraine sufferers. “Fragrances that have been created with a calming effect in mind, or that are using principles of aromatherapy, are likely to be soothing to the nose and not stimulate the receptors,” explains Mastenbroek. “The most sensible advice I would give is to be stick to citrus (orange, lemon, grapefruit, lemongrass), herbs (lavender, chamomile, rosemary, thyme) and mint notes (peppermint and spearmint). Based on aromatherapy knowledge we have, we can safely say these will not have an adverse effect on the majority of people including migraine sufferers.” As a migraine sufferer I know that paying a visit to a fragrance counter can be overwhelming, time-consuming, and straight up risky. However I’ve spent enough y...