Cláudia Camacho - Portugal's first independent female perfumer

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

Did you know? Mark Buxton’s “Last Call to Ibiza” blends cannabis, coffee, mandarin and raspberry, capturing the essence of sunrise, white lilies and nights spent dancing.

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Story: Portugal’s first independent female perfumer
2. Quiz: Pink Pepper’s family member
3. Raw Materials: Pink Pepper

Story: Cláudia Camacho 🇵🇹

An interview with Cláudia Camacho, Portugal’s first independent female perfumer. Her passion was born from the magic of the aromas surrounding her mother. In 2018, after years of self-study, she took a professional approach with mentor Marina Barcenilla, choosing the Spanish school of perfumery. About 90% of her focus is now on perfumery, though she keeps ties to contemporary art.

Her debut Mystery is inspired by her magical hometown Sintra, divided into a trilogy (Mystery, Relic, Tragedy). Mystery captures the humid, misty mountains — opening with a bold black pepper top note (reflecting Portuguese trade history), a heart of mushrooms evoking the forest floor, and a base of pink pepper, resins and woods. It’s presented in a wooden case inspired by Sintra’s cork convent. Relic focuses on Sintra’s florals; Tragedy will reflect its coastal, vinous character. “It’s about capturing the soul of the place and the moment.”

Raw Materials: Pink Pepper 🌸🌶️

Pink pepper comes from the berries of the Schinus terebinthifolius tree, with a spicy, fresh, lemony scent and resinous, pine-like facets. Originally from South America (Brazil, Peru), now widely cultivated in Madagascar, Réunion, South Africa and Mauritius; Madagascar harvests ~300 metric tons annually. Extracted via supercritical CO₂. Iconic: État Libre d’Orange Archives 69, Majda Bekkali Mon Nom est Rouge, Atelier Materi Rose Ardoise, Lancôme Trésor Midnight Rose.