The Nose Behind Our First Scent...

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

It happened. And what a night it was! We gathered, we reflected — quite literally — and together unlocked the first inspirations for our debut fragrance. The theme Reflection sparked an incredible spectrum of interpretations. And the perfumer shaping this first creation is none other than Chester Gibs, a rising star who will bring his vision to life under the banner of a newly formed fragrance publishing house dedicated to independent perfumers.

The discussions were inspiring — imagine the scent of stillness, memory and contemplation woven from incense, eucalyptus, tuberose and even green pea. A fragrance that doesn’t just smell, but makes you think.

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: Rebel perfumery, Malle Legacy, and Scent Saturation
2. Strictly Independent: Extra Virgo
3. Quiz: Ultra rare floral
4. Scent MythBusters: Alcohol-free perfumes are safer for sensitive skin

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#REBELPERFUMERY: État Libre d’Orange turns 18, but founder Étienne de Swardt isn’t dialing down the provocation. With 1,100 stores in nearly 100 countries, the brand blends anarchy with strategy. “Innovation always needs new blood,” he asserts — in niche perfumery, rebellion is a business model.

#MALLELEGACY: Frédéric Malle’s Le Parfum de Thérèse, originally a private love letter by Edmond Roudnitska, epitomises his mission to preserve perfumery as fine art. More than a fruity chypre, it thrums with vegetal depth, capturing life’s duality — joy and decay, passion and loss.

#SCENTSATURATION: Perfume’s boom is undeniable, but has obsession turned to overload? From TikTok-driven scent wardrobes to AI-generated formulas, fragrance is more accessible — and exhausting — than ever. The once-intimate ritual now feels like commodity culture.

Strictly Independent 🎨 🌟 — Extra Virgo

Extra Virgo treats fragrance as a sacred craft. Founded in Florence by H.H. Alex Postiglione, a descendant of Burma’s last royal dynasty, the brand sources botanicals from hidden family sanctuaries and creates deeply resinous, richly textured compositions. Perfumer: Michele Marin. Scents: 5.

Animal Café — A Wild Awakening. Ethiopian, Javanese and Colombian coffee absolutes swirl with clove and cinnamon, a smoky whisper of oud and zibeth turning indulgence into instinct. Perfumer: Michele Marin.

Cacao Ritual — The Ceremony of Shadows. Dark chocolate and spice, where zibeth and castoreum add animalic depth beneath velvet patchouli. Perfumer: Michele Marin.

Pangea — Earth’s Forgotten Essence. Powdery Florentine iris with the umami depth of shiitake and truffle absolutes, sacred frankincense and resinous benzoin. Perfumer: Sileno Cheloni.

Sacred Tobacco — The Ritual of Smoke and Spice. Cuban and Virginia tobacco absolutes with sandalwood and birch tar, clove and cinnamon, zibeth and castoreum. Perfumer: Michele Marin.

Quiz 🎲

Which rare floral material is among the costliest in perfumery, with only a few kilograms produced per year?
Karo Karoundé · Iris Butter (Orris) · Champaca Absolute · Gardenia Absolute

Scent MythBusters 🎭️

“Alcohol-free perfumes are safer for sensitive skin.”
Myth of the week

TL;DR

While ethanol evaporates quickly and reduces prolonged skin exposure, oil-based perfumes can retain allergens like limonene or linalool longer. EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 mandates labeling of 26 allergen compounds, many naturally occurring in alcohol-free formulations. So is “alcohol-free” really safer? Not necessarily.

Why alcohol-free isn’t always safer

Ethanol-based perfumes disperse scent and minimise skin exposure by evaporating quickly. Oil-based perfumes trap allergens — linalool, citronellol, eugenol — prolonging skin contact. Even “clean” or “natural” doesn’t mean allergy-free.

Verdict

Alcohol-free perfumes may be less drying, but they can prolong exposure to allergens — so they are not inherently safer. If you’re sensitive to fragrance, checking the ingredient list matters more than avoiding alcohol.