On The Scent

What does a fragrance feel like? This week, Suzy Nightingale and Nicola Bonn arefollowing their noses into the wonderfully tactile world of perfumery, where a scentcan suggest velvet brushing the skin, the smooth swish of nylon, or the crumblywarmth of freshly sliced cake. There’s oudh as soft as autumnal sun-warmed suede,a mineral hush reminiscent of earth after rain, and an aromatic breeze that arriveswind-whipped and bracing before settling into comfort.These perfumes invite you to think beyond notes alone. Some wrap around you;others seem to lift you into cool, open air or draw you into the glow of a city afterdark. Join Suzy and Nicola for an episode devoted to sumptuous scents you canalmost reach out and touch...The fragrances discussed in this episode are:Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Velvet Mood ExtraitVelvet warmed by desert sun is the irresistible idea here. Peach skin, delicate suedeand deep oud wood unfold in a slow, enveloping caress – soft, sensuous and richlytextured, with a sillage that seems to ripple across dunes beneath a starry sky.D.S. & Durga Ain’t That Sweet?The blissful comfort of a freshly sliced cake, with no apology for its sweetness.Cinnamon lends a spicy dusting, fresh floral lily keeps things lifted, and creamyvanilla melts into the skin, leaving a decadent trail that lingers like the last deliciouscrumb.Pigmentarium AereoAiry yet grounding, Aereo feels like finding a quiet moment after rain. Soft, mineralcashmeran suggests warm soil, pink pepper brings a flicker of clarity, and soothingmyrrh anchors it all in a clean, contemplative stillness.Aesop Unforeseen AerWind-whipped and refreshing at first, this aromatic fougère brings rugged, mineralheights to mind. Geranium, lavandin and rosemary create its cool rush of air, whilenutmeg lends a textured warmth as the scent settles into comfort.Prada Olfactories Nylon NoirPrada’s iconic nylon becomes something you can almost feel against your skin.Luminous jasmine gives way to a clean, enveloping nylon accord, before muskemerges in the dry-down, leaving a sleek, softly polished trail.Prada Olfactories Troubled MidnightA city after dark, where hot pavement meets cold air and light flares againstshadow. Smoky incense and patchouli bring depth to this warm amber-musk, whilea date accord adds a softly fruity glow – satin darkness in perfume form.

Suzy & Nicola are back for part two of their Pitti Fragranze roundup, continuing their deep-dive into the perfume launches, houses and ideas that made this year’s Florence fair feel so full of possibility.Having attended Pitti Fragranze for thirteen years, Suzy felt this was one of the most exciting editions yet. Alongside the return of classical perfume structures reinterpreted for contemporary tastes, she noticed a growing confidence in brands drawing upon personal heritage, local materials, food culture, landscape, ritual and memory. In this episode, the pair explore some of the fragrances that most vividly expressed those stories.From a Chinese-French house capturing the transient scent of sun-dried osmanthus, to Korean brands evoking fire-charred ingredients, graceful calligraphy and fine-dining balances of flavour, this episode travels widely through fragrance’s newest creative terrain. There is also a decadent, night-time gourmand journey through Bandra in Mumbai; a woody incense scent from Reserve en Afrique; and two beautifully emotional creations from Italian poet-perfumer Meo Fusciuni.Listen for a perfume that smells of roasted chestnuts, fermented tea and Korean seaweed crisp; a vivid, herbal peach; a “new century” Parma violet growing in a cold spring garden; and a cocoa-rich love story that charts the bitterness and sweetness of heartbreak…https://fragranze.pittimmagine.com/en/events-calendarReserve en Afrique – WoodooReserve en Afrique’s Woodoo is a woody, resinous composition built around the warm, meditative pull of incense, balsams and dry woods.It opens with ginger and olibanum, giving the fragrance both brightness and a slightly peppery, ceremonial character. Labdanum, iris and white flowers arrive at the heart, adding a soft, ambery texture: floral, but shadowed by resin and a certain velvety darkness. The base of musk, benzoin, cedar, tonka bean and cypriol brings a long-lasting warmth, with dry woods, sweet balsams and a gently smoky earthiness.The name suggests ritual, mystery and a connection to wood, smoke and spirituality, and the composition seems to play with all those ideas. This is not necessarily a loud fragrance, but one that gradually develops its presence on skin: incense-lit, softly floral, smooth with tonka, and grounded by a woody, mineral base.Reserve en Afrique draws inspiration from African landscapes, stories and olfactory traditions, translating them into contemporary fine fragrance. Woodoo feels like a particularly atmospheric example of that approach: a scent that uses familiar perfume materials, but lets them tell a more transportive story.Cent.PM – eau de penséeEau de pensée, the debut fragrance from Chinese-French house Cent.PM, begins with an intensely personal memory: founder Haoyuan recalling the childhood ritual of sun-drying osmanthus blossoms in a field.Rather than trying to make a literal flower portrait, Cent.PM treats the memory as something unstable and shifting. The perfume is intended to capture that instant when an old recollection suddenly brightens into focus, only to blur again as past and present overlap. The opening is vibrant and light-filled, with notes including neroli, pink pepper and mandarin lending a sparkling, green-citrus lift. From there, the fragrance becomes more veiled and contemplative, eventually settling into a warm, close-to-the-skin afterglow.Osmanthus can be a fascinating material in perfume: floral, but also capable of suggesting apricot, tea, suede and a certain honeyed, almost leathery softness. Here, its role appears to be as much emotional as olfactory, carrying the atmosphere of childhood, sunshine, landscape and passing time.Cent.PM approaches fragrance as a meeting point between cultures, materials and memory. Its name and first release suggest an interest in the fleeting, in-between time of late afternoon: a moment for reflection, imagination and sensory recollection.Sisology – Être toiKorean house Sisology’s Être toi is a tender, uplifting fragrance built around the idea that being fully oneself is its own kind of beauty.The scent opens with freesia and peach, combining clean floral freshness with soft, gently juicy fruit. Rose sits at the heart, bringing a familiar, romantic bloom, but the fragrance’s real appeal lies in the ease of its overall structure. Patchouli, woods and amber provide a warm, lightly earthy base that gives the composition depth without overwhelming its airiness.Sisology describes Être toi as a perfume for the easy laugh, the hopeful heart and the comfort of sincerity. It is imagined as sunlight through lace curtains: bright but soft, clean but intimate. That makes it sound less like a dramatic statement fragrance and more like a gentle confidence-builder, the kind of scent that feels naturally part of the wearer rather than something imposed upon them.The brand is based in Seoul and works across fragrance and sensorial beauty. Its style is rooted in the expressive, emotional side of scent, but presented in a modern, approachable way. Être toi is a quietly optimistic introduction to that world.Insenf – Charred WoodFounded in Seoul in 2025, Insenf is a niche perfume house that combines traditional Korean craftsmanship with modern scent science. Its work takes everyday cultural references such as fashion, food and lifestyle, then interprets them through fragrance in unusual and highly textural ways.Charred Wood is part of the Table Collection, inspired by ingredients transformed through fire, smoke and time. In perfume terms, that means the scent has the drama of a meal cooked over open heat: black pepper freshly crushed on the table; chestnuts slowly roasting; smoke rising from salted seaweed; the mineral warmth of charcoal lingering after the flames are gone.The opening combines black pepper, roasted chestnut and smoked sea salt. It is dry, spicy and savoury, with the chestnut adding a nutty, almost comforting contrast to the salt and smoke. The heart moves in an even more unexpected direction: fermented tea, Korean seaweed crisp, incense resin, myrrh and clove leaf. These notes suggest a rich umami character, but the resins and clove also ensure it remains recognisably perfumery rather than becoming simply gastronomic.Charcoal, hinoki, amberwood, patchouli and vetiver provide the base. Hinoki is especially evocative here, its dry, aromatic woodiness echoing Japanese and Korean bathing and temple woods, while vetiver and patchouli add rootiness and shadow. Charred Wood sounds like a fragrance for anyone who enjoys scent at its most savoury, smoky and unconventional.Kuoca – Wild PeachKuoca approaches fragrance through the lens of fine dining, treating its compositions as carefully balanced experiences in which freshness, sweetness, texture and contrast all matter. The Korean beauty brand is best known for making sensorial products that feel deliciously tactile, and Wild Peach takes that same appetite for pleasure into fragrance.Wild Peach centres on the sunny, juicy character of ripe fruit, but it is not designed as a dense peach syrup. Verbena and mint bring a sparkling, aromatic greenness that makes the peach feel freshly picked and still cool from the morning air. Peach blossom adds a lighter floral aspect, while ho wood lends a smooth, softly woody finish.The brand describes Wild Peach through the image of freshly squeezed peaches from Provence, with aromatic herbs giving a more sophisticated edge to the fruit. This sounds like a peach scent for those who usually find fruit fragrances too candied or obvious: bright, translucent and almost thirst-quenching rather than sticky.It is also a useful example of one of the wider trends Suzy noticed at Pitti: perfume houses taking familiar notes and shifting expectations around them. Peach here becomes less about confectionery and more about the contrast between ripe flesh, green leaves, fresh herbs and pale wood.Salon de Nevaeh – ChoseoKorean house Salon de Nevaeh was impossible to overlook at Pitti, not least because of its exquisite bottle design. The flacons are ceramic and inset with mother-of-pearl, giving them the presence of miniature objects of craft rather than simply containers for perfume.Inside, the fragrances draw upon Korean aesthetic and cultural references. Choseo is inspired by “Grass Script”, a flowing form of cursive calligraphy in which brushstrokes can appear dynamic, spontaneous and unruly, while still carrying great poise and control.That movement is reflected in the perfume’s green composition. Dried herbs, green leaves, lime and mandarin give the opening an angular, bright and almost brush-like energy. Spearmint, geranium and muguet create a cooler, softer heart, while pine needle, galbanum, rosewood and musk provide a base that is leafy, resinous and quietly woody.The brand describes the fragrance as sharp and unruly green up close, but gentler and pale green from a distance. That is a beautiful way of describing the evolution of a green scent: the vivid snap of crushed stems and herbs gradually becoming more hazy, calm and atmospheric on skin. Salon de Nevaeh is described as Korea’s first niche perfume house and translates traditional Korean culture into contemporary fragrance.Sasva – Forbidden Words Bombay...

If you’ve ever wondered what goes on in a fragrance trade fair, get ready for all the news as Suzy reviews this year’s Pitti Fragranze in Florence. There are some some thrilling new launches and brands to get excited by, and she reveals some of the trends we can expect to see filtering their way through to the wider fragrance world over the coming months.In fact, firstly a storm stopped play as we arrived in Florence, with Suzy’s plane stranded on the runway for three hours as lightning struck. Luckily the rest of the trip was exciting for all the right reasons!Suzy has been attending the Pitti Fragranze trade fair for thirteen years, and genuinely felt this was one of the best ever years. The overall vibe seemed to be a return to beauty - classical perfumery elements woven in new and intriguing ways, and with greater cultural diversity from brands showcasing their heritage and aromas they grew up with. We’ll be focussing more in this aspect - as well as talking about the trends Suzy saw emerging this year - in next week’s episode. But until then, enjoy this whistle-stop rundown of some of Suzy’s highlights of the show this year…Suzy’s top picks of the show (well SOME of them - there were a lot! We’ll have to cover some more in future episodes and on our Patreon page).Beaufort London Sunken TobaccoImagine an ancient, lead-lined wooden box of tobacco—lost in a shipwreck and submerged beneath the sea. Centuries later, the wreck re-emerges and its precious cargo is rediscovered. Barnacled and salt-encrusted, the lid is levered off - within, tobacco lies preserved in shadow and silt.Exposed at last to the sun, the furled leaves begin to bloom: warm, dark, faintly honeyed. Salt crystals glitter on wave-lapped rocks as the tobacco is laid out upon sun-bleached driftwood, its leathery richness threaded with mineral air, smoke, tar and sea-spray.A buried treasure, reclaimed from the deep - not pristine, but made stranger and more compelling by its long immersion. Sunken Tobacco is the scent of faded maps and flooded holds - of a sailor’s hoard brought blinking into daylight, still carrying the ocean in its grain.Four new Olfiction Lab Editions (coming soon! Expected launch on their website by end of November)BALSAMNeo-vintage amberAldehydes, Apple, BergamotJasmine, Ylang Ylang, MuguetPeru Balsam, Labdanum, Vanilla absolute, Fir Balsam, Benzoin, White Musks, OakmossSUAVENeo-vintage fougereNutmeg, Shaving soap, Cedar Leaf, Coffee CO2Lavender absolute, Lavender oil, Coffee absolute,Geranium, SageMusk Accord, Suede, Animal notes, Incense resin, Rectified Cedarwood, OakmossCASSISSIMOFruity floralBlackcurrant Bud CO2, Blackcurrant Bud absolute, Blackberry, Red MandarinChampagne accord, Tuberose absolute, Rose absolute Bulgaria, Geranium RosatMusk, Cognac oil, Vanilla syrup, Benzoin, Patchouli, Sandalwood AustraliaLASKIAISPULLAGourmandNordic Shrove BunsWhipped Cream, Marzipan, Raspberry Jam, RaspberryLeaf, OrrisVanilla sugar, Vanilla absolute, Tonka absolute, Tonka infusion, Benzoin, OpoponaxOLYMRAFounder: Born and raised in Greece, Dr. Frida Michailidou is an award-winning scientist whose work is deeply rooted in Greek botanical heritage, nature, and innovation. Previously a Lecturer and Collegium Fellow at ETH Zurich, she led the first scientific expedition to decode the rare scents of Mount Olympus using pioneering non-destructive technology. Recognised as an MIT Innovator Under 35 Europe and TEDx speaker, she is redefining perfumery through the convergence of science, sustainability, and the timeless spirit of Greece.‘Born from the rare botanicals of Mount Olympus, OLYMRA transforms myth, memory, and wild nature into modern extrait de parfum.Grounded in earth, inspired by the divine.’Persephone‘Deep. Intimate. Transformative.OLYMRA PERSEPHONE is a fragrance of dual worlds: one of light, one of shadow. Inspired by the mythic queen who walks between both, it captures a moment of transformation: the instant spring yields to desire, and dusk begins to bloom.The fragrance opens with bergamot, pink pepper, and cardamom; bright, spiced notes that shimmer like sunlight across stone. At its heart, a lush pairing of Damask rose, Centifolia rose, and the OLYMRA plant accord, a precise reconstruction of rare mountain flora, unfurls with velvet intensity. Beneath, a deep base of cacao, tonka bean, beeswax, grey amber, and hyrax evokes warmth, earth, and skin; the lingering traces of a myth reborn.OLYMRA PERSEPHONE is not a fragrance of opposition, but of passage and evolution; from innocence to knowing, from surface to depth, from petal to flame. Crafted for those who carry both sunlight and shadow.She walks between worlds. Will you follow her into the dusk?’Kharon‘Dark. Sensual. Elemental.OLYMRA KHARON is a fragrance shaped by myth and memory. Inspired by Kharon, the ferryman of Hades, silent, unwavering, eternal, it is an olfactory passage through the darker recesses of the soul.The scent opens with sharp lemon, luminous neroli, and the spark of black pepper, evoking the moment just before surrender. At its heart, the complexity deepens: Damask rose and tobacco entwine with the OLYMRA Accord, a precise reconstruction of wild flora from Mount Olympus. In the base, smoked wood, beeswax, vetiver, sandalwood, and a bold note of hyrax create a dry, tactile finish; intimate yet vast, like breath inside stone.OLYMRA KHARON is not designed to please. It is designed to confront. To carry. To remain. A fragrance for those drawn not to light, but to truth; wherever it may lead.The river lays ahead... Are you ready to cross?’Laboratorio Olfattivo Bagage à main(translates as hand luggage in British English)‘Leather and Nutmeg; middle notes are Vetiver and Peru Balsam; base notes are Patchouli, Amber, Tonka Bean and Ambronova ™’Laboratorio Olfattivo Rose Me Twice(By Jean-Claude Ellena)‘With over 40,000 varieties, the rose is the flower whose fragrance has been most extensively explored by perfumers — an entire universe in which one can easily lose oneself among its infinite nuances. This exploration took a decisive turn in 1867, when the breeder Jean-Baptiste Guillot created ‘La France’, the first hybrid tea rose.With this innovation, Guillot introduced not merely a new flower, but an olfactory signature that would shape perfumery forever. Today, whenever I perceive a tea note within a rose, I immediately recognize its lineage from that historic hybridization. The secret of this aroma lies in a specific molecule: ionone — used to recreate the scent of violet, but also a key component in the olfactory impression of tea.’Heeley ChirisHistoric French house revered and revived by James Heeley in this INCREDIBLE leather / iris / Chypre fragrance.‘The fragrance house of Antoine Chiris dates back to 1768 and is considered to be the first and perhaps the greatest of the enterprises that made a business of harvesting natural materials and turning them into the raw materials of perfumery and, at times, creating the perfumes themselves.Antoine de Chiris was born into a wealthy family of Italian origin. In Grasse he began buying up fields which produced flowers which were converted into perfumery materials. Chiris held early patents on a steam distillation process capable of producing significant amounts of high quality oil at an economic cost. This technology helped made Grasse the international focus of perfumery for over a century and a half.’History from https://www.perfumeprojects.com/museum/marketers/Chiris.shtmlThe fragrance: ‘Chiris by James Heeley is an iris and leather fragrance created by James Heeley and launched in 2026. It pays tribute to Chiris, the historic perfume-materials producer founded in Grasse in 1768, and to the Iris Pallida it cultivated in Tuscany. Osmanthus, citrus and peach open the composition, followed by Iris Pallida and olibanum over a base of leather, cedar, sandalwood and amber.’Lorenzo Villoresi Vol D’AbarisThe nose behind this fragrance is Alessandro Villoresi. The fragrance features Tobacco, Amber, Vanilla, Musk and Woody Notes.

Are you feeling the need for snuggly scents yet? Suzy and Nicola are leaning into the cosiness in this week’s episode and have been gathering together some of new launches and favourite fragrances they’ve been wearing as autumn approaches. The discussion ranges from ultra-sophisticated gourmands encompassing chocolate and lattes, to a bohemian rose, a truly fantastic new woody scent, and an American niche tobacco fragrance Suzy fell for years ago and a listener kindly sourced a sample of for her. Plus, the #listenerprescription this week is for a ‘friendship fragrance’ to link and be shared by a listener and her best friend who is moving far away...Tom Ford Tobacco Chocolat By Daniela Andrier‘TOM FORD has long been drawn to the sensual, masculine heat of tobacco – and now, the perfumer adds another iteration to its repertoire. Tobacco Chocolat is an eau de parfum founded upon the brand’s exclusive cocoa smoke accord, a note that fuses the rich, intoxicating quality of cocoa with the grounding earthiness of tobacco. Alongside this powerful core are a host of complimentary notes, from bright orange essence to balsam and patchouli, coming together to make a fragrance set to capture attention.Top Notes: cocoa smoke co-distillation, Orange EssenceMiddle Notes: peru balsam, chocolat noir grand cru delightBase Notes: patchouli cœur Indonesia, Ambrofix.’NEST New York Cardamom Latte ‘Like cashmere on bare skin, this spicy gourmand eau de parfum is endlessly wearable. The gentle heat of cardamom drifts through jasmine-laced air steeped in the creamy comfort of coconut milk.Cardamom Latte unfolds like the perfect pour—layered and immersive. Heat blooms into softness. Spice melts into cream. Steam diffuses into air. Transforming your atmosphere with warmth you can feel. An enveloping fragrance that surrounds before it settles. Because comfort isn’t static. It’s fluid.’Acqua di Parma Signatures of the Sun Cedar Virtuoso (& body cream)‘Cedro Virtuoso celebrates the sensorial warmth of creation—the moment when an idea begins to take shape and inner confidence turns sensibility into emotion. Like the different stages of a creative process, the fragrance unfolds like a warm embrace, encouraging creativity to rise from within. Between vivid, vibrant notes and deeper, cocooning tones that accompany the journey from intuition to realization is the fragrance’s distinctive singularity: a co-infusion of Virginia cedarwood and hazelnut, whose encounter shapes a creamy woody signature.’Miller Harris Scherzo Extrait ‘Developed at 30% concentration, Scherzo Extrait captures the vibrant spirit of the original Eau de Parfum while unveiling a deeper, more intoxicating signature. Bright, luminous sweetness meets newfound richness and warmth, allowing the fragrance to bloom with a more immersive intensity for lasting presence. The fragrance opens with the familiar rush of tangerine and davana, radiating vibrant fruity luminosity. At its heart, delicate peony blooms abundantly alongside crisp pittosporum, while a new dimension begins to emerge: a more sumptuous and velvety rose, enrobed in golden honey and entwined with creamy vanilla for a richer sensuality, its floral radiance enhanced by threads of incense to bring light and vibration. Together, they introduce a magnetic tension, guiding the fragrance towards more mysterious territory. At the base, shimmering oudh unfolds with greater texture, amplified by intensified patchouli and moss. The introduction of smooth amber woods brings warmth and refinement, creating a striking counterpoint to the fragrance's signature sweetness. As these richer notes emerge, they reveal new facets of its character. The result is a fragrance which is radiant yet mysterious, vibrant yet profound, with a more enduring and enveloping trail.’HEAD NOTES:Tangerine*, Davana* (herb with a fruity, sweet, tea like smell, member of the Artemisia family.)HEART NOTES:Rose Nectar Accord, Peony, Olibanum* (Frankincense), Pittosporum.LASTING IMPRESSIONS:Patchouli*, Vanilla, Oudh, Moss, Amber Woods, Sweet Note.Sonoma Scents Tabac Aurea ‘Tabac Aurea has an enticing golden amber drydown and a pipe tobacco note that is enjoyed by women as well as men. It’s smooth and softly gourmand, with notes of amber, woods, spices, tobacco, leather, tonka, labdanum, patchouli, and vanilla. The amber accord combines dry earthy notes with sweet elements and subtle fruity touches to create an addictive, beautiful, golden aura. One of our top three best-selling scents.’Ormonde Jayne SybariteNicola has been finding great comfort and energy in this, lately. It’s the only store-exclusive founder and creative director Linda Pilkington has allowed for her own Royal Arcade boutique, this was so worth the wait. A perfect melange of creamy hazelnut and orris butter, it’s the Timur pepper and the effervescently spiced sparkle it adds to the composition that ties it all together. Utterly unique, and beautifully balanced, it’s the finer things in life lovingly bottled. Those craving outside London: call or email them for information.Perfume Prescription:Luci Tither:‘Hi lovely ladies, you very kindly gave me a perfume prescription for a magical trip to Porto last year (excellent recommendation of Claus Porto). And I wondered if you'd indulge a second prescription if I may. I loved the notion of a friendship fragrance mentioned in a recent episode. It really struck a chord with me as my best friend is very sadly moving to Canada from the UK early next year and although I'm very happy for her, I'm going to miss her immensely. I wondered if it would be at all possible to help us find a fragrance that we could both wear whenever we meet, and will remind us of each other when we're apart.She loves a gourmand like Bianco Latte, Seven Virtues Vanilla Amber or skin scents like Not A Perfume and Phlur Not Your Baby. For me, I love clean, powdery skin scents (like Molecule Iris, Prada Infusion), and warm sandalwood/ambery scents (think Sana Jardin Sandalwood Temple, BDK Vanilla Leather). We also both love a rogue option like Dries Van Noten Fleur de Mal, BDK Rouge Smoking Jacket and Amouage Guidance. Apologies for the long message - I hope you can suggest something that we'd both love and can make being thousands of miles apart that bit easier. Thank you in advance - your podcast is very much my happy place on my commute to work. Xx’Suzy thinks it’s definitely worth trying a sample of Estée Lauder Glimmer (and the Acqua di Parma Cedro Virtuoso), and also suggests:Molton Brown Milk Musk Eau de ToiletteMilk gently laps at luscious notes of pear, delicate florals and sheer white musk, while Ambroxan and cashmere add that skin-on-skin warmth. Scented contentment awaits, tender as a fluttery kiss, softly embracing rather than swaddling.Fischersund Faux Flora No. 1Encompassing the life cycles of plants and humans alike, this scent ‘springs from universal experiences.’ A sparkle of bergamot’s brightness is swathed by ‘mountain milk’, cool, pristine and porcelain-like, warming to salty iris’s mortal muskiness. Eris Parfums Mothers MilkAntoine Lee’s ‘primordial gourmand’ blends buttery orris and vanilla with hyper-realistic warm milk, subverting the soft-focus skin-swaddled kiss of comfort, as ‘good’ mother (rosily nurturing) becomes ‘bad’ (suede-like, sultry). Think fairytale mother turned Joan Crawford.Maison Louis Marie Bois de Balincourt (You can get a mini travel set with the oil and EDP, so could purchase one to share, perhaps?)‘Bois de Balincourt is inspired by our family home, nestled deep within an ancient forest. Along a trail we fondly called Lover’s Lane, generations wandered under towering trees, surrounded by stillness and memory. This signature scent layers creamy sandalwood and cedar with warming cinnamon and nutmeg, anchored by earthy vetiver — a romantic, comforting fragrance with effortless depth.’Olfactive O SkinNicola had the brilliant idea of using this scent as your shared ‘base’ layer, which you can wear alone or layer with any other perfume you have. That way, she thought you’d always be grounded in the same scent. Suzy then had the idea if you both ordered bottles, you could use then personalise them – each full-size bottle of Skin extrait comes with a fingerprint ink pad and blank label for this purpose! Olivia, the founder, describes Skin as: ‘...for everyone, universal yet deeply personal. The delicate balance of notes blends with your skin chemistry to create the absolute essence of you – unmistakable and compelling. It can be applied on its own or worn in combination with any of the other personality scents to magnify and enhance your unique scent. I am the alchemist, the musician, the storyteller. I am confident in my own skin and never need to pretend. I confound expectations and you’ll keep coming back to me, intrigued and charmed. I am sun-warmed skin on the beach, tousled hair, the cool of cotton sheets at the end of the day.’

This week Suzy & Nicola are pondering the resurgence of iris - one of the most traditional (and costly) notes in perfumery made modern by exploring it in surprising ways. From one of the all-time classic iris perfumes launching a new version after 114 years, to another historic house who’s just launched a dashingly debonair iris scent; and a brilliantly affordable iris from a high street shop that’s one of our star buys year… There’s a lot to love!After discussing what else we’ve fallen for lately, and Suzy’s perfume picks from an Australian brand’s stunning new East End boutique; we asked Scott (@blublazer guy) to answer a listener’s question about fragrances to wear while visiting Edinburgh.On the show:Guerlain L’Heure Bleu (new)Perfumer Delphine Jelk says she didn’t try ‘to modernise the original L’Heure Bleue from 1912, nor to revisit it, but to pay tribute to a masterpiece and to translate that emotion into the present through a new palette of ingredients.’ A ‘homemade iris tincture created exclusively for this perfume’ is woven into a fresher-feeling ‘ozonic blue sky accord to shiver’, together with ‘the softness of orange blossom’, on a base of vanilla, woods and musk, creating what Jelk calls ‘airy, powdery sensuality’.Creed Iris Debonair‘Unlock Iris Debonair, an addictive fougère floral capturing the allure of an aesthete's domain, where every room reveals an intentional art of living. Opening with a luminous stroke of bergamot co-infused with absinthe leaves, at the heart, crisp English lavender unfolds with cool, aromatic clarity. French iris pallida, suffused in pale blue, is magnetic and among perfumery's most precious materials.Head NotesBergamot & Absinthe, Pink Pepper, CardamomHeart NotesEnglish Lavender, Violet Leaf, Fig Pulp AccordBase NotesFrench Iris Pallida, Ambrette, Amberwood’Boots Last Note Echoes of You50ml fragrance priced at £12.99 from the debut "Last Note" collection. It features a sparkling pink pepper top note, a middle core of velvety iris and cashmere musk, and a warm amber base.Top: Pink pepperHeart: Iris, cashmere muskBase: Warm amberMerchant of Venice Renaissance‘By Calice Becker, this floral-leathery fragrance is inspired by Renaissance ideals of balance and harmony, housed in a golden-accented Murano glass bottle.Top Notes: Galbanum, Orange Blossom Absolute, SaffronHeart Notes: Iris, Indonesian Patchouli, Leather, AkigalawoodBase Notes: Ambrofix™, Vanilla, Frankincense (Incense), Musk.’Jo Malone London Rose & Oud Leather Cologne Intense (Harrods)‘The captivating fragrance is a tribute to the prevailing beauty of the flower and is brought to life by additional notes of patchouli and amber.Top Notes: oud, leatherMiddle Notes: damask roseBase Notes: patchouli, amber.’Thomas de Monaco Luisant Haze (Wild Iris)‘Luisant Haze expands the Gold Collection of Thomas De Monaco Parfums with a fragrance that approaches sweetness in a different way.At the heart of the composition is a reimagined tuberose. Not opulent or dense, but softened, diffused, and luminous. Sweetness appears here in a new form: airy rather than heavy, radiant rather than indulgent. Notes of fraise des bois, cotton candy, and tonka are lifted by white musks and amber facets, creating a transparent structure that stays close to the skin.’Givenchy L’Interdit Elixir‘L'Interdit Elixir evokes a precious talisman infused with power, created to unveil the magnetic strength within every woman.The scent opens with the voluptuous intensity of Black Cherry, illuminated by the delicate bitterness of almond essence. It melts into L'Interdit's iconic bouquet of white flowers, where Orange Blossom, Tuberose, and Jasmine reveal an opulent, almost carnal femininity, enriched by the profound woody nuances of pure oakwood extract.Faithful to Givenchy's art of contrast, L'Interdit Elixir balances shadow and light, sensuality and strength. At its most addictive, a warm, liqueur-like accord unfolds through the richness of Rum Absolute, Davana Essence, and Vanilla Extract, leaving behind a deeply enveloping trail. Fused with the skin, the fragrance becomes a captivating aura of confidence — a pure expression of empowered femininity.’Giorgio Armani I WILL‘A sensual strength forged through time, I WILL awakens tenacity with confidence and leaves an intense, unmistakable trail. Created by Nathalie Lorson and Alberto Morillas, it opens with bergamot and cardamom, develops through lavender and violet leaf, and settles into Madagascan vanilla with a woody leather accord.’Flaner fragrances: new Australian niche fragrance boutique in East London. You can listen to a live recording of Suzy and Amanda Carr visiting their stunning shop and hearing all about the collection on an exclusive extra episode. Head to patreon.com here to sign up for an extra episode every week:https://www.patreon.com/u84518038Suzy’s favourites from Flaner were:Sonic Silver‘Inspiration: Tram tracks connecting city streets The sun peaks through the clouds after rain, glistening off the sleek silver tracks. Urban landscapes echo past, providing a window into the irreverent spirit of an eclectic city with backdrop of thunderous rhythm of metal. Imbuing the artistic spirit found in the canvas of urban laneways, this fragrance captures the raw, urban edge of a city's atmosphere to create something truly unique.Notes:Top: Basil, Lavender, BergamotMiddle: Metallic, Petrichor, CardamomBase: Asphalt & Tar, Green Patchouli, Musk & Tonka.’Manhattan Cherry‘Inspiration: Speakeasies of ManhattanA laneway door opens and down a flight of stairs a small room with leather chairs, dark woods and the faint smell of tobacco signals a forbidden and mysterious world. Dimly lit and intimate, the night invites indulgence and seduction. A sensual tryst of cherry and dark bourbon, this fragrance evokes the boldness and intoxicating allure that comes from the Manhattan cocktail, in Manhattan of course.’Enjoy responsibly.Notes:Top: Maraschino cherry, Red vermouth, Orange peelMiddle: Bourbon, Ginger, CinnamonBase: Amber wood, Tobacco, Leather, VanillaListener prescription:Ashley Burk‘Hello! :) I have been listening to your podcast for years and years! I feel like you both have been traveling with me around the world because you have now helped me find fragrances to wear in Greece, Ireland, and Japan! This October I got myself a ticket to go to Edinburgh, Scotland and was wondering if you could recommend me some perfume to wear while I go for a week. I will be doing the Harry Potter steam train day trip one of the days! If you know of any perfume stores I should see in Edinburgh please let me know as well. I am so excited to be there during October. Thank you both! :)’Who better to turn to than our friend Scott @blublazerguy (who happens to live in Edinburgh) and suggested:Kingdom Scotland Portal‘Ancient forest. Still air. The scent of Scotland before the world arrived.A green woody chypre eau de parfum that opens on crushed heather and wild herbs, deepens into cool fern and forest moss, and settles into a long, intimate base of oakmoss, vetiver, and peat-warmed cedar.’Jorum Studio Boswelia Scotia‘Royal Green Hojari Frankincense, Pink Pepper, Saffron, Cistus, Sandalwood Mysore, Cypriol, Patchouli, Black Hemlock, Fir Balsam, Olibanum Absolute. A golden veil of gossamer-light. Royal Green Hojari Frankincense soothed by fir balsam and black hemlock. Boswellia Scotia is incense reimagined; translucent, atmospheric and quietly magnetic.’ANFORH Aire‘Crisp citrus, cool ozonic air, and dry vetiver - Aire is clarity bottled. Fresh, textured, and quietly confident.Fresh, zesty, and mineral. Green mandarin and Calabrian bergamot open with a burst of citrus brightness before giving way to the cool lift of ozonic air and the dry, earthy depth of vetiver. A fragrance that moves with energy and purpose, settling into a steady, confident calm.From the Scots word "aire" (a gravel-shored coastal edge where land meets sea), Aire captures the sensation of standing on a coastal edge, breathing in invigorating, mineral air as light breaks across the water. It’s bright, citrus-driven, and full of energy - the feeling of movement and clarity. Inspired by the Scottish coastline, it balances natural vibrancy with grounded calm.’Suzy suggests visiting Jorum Studio’s shop (incredible Scottish fragrance brand)Jorum