Between the Notes

This week is full of new smells, old favorites and some heartbreaks. I also chat about the unique ways frankincense is used in Omani daily life as discussed in Hajer Harrathi's work.Fragrances mentioned:Molecule 01 + Iris / Escentric MoleculesDelta of Venus / Eris ParfumsTubéreuse Absolue / Perris Monte CarloBurrow / Paraphrase ParfumChampaca / Ormonde JayneMilky Dragon / Isabelle LarignonPluck! / Jerom StudiosForbidden Bloom / Mabelle O'RamaFougère Émeraude / Les IndémodablesIsland Lush / Goldfield & BanksVanilla Powder / Matière PremièreRoasted Green Tea, Sumo Wrestler / J-ScentVetiver Bourbon/ Parfum D'EmpireReading: Frankincense's Ritual Uses in Oman: An Anthropological Study, Hajer Harrathi (Al-Muntaqa, 2023)Podcast music & Sound Engineering: Jasem JarrarBe sure to follow on Instagram @btwnotes for more smelly updates, and feel free to leave a comment or reach out through email at btwnotespod@gmail.com

We often think about smell and fragrance in a vacuum; as a alternative form of self expression or beauty. But, scent is political. In this episode Sarah discusses Shivani Kapoor's writing on how Dalit autobiographies highlight smell and a critical experience that defines the caste system in India, and connect it to broader ideas of smelling "of your class". Don't worry, I of course chat about pretty smells too (perfume oils especially!)Fragrances mentioned:- Pear Inc/ JHAG- Myth/Ellis Brooklyn- 3 Fleurs, Le Cri, Vetiver Bourbon, Tabac Tabou/ Parfum d'Empire- Egyptian Musk, Sandalwood/ Nemat- O'Feminin/ M. Micallef- Yara/ Lattafa- Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere Reading:Shivani Kapoor: "Words that Smell: Caste and Odors in Hindi Dalit Autobiographies" in Aromas of Asia: Exchanges Histories, Threats. Edited by Hannah Gould & Gwyn McClellandBe sure to follow on Instagram @btwnotes. If you have recommendations or want to say hi, you can also email at btwnotespod@gmail.comMusic & Sound Engineering: Jasem Jarrar

This week is all about comfort scents, and the ongoing search for a new hyperfixation: the soapy, bubbly, shampoo-y scents of your dreams (a sign of the times). I need to know: what's the squeaky, fruity floral concoction you find yourself back to now and then?Fragrances mentioned:Hydra Figure/ Miller HarrisFascent/ I Fig youNo. 19 Poudre & No. 5 Eau Premeire/ Chanel Sandalwood/ NematKimono/ d'AnnamQueen Nzinga/ Marissa ZappasPorcelain Pulse/ RoanChampaca/ Ormonde Jayne Ghost in The Shell, You or Someone Like You / Etat Libre D'orangePurple, Blue Pour Femme, Bright Crystal/ VersacePear Inc./ JHAGLazy Sunday Morning/ Maison Margiella Sweet Pea/ Bath and Body Works Myth/ Ellis BrooklynBe sure to follow where you listen and keep in touch on Instagram @btwnotes!Have something to share? Write to btwnotespod@gmail.comMusic & Sound Engineering: Jasem Jarrar

Looking for a cardamom fragrance to fit your mood? Look no further, from the opulent to shape-shifting, Sarah shares the ultimate shortlist has a something for everyone, and then gets into the olfactive power of protest and memory that enables us to retain ties (even if complicated ones) to our places of origin. Fragrances mentioned:Trayee / Neela Vermeire CreationsNordic Cedar / Maya Njie Kyoto / Comme des GarçonsMoon milk/ Stora SkugganTchai/ Hima Jomo Jaipur chai/ Ineke ParfumsOtis & Me / Jazmin SaraïHonorable mentions:Night Flower / Eris ParfumNo. 7/ Enchanted Alchemy Readings:Lyrics: Fontaines D.C., Fairouz " El Kods Al Atika, القدس العتيقة"Book: "Men in the Sun" Ghassan KanafaniMake sure to follow where you listen, Between the Notes on Instagram, and message if something struck a chord with you! Music & Sound Engineering: Jasem Jarrar (@jas3m.j)

This week's episode is a bit more relaxed and chatty as Sarah talks about a recent smell trip, an very impulsive buy, the continued search for the perfect cardamom fragrance, and fragrance recession indicators (not all facts, observations and vibes). Fragrances/ products mentioned:Neroli Body Oil/ NuxeBody Lotion in Black Rose & Oud/ Salt & StoneThe New Savant Candles (Androgyne was the favorite) Amber/ Nemat Nippon Kodo Incense Sticks (Musk, Jasmine, Green Tea, Lotus & Sandalwood)Olivenol Body Cream/ Medipharma CosmeticsMure, Bergamote/ OutremerSummer in Paro, Tchai/ Hima JomoDandelion Butter/ Clue Perfumery Moonmilk/ Stora Skuggan Toor Toor/ Regime de FleursFleur d' Ete/ BienaimeGolestan, L'Air du Desert Marocain, L'Air Des Alpes Suisses/ Andy Tauer Matchbox Romance/ BinauraleYou can follow Between the Notes on Instagram @btwnotes Feel free to reach out to the show's email: btwnotespod@gmail.comMusic & Sound Engineering: Jasem Jarrar

This week Sarah gets into reviews for fragrances from d'Annam, Chapel Factory, Aesop and more. Then from Indonesia we discuss Saki Tanada's research on how smell is associated with different states of being in Lombok, Indonesia. Fragrances:Tokyo Nights, Hinoki Meditation, Kimono/ d'AnnamMarrakech Intense/ AesopHoly Stick/ Chapel Factory Ashoka/ Neela Vermeire CreationsUn Air d'Apogée/ Violet ParfumEuphoria/ Calvin KleinGucci Guilty Intense Pour Femme/ Gucci Work Cited:Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Smell of Vunerability in Lombok, Indonesia by Saki Tanada, in "Aromas of Asia: Exchanges, Histories, Threats" (2023)Music & Sound Engineering: Jasem JarrarBe sure to comment, like and follow where you listen, and connect on Instagram: @btwnotes

This week Sarah discusses thoughts on Amer Perfume's Arabian Jasmine (Art & Olfaction award-winning), Perennial and Mandaroud before diving deep into the introduction of AI in the perfume industry, and its impact on the concept of craftsmanship (and Sarah shares her absolute no-nos for AI in perfume)Perfumes mentioned: Arabian Jasmine, Perennial, Mandaroud/ Amer PerfumesWorks cited:Arabelle Sicardi for The Verge "How AI Infiltrated Perfume" June 24, 2025I also suggest reading further on all the tech mentioned in this article and in the episode!Music @ sound engineering: Jasem Jarrar @jas3m.jReach out and share your thoughts! Between the Notes on Instagram: @btwnotes

This week, Sarah gives a brief review of Trayee, an introductory scent from the house of Neela Vermeire Creations. Then we dive into Dora Goldsmith's work on constructed smellscapes in ancient Egypt, and muse on smells of today's Egypt. Chuck out your 1920s harem pants and bobs, because this is not the Egyptology you think it is! Fragrances mentioned:Trayee/ Neela Vermeire CreationsWorks mentioned: Goldsmith, Dora. "Smellscapes in ancient Egypt." The Routledge Handbook of the Senses in the Ancient Near East. Routledge, 2021. 636-662.Hessler, Peter. The Buried: Life, Death and Revolution in Egypt. Profile Books, 2019.Dana El Masri for Alabastron Journal, 2024Sound Engineering & Music: Jasem Jarrar

This week's episode is an overhaul list of incense fragrances and wonderful recommendations. We also get into some musings on smellmaxxing, its positioning, and its connection to practices in the past. After you listen, i'm curious to know, why do you wear perfume? Fragrances mentioned:Kyoto, Avignon, Ouarzazate, Floriental/ Comme des Garçons, Wazamba/ Parfum d'Empire, Princess/ Lanvin, Oak & Oak/ Scents of Wood, Indigo Smoke/ Arquiste, Copal de Terre/ Le Monde Gourmand, Etui Noir/ Miller Harris, Otis & Me/ Jazmin Sarai, Euphoria/ Calvin Klein, Purple Mantra/ Room 1015, Gucci Guilty pour femme intense/ Gucci, Reliq d'Amour, Rev d'Ossian/ Oriza Legrand, Feminite du Bois/ Serge Lutens, Olibanum/ Profumum Roma Additional fragrances to try that were missed:Mandala/ Masque MilanoTucson/ Astier de Villatte Works cited: New York Times, Smellmaxxing Explained: https://tinyurl.com/4u3fv6d5Suzy Nightingale, "The Tiktok Boys" for The Scented Letter (Spring 2025) Alice du Parcq's Substack, "Why we must celebrate teen boy scent hounds": https://tinyurl.com/ydu2pxuv"The Golden Peaches of Samarkand" by Edward Schafer"On a Trail of Incense: Japan and Olfactory Thought" by Lorenzo Marinucci (chapter in "Aromas of Asia) Be sure to check out Between the Notes on Instagram and follow where you listen! https://www.instagram.com/btwnnotes/#Music & sound: Jasem Jarrar ⁠@jas3m.j

For this week, we get into a review of a lovely narcissus find and an interesting, impulsive shopping experience. For our fragrance cultural discussion we delve into fragrance practices and identity in Zanzibar as discussed in Rosabell Boswell's work from 2008: How fragrance practices shifted after the 1964 revolution, how it converged and diverged African and Arab ethic identity expression, and the tricky business of documenting "intangible" cultural heritage like fragrance.Fragrances mentioned:Mariya/ OmanLuxuryNarcisse Taiji, Neroli Hasbaya, Cédre Figalia/ Atelier MateriWork discussed on podcast:Scents of identity: Fragrance as heritage in Zanzibar by Rosabelle Boswell, Journal of Contemporary African Studies 26 (3), 295-311 (2008)Be sure to follow where you listen and check out Between the Notes on Instagram! @btwnnotesMusic & sound engineering: Jasem Jarrar @jas3m.j

This week is another discovery set deep dive! I chat about the Les Indémodables collection. Each offering presents an austere, well respected material traditionally used in perfumery, and takes an elegant yet playful approach. Yet, each playful take is grounded in a classical style of perfumery. Les Indémodables encapsulates the best of niche perfumery, emphasizing luxury and quality with each composition. Discovery set (in order of appearance): Fougere EmeraudeOranger SiroccoOriental VeloursChypre AzuralEscale en HaitiCuir de ChineEscale en IndonesieIris PerlePatchouli NosietteMusc des SablesRose de JamalVanille HavaneAmbre SupremeIf you've tried the collection, tell me what your favorite is! If you haven't, which one intrigues you the most? Thanks for listening in and be sure to follow Between the Notes on Instagram! @btwnnotesMusic & sound engineering: Jasem Jarrar @jas3m.j

This week we chat about musings on my personal "big bottle manifesto" and discuss the Hiram Green discovery set. Spoiler: Tryst has become my most beloved orange blossom fragrance. Ever. Let me know your favorites from the brand!Fragrances mentioned:Papyrus Oud/ Parle Moi de ParfumNeroli Nasimba/ Maison CrivelliRiva/ LootahO'Feminin/ M.MicallefAll of me/ Narcisco RodriguezMaggie the Cat is Alive i'm Alive/ Marissa ZappasLa Panthere Parfum/ Cartier Discovery set/ Hiram GreenBe sure to comment & follow on Instagram @btwnnotesSound & engineering: Jasem Jarrar @jas3m.j

This week we chat out decolonizing our sense of smell, Japanese linguistics and the antidote to perfume overconsumption all in one go! Both segments of today show are taken to discuss a wonderful piece by Lorenzo Marinucci, but next week we will be back with new smells and perfume reviews! Neroli Oranger/ Matiere PremiereGalavant / House of PuentePhoenix Flame/ Mabelle O'RamaIncense Kyoto/ Comme des GarçonsWorks cited: Marinucci, Lorenzo. " On a Trail of Incense: Japan and Olfactory Thought". Aromas of Asia: Exchanges, Histories, Threats, edited by Hannah Gould and Gwyn McClelland, University Park, USA: Penn State University Press, 2023"Fragrance and Impermanence" from Joseph Colbourne's Substack https://tinyurl.com/mwkw4ms6   Between the Notes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btwnnotes/#Music & sound: Jasem Jarrar @jas3m.j

What did scented dreams and smelly caves say about 17th century Ottoman social mobility and global positioning? Why do I like perfume oils so much? How many Turkish words can I mispronounce in an hour? All are answered on this week's episode!I get into some new perfume acquisitions, hint at some discovery sets on the way, and review "Aromas of knowledge, networks of scent: tracing the olfactory imagination of a 17th-century Ottoman traveler" by Rao Mohsin Ali Noor. Let me know your thoughts!Perfumes mentioned:Ashore/ AmouageAmbre Supreme / Les IndémodablesGucci Bloom / GucciLust/ LushOtis & Me / Jazmin Saraï3 Fleurs / Parfum D'EmpireJasmin et Cigarette / Etat Libre D'OrangeVarious perfume oils/ Tarife Attar*Mehmet Efendi was the writer I was referring that is associated with the last cave passage discussed; Yazıcıde is the word I couldn't pronounce and I read that is was a term to refer to someone who was the "son of a writer" or someone who was apart of the Ottoman court. Citation for work discussed: Aromas of knowledge, networks of scent: tracing the olfactory imagination of a 17th-century Ottoman traveler, Noor, Rao Mohsin Ali. Abingdon: Routledge, The senses & society, 2023-01, Vol.18 (1), p.52-65Be sure to comment and follow on Spotify and Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/btwnnotes/Sound engineering and music: Jasem Jarrar

Welcome to Episode 2 of Between the Notes!This week Sarah defines what a "mama perfume" is and reviews works that outline the "cultural biography" of aromatics like Saffron in 7th century China.Fragrances mentioned:Beautiful, Knowing and Knowing legacy by Estee LauderCharlie Azure by RevlonChanel No. 5 & Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere by Chanel O'Feminin by M. MicallefRival by LootahIris Celadon by Armani PriveIncense Kyoto by Commes De GarconOak in Oak by Scents of WoodVetiver Bourbon by Parfum D'Empire Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btwnnotes/Works cited: Scented Protection: Saffron's Transcultural Premodern History by Yan Liu, 2023The Golden Peaches of Samarkand: A Study of T'ang Exotics, Volume 1 by Edward H. Schafer, 1963Sound engineering & music: Jasem Jarrar

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Between the Notes!Hosted by Sarah, a lifelong lover of perfume, this podcast explores fragrance through a social and historical lens.Between the Notes aims to challenge common understandings of perfume across time and place, highlighting its rich cultural significance. And while we’re at it, I’ll also share some of my current favorite scents!Fragrances mentioned:3 Fleurs: Parfum d' EmpireReflection Man: AmouageNight Flower: Eris ParfumsIndigo Smoke: ArquisteFor a similar vibe to the musky concoctions/ oils mentioned: check out Smell of Dubai and Nemat perfume oils (US)Main source referenced: The Musk Trade and the Near East in the Early Medieval Period by Anya H. King *Sogdian Letters (1-5) dates to around 312-313 CEYou can follow and comment on Between the Notes on Spotify, and get the latest updates on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btwnnotes/Sound Engineering: Jasem Jarrar (@jas3m.j)