Louise Smith has been a busy woman over the last twelve months. Not only has she created The Celts, but she has now introduced The Storii Collection, which was soft launched at Barnes. The hard launch, if anything as beautiful as this could have anything hard about it, was at Fablas Ice Cream Parlour on Barry Island Beach.

It was the perfect setting: open windows with views across the sand and sea, and a quirky interior (jaguars!) full of creamy delights. Fablas (fabulous in a Welsh accent) created some delicious confections to enjoy alongside the three fragrances. Chapter One is vanilla based, Chapter Two is rose based, and Chapter Three is fig-centric. We therefore had vanilla sponge topped with rose icing and crystallised rose petals, and the most delicate fig tarts topped with vanilla cream cheese icing.

The small ice cream parlour was brimming with perfume enthusiasts as Louise talked us through the collection. In pastel shades as if to match a favourite ice cream flavour, Louise revealed that Chapter Two was her best seller at the recent Barnes Fragrance Fair. Here’s my verdict:

Chapter One: Soft Vanilla

Soft Vanilla is a riff on the Wales Perfumery base. So popular is this base that Louise’s perfumery students often ask to buy it. Well, now we all can. A soft and comforting vanilla, this sidesteps the all too common tendency to drench itself in sponge, syrup and biscuit crumbs. With vanilla, tonka and marshmallow, this reminded me more of ivory lace in clean skin: warm, pretty and sensual.

Chapter Two: Sweet Rose

Chapter Two is, unsurprisingly, all about roses. Louise described this one as rose petals dipped in icing sugar. If you’re thinking Turkish Delight, you’d be in the right place, almost. This rose is sugar dusted, but not overly so, and smells as good as the taste of Turkish Delight ice cream.  With peony and pink pepper, this is one to wear with a tea dress at a picnic. I can completely see why it was a best seller at Barnes, and I think it will remain one.

Chapter Three: Fig Perfume

This is a fig based fragrance that I really fell in love with. With  fig, cedar and coconut , this is described by the brand as “the shade of a fig tree in the sunshine,” and I couldn’t agree more. However many times you have tried a fig perfume, I urge you to try this one. It’s as fresh as an open window,  and as green as grass. The fig is almost a combination of coriander and tuberose, so it is, in my view, perfect.

The Library Theme

The fragrances are designed to be worn alone or together.  Chapter One makes an excellent, cosy base, and I liked it under both of the others. Chapters Two and Three are great solo or together, but there are up to seven combinations in total. Not only that, but there are more Chapters to come! The more there are, the more you can experiment and I for one, can’t wait to add to mine.

Where to buy it

You can buy the Storii Collection from the Wales Perfumery website. Prices start at £15 for a sample discovery set, rising to just £55 for a full 30ml bottle. All fragrances are eau de parfum strength, vegan, and cruelty free.

Disclosure

I was kindly given a discovery set by Louise. However, I also purchased a travel size flacon of each Chapter, which you can do too, if you fell in love with them as I did. The good photographs were taken by my talented friend Alison @worldofoddy. Any that are badly lit or out of focus are my own.

Further Eating

Fablas Ice Cream Parlour is on the beach at Barry Island. They do a mouth watering range of ice cream, as well as refreshments and sweet treats. Their custard slices are the stuff of legend. They have a little veranda too, where you can scoff ice cream and gaze out at the sea.