Author: Samantha
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It’s Back! The Body Shop Dewberry
Dewberry is back! Ahoy there middle-aged friends who remember The Body Shop in the 80s! The Body Shop Perfume Bar was a top weekly destination for me, firstly at home in Cwmbran as a sixth former, and then at the Exeter branch when I went to uni. For those unlucky enough not to have experienced…
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I think I have a Velvet Crush: My Verdict on Sarah Ireland Perfumes
From the archives: You may not have heard of Sarah Ireland perfumes, but having received a set of four samples from Sarah last week, I can guarantee that you will want to both know and own this collection. Sarah is an independent perfumer who has been mentored by the incredible Marina Barcenilla. Marina has run…
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Florist 101 by Shloksha: Spring is coming!
It’s January the 89th, and it’s time that spring got its act together. Reach for the florals, and not just any floral…
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Vianne’s Confession by Sarah McCartney for 4160 Tuesdays x Joanne Harris
Literary and fragrance crossovers are rare, but when they happen, magic takes place.
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Calvin Klein Contradiction by Anne Gottleib and Daniela Roche Andrier
Back in the day, I was part of a writing team called Mood Scent Four. Four of us, from all corners of the world, would write about perfumes based on a theme we had chosen. One month we chose roses. I always loved to see what the others had written because we all learned from…
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From the archives: Samantha Scriven interviews Olivier Cresp on AKRO
From the archives: My interview with Olivier Cresp on AKRO
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Eight years on: AKRO: Olivier Cresp’s addictive family collaboration
To celebrate eight years of AKRO, here’s my original article and interview from 2018. In fact, I loved MALT so much, that I included it in The Perfume Companion. I was thrilled to receive an invitation to the Paris launch of Olivier Cresp’s new brand: AKRO. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go, but I corresponded…
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My Top Ten Avon Fragrances of 2025
Here’s my annual; Avon Fragrance Top Ten for 2025. Dive in, nose first!
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Aftelier Patchouli Noir by Mandy Aftel: A Mènage a Trois full of ooh la la!
Mandy Aftel, of Aftelier (she is sole founder and perfumer), almost needs no introduction if you are familiar with the world of natural perfumery. I had the pleasure of visiting her hidden gem , The Aftel Archive of Curious Scents, in Berkeley California back in 2018. I was able to see behind the scenes, visit…