The UK has a wealth of world class independent perfumers, and this being National Fragrance Week, I think they deserve our attention. I’ve selected six of my favourites, and I’ve lined up an all-female cast. Sometimes I want a fragrance that connects with me and sends my brain off on some imaginary adventure. A good perfume collection is like a dressing up box for grown-ups, and that’s what I want.
When you buy from a small business, you inspire further creation. When you leave a review or a rating, even better. Here’s six I swear by. The list is not exhaustive but it would be book length if I didn’t limit myself.
4160 Tuesdays
Sarah McCartney has become a friend of mine. I liked her fragrances first, then I met her, and then I liked her as well. She is indefatigable and I’m convinced she has more than one brain in there. 4160 Tuesdays fragrances tell stories in my head, are uniquely quirky and always made with carefully sourced ingredients. I’ve also signed up for Sarah’s Scenthusiam Patreon scheme. It’s like a drop-in perfume university that instructs delightfully. There’s also a nice backstage feel about Sarah showing and telling how she does it. Anyway, check out the fragrances she creates on the website here.
I was Sarah’s co-author when we wrote The Perfume Companion, now sadly out of print. My go-to 4160 Tuesdays favourites are Red Queen, Tart’s Knicker Drawer, Court of Ravens, Raw Silk and Red Roses and Sex Goddess. She also provided the smell track to my book of the year so far, Vianne by Joanne Harris. Look out for her classes on the website and on the 4160 Tuesdays socials.
Papillon Perfumery
Liz Moores of Papillon Perfumery creates her fragrances from her compound in the forest, surrounded by flora and fauna, cats and owls. It shows. Her fragrances have an edge that takes them into another league. In my opinion, they are all world class. Nobody will ever part me from my bottle of Dryad. Astonishingly, Anubis was her debut, and it was a masterpiece from its conception. Check out my reviews of Papillon Dryad, Hera and Spell 125.
Karen Timson Fine Fragrance
Karen Timson is a remarkable one woman show. Trained at The Cotswolds Perfumery, Karen has created a range of fragrances and room scents that have no weak links. There are none I would turn down at any time of day. Notably, her Moon Palace reed diffuser lasted an incredible FIVE MONTHS. I own full bottles of both Hera (Karen’s version with the same name as Papillon’s version) and Rosa di Rio. Her recent creation, Cote Vermeille, left me in awe. Read my review here. Karen’s early fragrances are currently on sale, so grab Hermia and Pendragon while you can.
Ruth Mastenbroek
Ruth has been a long standing and respected perfumer behind many products you’ve probably used, from Jo Malone to Bath House and Joseph. She finally went solo with her début fragrance, Ruth Mastenbroek Signature in 2010, followed by nine further original and seamlessly blended fragrances. Check out my reviews of Dagian and Zephyr. Start with a discovery set.
Wales Perfumery
Being Welsh, I was bound to find this fragrance house interesting. It’s practically my local perfumery, being just twenty miles from my house. Founder Louise Smith’s original range, Coast, Country and Forest, established her as a talented perfumer. She subsequently added Seren/Star to the collection (and what a beautiful starlit launch it was!). I was also lucky to attend the launch of the superb collection The Celts at Cardiff Castle, no less. Geographically, I’m a Silurian, but my maiden name makes me a Celt. You can imagine how much I adored this collection! You can read my write up here. Discover more about Wales Perfumery here and check out the website here.
Kingdom Scotland
I can’t leave out my Scottish cousins north of the border! Kingdom Scotland founder Imogen Russon-Taylor captures Scotland’s unique history and natural beauty through fragrance. She has impeccably Scottish credentials, having previously worked in the whisky industry. It was there that she made the connection between whisky and perfume, and although I’m not a whisky drinker, I do love a long sniff of a shot of Scotch. You can read my reviews of Kingdom Scotland fragrances here, and buy the discovery set here. My personal favourite is Kingdom Botanica.
How about you?
What’s your favourite UK indie house?
Disclosure
The above perfumers have supplied me with samples and full bottles at various times in my blogging career. I have also purchased from them too. What I’ve written about them has been my own choice of words and opinions, with no strings.
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