Parfum

Perfume Review: Bergamotto di Calabria La Spugnatura Perfume Review

What do Acqua di Parma’s new fragrance Bergamotto di Calabria La Spugnatura and beloved cartoon icon Spongebob Squarepants have in common? OK, I admit that this is probably not the question you expected to be asked in this review, but bear with me, it’ll make sense, maybe. The answer is simple: they’re both made from sea sponges. What do you mean that doesn’t make sense? Surely it’s obvious? Surely?!

OK, I’ll clear things up for you. La Spugnatura is actually a limited edition version of Acqua di Parma’s popular Bergamotto di Calabria fragrance, which sits within their Blu Mediterraneo collection. What makes this edition different is ‘La Spugnatura’, a traditional and labour-intensive method of extraction which involves, you guessed it, our good friend Spongebob. OK, not Spongebob, but actual sponges. In this process, bergamot fruits are cut and separated from their peel, the peels are then pressed (very carefully) onto sea sponges, which absorb the fruit’s essence. These sponges are then squeezed into terracotta jars. The result is beautiful, brilliant bergamot.

Bergamotto di Calabria La Spugnatura is a limited edition fragrance that features this special bergamot material and because it’s so exceptional, it’s also housed in a gorgeous vessel. For this edition, Acqua di Parma has created a handmade porcelain bottle, adorned with a white and gold bergamot pattern. It’s absolutely beautiful and it really does add to the special feel of this unique, limited edition. But does it smell extraordinary too? Let’s sniff!

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On Escentual: Patchouli Fragrances

Patchouli, patchouli, patchouli! That’s the word of the week over on my Escentual column. I’ve rounded up some of my fave patchouli scent to show you just how versatile (and utterly fabulous) this material can be. Check out the full post over on Escentual.

What’s your favourite patchouli fragrance? Let me know in the comments!

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#EscentualScents June Box: New Fragrances

With the pandemic, testing fragrances has become much harder. Many of us cannot go to shops to test perfumes (or understandably, we do not want to) and even if we do go into a shop, getting hold of a perfume tester isn’t easy. There are a lot of barriers in the way and at Escentual, we want to make it so much easier for people to explore our range of fragrances. So, enter #EscentualScents – a monthly discovery box (curated by yours truly) that you can purchase to explore the world of fragrance. We are so excited!

June’s box – New Launches – is now on sale.

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Perfume Review: St. Vetyver by D.S. & DURGA


Vetiver is a fascinating material. It is, at once, entirely distinct, but also completely versatile, allowing itself to be pulled into various directions – each different, but each distinctly ‘vetiver’. It’s a chameleon in that way, noticeable in its bright greens, browns and yellows, but it has the ability to take on many forms to conceal itself. Vetiver’s versatility comes from its complexity – it has a wonderfully complex odour profile with facets of citrus, grapefruit, smoke, grass, hay, mineral, salt, earth, nut, malted sugar and more. Vetiver is remarkable.

For St. Vetyver, the latest fragrance from super cool indie brand D.S. & DURGA, we are whisked away to a balmy evening in the Caribbean with a vetiver that celebrates the golden, boozy and warm facets of this wonderful material. The brand calls this an “island vetyver” that “pays homage to the famous Caribbean colognes of sailors and lovers of the sea” that boasts a pure aged distillate of vetiver. It all sounds rather exciting and to be honest, they had me at ‘vetiver’, but when they threw some sailors into the mix, I was fully sold on the concept…

So is this a fantasy vetiver that transports us to tropical islands? Let’s find out.

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IGTV: New Launches April 2021

It’s Monday, and you know what that means? It means it’s time for a new IGTV video (if I remember to do so, which I have, in fact, done so today!). This week I’m sniffing five new fragrance launches that you need to know about. They include, something pink and fruity from Moschino, something chic and contemporary from Shiseido, and something jammy and tart from Jo Malone London, plus a few more wonderful things. To watch, click here, or head below the jump for the embedded video! Enjoy!

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On Escentual: My Life in Perfume

We’re kicking off a new series on Escentual – it’s called ‘My Life in Perfume’ and in it, we ask people to share the perfumes they have worn throughout their life, from their first perfume, to the perfumes that opened their eyes to what perfumery can be. The first person featured in the series is……me! I share the fragrances that have shaped my life, from my very first loves, to the fragrances I am loving right now (there are a few embarrassing photos thrown in for good measure too). Check it out by clicking here!

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#EscentualScents May Box: Woody Fragrances

With the pandemic, testing fragrances has become much harder. Many of us cannot go to shops to test perfumes (or understandably, we do not want to) and even if we do go into a shop, getting hold of a perfume tester isn’t easy. There are a lot of barriers in the way and at Escentual, we want to make it so much easier for people to explore our range of fragrances. So, enter #EscentualScents – a monthly discovery box (curated by yours truly) that you can purchase to explore the world of fragrance. We are so excited!

May’s box – Woody – is now on sale.

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Perfume Review: Molecule + by Escentric Molecules


I’ve always had an affection for Escentric Molecules as a brand. In particular, I appreciate how they’ve demystified perfume in ways that very few brands have. By offering up single materials alongside perfumes that explore those same materials in traditional compositions, Escentric Molecules (which is the brain child of perfumer Geza Schoen) has gone a long way to educate consumers about what they’re smelling. I like that – I get so tired of the bullshit in perfumery – of the mystery and magic marketed by brands who tell us their fragrances contain rare essences plucked from the butt cheeks of unicorns during a full moon….

Instead of cloak and dagger unicorn-related BS, Escentric Molecules presents something much more honest and authentic. It’s a straight talking brand from a perfumer who absolutely speaks his mind. So yes, it’s a brand I like and one that I find myself reaching for quite often, because not only are their fragrances intriguing (I love Escentric 04, 05 and Molecule 03 and 05, FYI) they’re also incredibly wearable.

If you don’t know the brand, you might still have heard of Molecule 01. This phenomenally successful fragrance, which outsells most fragrances in any store it is stocked, is simply one material diluted in alcohol. That material is Iso E Super, a warm, woody material that adds smoothness and depth when combined with other ingredients. The fact that Iso E Super plays so well with others is the inspiration for Molecule +, a new collection that explores how Iso E Super reacts when paired with another material, specifically a natural ingredient.

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