Today is the start of National Fragrance Week..
A whole week to celebrate everything Fragrant..
This week The Fragrance Foundation have a host of events that are on offer..
From a brief History of Fragrances through the Decades, to events where you meet Perfumers to gain a little insider knowledge…
Whatever it is that tickles your ‘Senses’, there is something for everyone…
So from everyone here at PAIRFUM London “Happy National Fragrance Week” xx
International Women’s Day was first organised by the Socialist Party of America in 1909. In 1910 it was proposed to celebrate it annually every year on the 8th of March.
In some countries International Women’s Day is a public holiday, in others it is a day of protest, however for the most part it is largely ignored.
The fact that we need to have or celebrate an International Women’s Day in 2019, points to the fact that Women over the World do not yet have equal rights. The World Bank has just released a study that found ‘Only Six Countries’ have equal rights for men and women,
YES! you read that correctly only Six countries – just in case you are wondering ‘Who’ these six countries are? then I would hazard a guess that the answer will surprise you as much it did us….
They are – Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg and Sweden. The surprise was not that these countries have equal rights, the surprise was how many names missing from the list… are from the countries so many of us are proud to call Home.
In this quote, Warren Buffett highlights his view on the potential equal rights for women offer our society:
“It’s one of the things that makes me optimistic about America because when I look at what we have accomplished using half our talent for a couple of centuries, and now I think of doubling the talent that is effectively employed — or at least has the chance to be — it makes me very optimistic about this country,”
So from everyone here at PAIRFUM London we want to wish every Woman, who ever you are, what ever you do and where ever you are in the World – “A Happy International Women’s Day”, because without YOU this World would not exist xx
One of our favourite ‘health tips’ is that you can boost your health, mood and memory through the use of perfume.
Did you know that your sense of smell is the strongest of all the five senses as well as being the oldest ?
Or, that 75% of all emotions generated every day are due to smell? Just think about that for a moment… 75% of how you have felt or the emotions you had during a single day were due to scent !!
The reason for this, is that it is the one sense most connected to memory and emotion, and research has proven that we are 100 times more likely to remember something we smell over something we see, hear or touch.
Again, if you think about this for a moment – we are 100 times more lightly to remember something we smell over something we read, see or hear…. and yet we spend years in an education system that teaches us to remember important information, without ever using the strongest sense we have ‘Smell’ to help embed this information into memory…
Mother Nature designed our sense of smell to be the one sense to go directly to the fore brain without going to the thalamus, and one of the most obvious reasons for this is that the information our sense of smell provides us with is so important to our survival, that it needs to reach our brain in as fast a time as possible.
To give you an idea of just how fast the information is relayed – if you are impressed that Formula One race cars can go from 0-60 in as fast as 1.6 seconds,…then Formula One needs to get in the back seat as the entire procedure of olfactory processing takes a mere 200 milliseconds!
Odours and scents affect us all in different ways, by becoming aware of how a particular scent affects you personally, you will be able to enhance your health, mood and indeed memory. A particular scent or odour has no personal significance until it is connected to a space, a moment in time or something that has meaning to us.
Theresa Molnar, executive director of the Sense of Smell Institute, the research and educational arm of the perfume industry’s Fragrance Foundation. Has said that “Scents can have positive effects on mood, stress reduction, sleep enhancement, self-confidence, and physical and cognitive performance,”.
So if we associate a particular scent or perfume with an action or a particular time of day, for example getting ready to fall asleep, relaxing, studying, or waking-up in the morning. Then the brain will form memories or associations to coincide with the inhalation of that specific note.
So if you do wish to improve your health, mood or memory a very simple way to do this is to include one of your favourite perfume notes when preparing for bed, sitting down to relax and unwind or preparing for an exam. It is such an easy thing to do, light one of your favourite perfumed candles, or spray the area you are using with a natural room spray, or place one of your reed diffusers in the room.
From the initial and subsequent encounters with the aroma, you begin forming nerve connections that intertwine the smell with emotions, so by choosing a scent or aroma that you love you can immediately alter your feelings in a positive, healthy and mood enhancing way.
Final Question: Did you enjoy this tip? Would you like us to write more about health tips linked to scent? Alternatively, what are your favourite health tips linked to fragrance or perfume?
The artist Urs Fischer has created a real wax candle sculpture of Dasha Zhukova and burns the candle down to the ground.
Dash Zhukova is a russian art collector and the founder of the garage museum of contemporary art in moscow.
A wick is strategically placed on top of her head and when lit, it will slowly burn down the candle. Addititional wicks have been placed all over her body to ensure a complete burn down of the sculpture (just like Pairfum’s Fragranced Candles) and to reduce it to a pile of wax drippings, over the course of almost two months.
The candle sclupture is a contemporary memento mori, to remind us all of the impermanence in life, beauty and art.
The giant candle is exhibited at the Gagosian Gallery in Davies Street in London.
If you are looking for something more practial, which will probably burn much cleaner and fragrance your room, then look no further than Pairfum’s Perfumed Candles.
Wherever we call ‘Home’, from a Mansion to a Maisonette, we thought that – A Boutique Hotelier’s Guide to Creating a Luxury Haven at Home, is something we can all enjoy and aspire to, irrespective of the size of the house or the budget…
Luxury is something that everyone enjoys and looks forward to, having a luxury haven to return home to after a long stressful day at work, or an even longer harder day looking after your family. Will help you to feel completely relaxed, it is also sure to impress any visitors that you may have, and lets be honest we all like to ‘Look’ our best, so why not have our surroundings looking ‘Good’ too….
Fortunately, you do not always have to spend a fortune or take on huge construction projects, to add a touch of ‘Magic’ or achieve a high-end look in your home!
The following Tips were given to PAIRFUM London by the people in the know, the ‘Hotelier’s’ who’s job it is to create that Luxurious Haven in their wonderful hotels…
Here are just a few ideas or tips to use when creating or up-dating a space, which will quickly become one of your favourite areas at home. A few simple changes and upgrades that you can make when following ‘A Boutique Hotelier’s Guide to Creating a Luxury Haven at Home’. From a grand salon to a cosy sitting room.
Fragrance – well would would lead off with that wouldn’t we….. however there is a very good reason why we do..
When people think about luxury in relation to interior design, they instinctively visualise their surroundings (which is quite normal) they will usually imagine or focus on the things that they can see and touch, but scent is our oldest, and with out you realising it probably our most powerful sense, and one which we ‘Guarantee’ will and does completely change how you feel about a space.
If you don’t believe us! then just imagine walking into a beautiful house or room, which has been permeated by a disgusting aroma – no matter how beautiful it looks – no one would or could stay there unless they suffer from ‘Anosmia’ (loss of the sense of smell).
Now taking this idea a step further…..
Imagine walking into a house or a room that is not as aesthetically pleasing, the furniture may not be to your liking, it may even be mismatched and a little worn around the edges.. but there is a beautiful scented candle flickering on the mantle piece, above a welcoming cosy fire. With a large shabby, comfortable seat or sofa that has seen better days placed in front of it, where you can sit and relax. While from the kitchen comes the smell of a freshly brewed pot of coffee, freshly baked bread or the welcoming aroma of a delicious dinner being prepared…..
Of all the senses – the sense of smell is not easily fooled, it is there to protect us, it is the single sense that goes directly to the brain. So the ‘Nose knows You Know’.. So once the nose is happy with it’s surroundings, the furniture fades into the background, you feel welcome and safe, it is a place you would want to stay. So when planning or designing your surroundings, never forget that most important of factors, the ambient aroma in your home, the top Hotelier’s do not forget and place a very high importance on how their establishment welcomes you as you step through their door, or as you enter in to your bedroom or bathroom.
When ‘Scent’ is such an important part in the interior design of a home, or work space. How is it that we do not see or hear designers, discuss it with clients when watching an interior design show on T.V, or read about it in interior magazines? It could be that they have not fully grasped how important it is, or some may assume that the customer will choose their favourite smells for themselves. Be that as it may, the problem arises when they do not include or consider just how important ‘How your Home Smells’ is. When first entering a home, a building or a room, the very first thing that greets you is the aroma (whether you are aware of it or not).
Having said that not enough importance is placed on insuring that your ‘House’ or ‘Home’ smells beautiful or welcoming, one group of experts have for years encouraged their clients to use the sense smell when selling their homes … the smell of freshly baked bread or a pot of coffee to make your possible buyers – ‘Feel’ at home….
However the experts in welcoming you into their ‘Home away from Home’, the owners and managers of some of the best Hotels in the world, are fully aware of it, and use it to make you welcome and feel comfortable, relaxed and at home when you visit with them.
Lighting
Every interior designer will advise you that when used correctly, lighting can and will change a room instantly. Stylish and attractive. wall-lights, uplighters, downlighters, spotlights, table lamps, floor lighting, or a simple string of fairy lights are all perfect ways to change the atmosphere or ambience in a room. They are perfect for illuminating spaces, that are not just practical but are also stylish. Particularly if you have certain areas that you need to light up such as stairwells, offices, doorways or a reading area. It may be that you wish to highlight family photo’s or a favourite piece of artwork (especially the ones created lovingly for you, with the use of crayons)..
Another perfect form of lighting and one that has been around long before ‘Benjamin Franklin or Thomas Edison’, were even a twinkle in their Mother’s eye. The beautiful flicker of ‘Candle Light’ – a ‘Luxury Scented Natural Candle’ such as the ones found in our PAIRFUM London Collection, are a simply, easy and affordable way to change the atmosphere instantly in any room. Along with adding the soft glow of candlelight, they also bring a relaxing and enjoyable fragrance into your home, and we have a wide range of Perfumes in our collection to choose from, one to suit every home, room or taste.
Comfortable Seating
You will also want comfortable seating so that you can relax and enjoy your luxurious surroundings. What to use will depend on your choice of decorative style, your budget and the size of the room you are decorating. However the wide range of stylish sofas and beautiful armchairs that are now available, in a large range of colours, styles and price points make it easier to choose. In the age of up-cycle and re-cycle, one of the ‘Pro Tip’ we were given was “If you can not afford to treat yourself to a new sofa, settee, or couch ( whatever you choose to call it) or a set of new armchairs, then an excellent alternative is to buy or make a new set of large, comfy cushions and or a new throw in a contrasting colour, then kick off your shoes sit back and relax.
Smart Technology
There is a remarkably wide range of technology available which will transform your home, adding a real sense of luxury while bringing your home truly into the 21st century. Wireless home control systems which until recently cost a fortune, are now available for much more reasonable prices. These systems can control the lighting, temperature, entertainment devices, and most systems enable you to control all aspects of your environment, from your tablet or smartphone with ease. No doubt on your wish list may also be the latest television, high-quality stereo system and many other forms of entertainment for this space. However as with smart home technology, these items can be added as and when the budget allows it.
Decoration
Finally, we all have our own ideas of what defines our decorative style, from retro, shabby chic, minimalist, modernism or boutique. Everyone wants decorative touches that add that 5 Star elegance, luxury, class and sophistication. Artwork, personal photographs, , stylish rugs and ornaments all work well, but avoid having too much as the old adage of ‘Less is More’ also applies to interior design. Otherwise a space could feel cramped and cluttered, most people have in mind the interior of a ‘Luxury Boutique Hotel’ where they may have been lucky enough to spend some time. Or images of rooms from our favourite interior magazine or T.V. program, that we would love to recreate at home.
Whatever your style or taste, following the advice or simple tips from the top ‘Hoteliers’ that PAIRFUM London have the privilege to work with, can help create the perfect luxury haven in your own home. As we mentioned earlier it does not have to cost a fortune or involve major building work to create a relaxing and stylish space, and it can quickly become your favourite space to spend time.
If you are planning any interior or design changes to your home we would love to hear from you, and see the before an after images of the work. Please click on the PAIRFUM to contact us.
An article in the Guardian by Nicola Davis entitled – Did Dinosaurs stop to smell the flowers – made us smile and then stop to consider if they did?
Even if they did so what….
As part of her research Nicola met and spoke with, Gemma Lake and Guy Barter the Chief Horticultural Adviser for the RHS.
If! Dinosaurs did stop to smell the flowers, then this would mean a number of things….
One: that Flowers already existed … well they have always existed… haven’t they?
Well the answer to that is, that after years and years and years of research, the history of flowers continues to vex scientists.
Even Darwin the naturalist, geologist and biologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution once wrote that the evolution of ‘Flowers’ was “an abominable mystery.”
So, when we say years, we mean years – consider that at the time of Darwin’s death, the oldest known fossils of flowering plants came from rocks that had formed between a 100 million to 66 million years before, during the Cretaceous period.
Flowering plants make up the majority of living plant species on the planet, they dominate many of the world’s ecosystems, from rain forests to grasslands and farms.
Most of the food we eat is derived from flowers, in the form of foods like corn, rice or wheat. We normally associate ‘Flowers’ with our gardens, but the sheer diversity of flowers in all their wonderful forms and colours is amazing, from garden or wild hedgerow roses, to magnolias, dandelions or pumpkins.
Flowering plants revolutionised life on Earth, so the next time you stop to admire or smell a flower say ‘Thank You’ , because what ever they look or smell like, we would and could not exist with out them.
So if it is true that dinosaurs did stop to smell the flowers (and who are we to argue, especially not with a Dinosaur), and in doing so have had a role to play in the emergence of flowers.
Then we here at PAIRFUM London would like to say a big ‘Thank You’ to the Dinosaurs, for being one of the first to appreciate a Wonderful Perfume
If someone told you – The 70s are back , or asked you if you remember the Iconic Perfumes of the 70s?
What is the first thing that springs to mind?
Is it bell-bottoms which were a staple., or words like ‘Groovy and Flower Power’.
How about T.V. programs such as Starsky and Hutch, The Dukes of Hazzard and Charlie’s Angels.
Maybe it is the Music, or World events that were happening at the time.
What ever it is that springs to mind, the 1970’s had some iconic styles, great music, wonderful Perfumes and no shortage of political scandal.
So like it or not everywhere you look, style trends from the ’70s are back or making a comeback.
If you are wondering why we think the 70s are back? just look at how…
Recently style from the 1970’s has begun to resurface, open a magazine or fashion blog post, and you spot the odd fringe, frayed denim and where would we be without flares.
Do you ever wonder why certain trends come around again when they do?
Is it fashion houses simply regurgitating styles in a cyclical order?
Or! has it to do with ‘Zeitgeist’ – the defining spirit or mood, of what people feel and what is happening in the world.
The good thing is that when you look back at what defines a decade, most people remember the Fashion, Perfume, Food and Music that shaped it.
If The 70s are back – then we here at PAIRFUM London want to look back at the wonderful Perfumes of the time.
It is hard to think of Fashion in the 70s without ‘Saint Laurent’ springing to mind, as Yves Saint Laurent was himself synonymous in revolutionising the landscape of 1970’s fashion.
So as an homage to this colourful, ‘Funky’ period in history, we have picked out!
Our Top Ten Iconic Perfumes of the 70s, that helped defined an era:
Charlie the legendary perfume by Revlon presented in 1973, ad campaigns for the scent featured a number of models including Naomi Sims, making Sims the first African American woman in history to be featured in a cosmetic company’s advertising.
Chanel No. 19 perfume was first marketed in 1971. The number 19 was chosen to commemorate Coco Chanel’s birthday, the 19th of August. The perfume was launched just a year before she died, and the scent was created by Henri Robert.
Diorella a fragrance by Christian Dior, for women brought to the market in 1972. Created to symbolises the spirit of freedom of the 1970s.
Rive Gauche a women’s perfume launched by Yves Saint Laurent in 1971, remembered by many for it’s all-aluminium silver and cobalt blue striped bottle.
Opium another of the iconic perfumes created for Yves Saint Laurent in 1977, it caused quite a stir at the time with its controversial name and ad campaigns.
White Linen was created for Estee lauder by Sophia Grojsman in 1978, and was a modern classic.
Anais Anais by Cacharel a fragrance created for women 1978, this was the first perfume created by them.
Cristalle Perfume by Chanel – a fragrance for women released in 1974, remembered by many for it’s Green Notes.
Estée Lauder launched Cinnabar in in 1978, in answer to Yves Saint Laurent Opium..
First by perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena for Van Cleef & Arpels, when Ellena was commissioned to create ‘First’ back in 1976 – it was literally the first ‘jewellery fragrance’ in the world.
There are so many other wonderful Perfumes from the 70s such as, Clinique Aromatics Elixir by perfumer Bernard Chant, Oscar by perfumer Christian Bastard-Lafitte for Oscar de la Renta in1977, Lauren created by perfumer Bernard Chantby for Ralph Lauren also in 1977, Ciara by Revlon in1973… but for now we will just keep it to our top ten
Now when looking back over our selection of some of the classic Perfumes of the 70s, we may be accused of being a bit top-heavy with the Female fragrances of the time.
Why have we not included any Male fragrances?
Well, you must also remember that in the 70’s Men wore ‘Aftershave’, and these great Fragrances that came to epitomise this era are so iconic, that we have decided that they deserve a separate article all to themselves.
So, watch this space!
If one of the first things that drops into your inbox in the morning is an email entitled – Organic Hand Wash Review.
In our case it not only peaks our interest but as you read through it, it brings a big smile to our face.
When one of the things that the review asks you to do is “Check Out the ‘Free From list‘, as it’s very impressive”….
Then what are you waiting for….
O.K, if you are wondering what a ‘Free From List’ is? then in a nutshell it is a list of the Raw Materials / Ingredients that are NOT used by a company in their products. In this case PAIRFUM London
When a reviewer takes not only the time to try the products, but to investigate what they contain before using them..
Then it really should act as a reminder to all of us to check what our skin care or toiletries contain, just having the terms ‘Organic’, ‘Natural’ , ‘Essential Oils’ or ‘Best’ on the label may not be enough.
Just to give you an idea of what the PAIRFUM Organic Hand and Body washes ‘DO NOT’ contain, below is just a few from the list:
NO – parabens, e.g. Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl Paraben
NO – SLS, SLA
NO – GMO ingredients,
NO – animal derived ingredients
NO – animal testing,
NO – phthalates,
NO – sulphate,
NO – nitro musks or polycyclic musks,
NO – alkyl phenol ethoxylate solubilizers,
NO – mineral oils and none of the following petroleum derived ingredients: petrolatum, petroleum jelly, petroleum distillates, etc.
YES ! it is just as I mentioned above only a few of the ingredients that are NOT in the PAIRFUM London products….
We know that some of the above have been in the news for quiet a few years, as ‘NO-no’s’ when it comes to our HEALTH.
One example you may not have heard of such as ‘alkyl phenol ethoxylate solubilizers’, as they may not roll of the tongue easily but are described as endocrine disrupters or (EDCs).
Does it really matter if our endocrine system is disrupted?
What does our endocrine system do?
Well our endocrine system is the collection of glands that produce hormones that regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction, sleep, and mood, among other things…. so basically our entire life
So you tell us! is that something that you want to disrupt or disturb?
If not! then checking the ingredients list is of the upmost importance, and this is just one of the items on the ‘Free From List’ by PAIRFUM London. So if you would like to find out more or care about what you are putting on your skin, or the skin of your children
Please click here or contact us at in**@*****um.com
Alternatively if you would like to see the wonderful review that brought a smile to our face please click here.
P.S. Did you know our products are Vegan and Cruelty Free?
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