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Top 10 Things That Define A Niche Fragrance

23/02/202407/04/2019 by Josephine McCarthy

We are often asked: What is Niche Perfume? So, … we decided to share with you our Top 10 Things that define a niche fragrance.

If you are one of those people who have heard the terms Niche Perfume, Artisan Parfum, Indie Scent or Boutique Fragrance bandied about and wondered what they really mean, then you should read on.

You are not alone, as we receive emails regularly from people wanting to understand what we or others mean when they use these terms.

There are specific elements that define a niche fragrance and set it apart from the Mass Market Brands we are accustomed to from Couture Houses and Designer Labels.

Although, when you define a niche fragrance, these lines become sometimes blurred when large worldwide brands describe their offerings as ‘Niche’ or introduce ‘Private Collections’. The fact that a product is available at every Airport, in every retailer and on every High Street worldwide would by definition exclude it from being considered a Niche Creation.

We equally believe a Niche Fragrance House that is owned by a global corporation no longer qualifies as being Niche. The list is long of these small perfumery houses that were bought-out. Examples are Jo Malone, Creed, Frederic Malle, L’Artisan Parfumeur, … It is not easy to spot these ‘Niche Wannabees’.

So when looking for a genuine Niche or Artisan Fragrance, the list below will help you to separate the true Niche from the ‘Niche Wannabee’

Eau De Parfum Person Reflection Sea Salt Sage Amber Man Muscular Define A Niche Fragrance

Well the following are our Top 10 Things that Define a Niche Fragrance:

A Perfume House, founded by a Perfumer who’s wish is to create Unique Fragrances – like the original Fragrance Houses of Old
An in-house Perfumer, that is unencumbered by the restrictions of mass consumerism, and is allowed to recreate the ‘artistry of the unique’ in luxury fragrances.
Limited Availability – not on sale in every shop, store and airport worldwide.
Art and Creativity – like Painters, Poets, Writers, Chefs, Wine Makers, Gardner’s, Designers, as the founder of PAIRFUM London Huib Maat said “Who would want to create a copy of the same thing again and again if they have the ability and creativity to create an original? – no true Artist would”
The use of Natural, Unusual or Unique Perfumery ingredients and Accords, i.e. note combinations.
Selective approach to Distribution – not available everywhere
A different approach to PR & Marketing – where the best form of advertising is – through ‘Word of Mouth’ passed from one Fragrance Aficionado to another ( and with a little help from the right type of Magazine article)…
With the attention to detail given to the creation of a Niche Perfume, it assures the wearer that the Perfume is of the highest quality.
Something that is rare is always more precious – Clientele will seek out and love something different – because we were born unique – so why not celebrate it..
Not owned by a global, multi-national Corporation or produced on a large scale factory floor but in small batches and independently owned.

Keep these in mind when shopping for Niche Fragrances.

Pairfum London’s in-house Perfumer Huib Maat created our collection of Natural Eau de Parfum Intense and we also introduced the Perfume Experience Box to try and sample these exquisite creations.

Pairfum Collection Niche Perfume Experience Fragrance Library Square Gift Box Open Display Define A Niche Fragrance

International Day of Happiness

20/03/2019 by Josephine McCarthy

So on this the 3rd day of ‘National Fragrance Week’ we decided to combine it with ‘International Day of Happiness’ which is today the 20th of March

It made perfect sense to us, as smelling something beautiful makes us Happy ….

International Day of Happiness was created by Jayme Illien, who is a special adviser to the United Nations.

The idea was to celebrate happiness in all its forms, big or small.

Whether it is wearing your favourite Perfume, Dress, Shoes or singing in the shower…..

Do something that makes you Happy and spreads it all around.

We have posted one of our favourite Poems before, but we know it is Perfect for the International Day of Happiness..

So here it is again:

Smiling is infectious,
you catch it like the flu,
When someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.

I passed around the corner
and someone saw my grin.
When he smiled I realised
I’d passed it on to him.

I thought about that smile,
then I realised its worth.
A single smile, just like mine
could travel round the earth.

So, if you feel a smile begin,
don’t leave it undetected.
Let’s start an epidemic quick,
and get the world infected!

From everyone here at PAIRFUM London have a very Happy International Day of Happiness

How Do You Evaluate, Test or Smell Perfume?

23/02/202419/03/2019 by Josephine McCarthy

National Fragrance Week Woman Rose Flower smell perfume

We are frequently being asked: “How do you smell perfume?”

Today on day two of National Fragrance week, organised by the Fragrance Foundation, we are taking a look at (and not for the first time) how do you evaluate or test perfume?

National Fragrance Week Man in Suit smell perfume

It may seem that the obvious answer is “with your nose” – and in a sense (no pun intended) that is correct.

However, there is so much more to smelling a perfume, than simply taking a sniff …

National Fragrance Week Perfume Bottles smell perfume

In an earlier post we discussed how as individuals we have an olfactory blueprint that is totally unique to us.

So, … how we smell perfume or interpret a fragrance or note, will be as individual and unique as you are..

National Fragrance Week Woman Rose Flower Head

We know that memory formation is linked to our sense of smell.

So if you think how different your life’s experiences or your life’s road map has been when compared to those around you, it explains why some of us love certain notes while others may loathe them…

With National Fragrance Week now underway, what better time to try new Fragrances or Notes and evaluate them as only You can.

From everyone here at PAIRFUM London we just want to say “Try it, Enjoy it” and “Be Your Authentic Self”.

Smell Perfume Your Way.

Eau De Parfum Person Reflection Cardamom Tonka White Oud Curls smell perfume

Pairfum Natural Artisan Eau de Parfum Intense Gold Flair

It is National Fragrance Week

19/03/201918/03/2019 by Josephine McCarthy

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

Women’s Day

30/03/202008/03/2019 by Josephine McCarthy

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.

Miriam Makeba International Womens Day Rights Jazz Singer

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.

Suzanne Lenglen Tennis Player 1920 International Womens Day

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.

Lotfia Elnady Plane International Womens Day

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

Health Tips – How to Boost your Health, Mood and Memory with Perfume.

23/02/202407/03/2019 by Josephine McCarthy

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 !!

Health Tips Fragrance How To Wash Your Face

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.

Health Tips Human Brain Parts Name List Of Regions In The Human Brain Wikipedia

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.

Health Tip Meditation Oceans Drowning Plastic

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.

Health Tip Sleeping Woman Night Linen Pillow Spray

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.

Bedroom Large Reed Diffuser Bell Fragranced Candle Room Spray

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.

health tips Bubble Sulfate Wash Hand Sink Lather

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?

People Don’t Buy What They Need!

23/02/202426/01/2019 by Josephine McCarthy

PAIRFUM Boutique Couture Perfume Eau De Parfum Private Collection Home Fragrance Skin Care Sweet Rhubarb Oakmoss 400x400

We have heard it said that people don’t buy what they need!, they buy what they want….

Now this may be the case for some very rare and lucky individuals in the World…

However for the rest of us mere mortals, there are certain things that we must take into consideration before buying what we want… not least of which is our bank balance.

Having said that, when we do have a choice, as most of us at one time or another do – then we very rarely buy what we need – we buy what we want.

So, when we do have the wonderful opportunity to choose, especially something for someone we love or something very special for ourselves (and yes we do deserve it)

Then make sure that whatever you choose is like you, unique, special and worth waiting for…

PAIRFUM London was created for those times in Life – when Luxury is a necessity

Smile – It is Infectious!

23/02/202414/01/2019 by Josephine McCarthy

Smiling is infectious,
you catch it like the flu,
When someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.

I passed around the corner
and someone saw my grin.
When he smiled I realized
I’d passed it on to him.

I thought about that smile,
then I realized its worth.
A single smile, just like mine
could travel round the earth.

So, if you feel a smile begin,
don’t leave it undetected.
Let’s start an epidemic quick,
and get the world infected!

This poem that promotes the positivity of smiling is sometimes attributed to the late great Spike Milligan, whether it was written by him or by Karen McLendon-Laumann, we would be delighted to hear from anyone who can confirm the author.

Well, who ever it was that wrote this lovely little ditty, the poem does exactly what it is telling us to do – It makes us SMILE…………

So from everyone here at PAIRFUM London for 2019 we wish you Miles and Miles of Smiles, enough to spread around the World and infect it.

pairfum lifestyle flower sow wax fragranced candle

A Candle for Christmas

17/11/2018 by Josephine McCarthy

Nothing quite sets the scene more perfectly than a Perfumed Candle for Christmas.

Candles being used at Christmas dates from the middle ages, where a large candle was used to represent the star of Bethlehem.

Jesus is sometimes called ‘the Light of the World’ by Christians, and the start of the custom of the Advent Crown and Advent Candles is associated with this.

Candles were also used during ancient winter solstice celebrations, as a way of remembering that spring would return and the trees would bloom again.

What ever your reason for lighting a Luxury Scented Candle this Christmas, PAIRFUM London has they perfect one for You x

Pairfum Bath Body Giftbag Pre Biotic Body Lotion Wash Oil Bathing Gel

What is the Future of Anti-Aging?

23/02/202417/10/2018 by Josephine McCarthy

Millions and Millions of Pounds, Dollars, Euros, Yen, Swiss Franc and any other currencies you care to think of, are spend each year on anti-aging (or anti-ageing) products.

From Anti-ageing creams, Anti-aging Essential Oils, Anti-aging Face Creams, we use them daily at home or when we travel, for the lucky few who can afford it there are Anti-Ageing Clinics.

Today we saw an article that posed the questions:

What is the future of anti-aging?
How do men and women really feel about natural and organic beauty ?
Who are the ‘Well-Aging generation’?????

‘Well-Aging’ a new term that you may see cropping up, along with terms such as post-aging. It makes you wonder what do they really mean by these terms?

In 2017, a paper was published by researchers called “The skin Aging Exposome”. The term “exposome” describes the totality of exposures to which an individual is subjected to from cradle to grave, or, to put it in a much nicer way: ‘Our Life’s Journey’.

The review was carried out by a collaboration of European scientists, that specialise in either environmental medicine or skin biology.

It set out to discover which factors impact the visible, if not chronological perception of age. It included external and internal factors, and the human body’s response to these factors. These factors include air pollution, lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and nutrition. Exposure to UV and IR, stress and sleep deprivation, the use of cosmetics and other variables.

By including such an all encompassing and wide variety of factors, the findings point to more subtle shades of meaning or expressions on what contributes to age perception. As the scientific focus around ageing has broadened, consumer perceptions of what it means to ‘Age’ has also shifted significantly.

We here at PAIRFUM London have noticed that the expectations related to chronological ageing are slowly giving way to a more holistic, lifestyle-focused consumer mindset. We are what we eat, drink, exercise, sleep, relax, think and most importantly of all ‘Feel’.