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Windsor Park Azalea Intoxicating Perfume

Walking While Under The Influence Of Azalea And Rhododendron

30/05/202025/05/2020 by Josephine McCarthy

Have you ever gone for a walk and come to the realisation that you are walking while under the influence?

That is what we experienced yesterday while walking in Great Windsor Park through the beautiful blooms of Azalea and Rhododendron.

Just before you start tutting or shaking your head in disbelief

I can assure you that everyone who was walking, running, cycling, skating, or being pushed or pulled in some form of a wheeled chariot …. was doing it while under the influence..

It is also not a cause for alarm, nor was it a case of what is described as “Rimé et al” a social sharing of emotions.

Although thinking about it in another sense, it was a sharing of emotions

People had, whether they were aware of it or not while passing through certain sections of the park, become totally intoxicated with the perfumes emanating from the flowering shrub’s, the Azaleas and Rhododendron (the ‘Rose Tree’), the Chestnut trees, Lilac’s, Mock Orange, Honeysuckle, Cut Grass, Forget-me-nots and the last of the Bluebells…

We were all experiencing a walk through one of ‘Nature’s Natural Perfumeries’.

The only sounds that you could pick up wafting on the fragrant air was the sound of birdsong, the buzzing of Bees, lake water lapping or the occasional child’s laugh.

It was one of those magical Spring days, when Life and nature is intoxicating..

PAIRFUM London’s suggestion is that, wherever you live, in a Town, the Country, by the Sea, …

Put on your shoes, go somewhere and walk (or run) while under the Influence …

If you do stumble across an azalea shrub whilst in spring bloom, you will forever struggle to find anything as beautiful. What makes azalea shrubs so special is that they are like honey as you will always find one that will work for you as there are so many colours to choose from. Furthermore, you can add these colours to your own environment because azaleas can fortunately be easily grown in nearly any garden.

How to care and grow Azaleas and Rhododendron

However, as simple as it may be, if you do choose to add some azalea shrubs to your landscape, there are some things that need to be taken in to consideration to maximise their flowers and fragrance.

Azalea Care

It is crucial that you choose to care for your azaleas professionally and you find a suitable location to plant them to be sure your azaleas keep looking healthy.

If you are fortunate to have a large garden or even a wooded areas then planting lots of azalea shrubs would work well. But in most cases, to show off your azaleas’ true beauty, they are best planted alone.

Azalea shrubs are completely encompassed by flowers, therefore they can look phenomenal against a back drop of pines or other conifers. It will reduce the heavy impact of azaleas while still showing off their vibrant colours.

Unfortunately, when it comes to sunlight azaleas have particular requirements. Too much shade will deprive them of oxygen which will lead to a poor blooming.

The perfect soil for azaleas

Azalea plants need an acidic soil that is well-drained as their roots are quite shallow. If your soil isn’t well-drained, we recommend you place your azaleas in raised beds or even containers.

It would also be ideal to amend the soil with compost before planting the azaleas. If you happen to know if your soil has low levels of nitrogen then you may want look at using fertilizer to stop any nutritional deficiency.

To check if azaleas are nutritionally deficient if you be looking for an early leaf drop, and stunted growth of leaves and the azalea shrub.

Pruning Azalea & Rhododenron

Whether you want to encourage a bushier growth or you wish to keep your azaleas’ compact appearance, you want to wait until after the blooming season is over before you prune them.

Reinvigorate overgrown plants by cutting back & trimming the branches of the azalea shrubs.

You can be sure to have beautiful blooms in abundance for many springs in the years to come if you keep your azaleas healthy during the growing season.

Azalea Intoxicating Fragrance Windsor Park

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Pairfum London Artisan Handmade Lets Talk Perfume

Let’s Talk Perfume! Would You Like to Know How?

23/02/202403/06/2019 by Josephine McCarthy

Following numerous emails that we have received, all enquiring if we give or hold talks on Perfumery, we have decided to run a series of Let’s Talk Perfume events.

The format for these events was something that we have discussed at great length, as our aim is to allow as many people as possible to be able to join in.

So simply holding an event in a specific location to start off with, would for obvious reasons be limiting.

However, thank’s to the wonders of technology and the internet, it does not matter if you have written to us from the UK, USA, Switzerland, Nigeria or the U.A.E.

Everyone and anyone can join in no matter where in the World you call Home …

So, … if you are a ‘Perfume Lover’ and you would like to join in then please contact us here.

Or, … contact us via one of our Social Media pages below:

We look forward to hearing from you so that we can all get together and Let’s Talk Perfume.

Here is an example of a ‘Let’s Talk Perfume’ event.

Our perfumer, Huib Maat, was recently interviewed by the ‘StartUp Van’ about perfumery, how he got into fragrances, niche perfume and many other subjects:

Kate’s Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show

24/05/201920/05/2019 by Josephine McCarthy

Tomorrow Tuesday the 21st of May see’s the opening of the Chelsea Flower show and the unveiling of Kate’s Garden

For this years show the Duchess of Cambridge has designed and helped build a garden called ‘Back to Nature’

The inspiration for this multi-sensorial garden comes from both childhood memories and her work on early childhood development.

Her firm belief that time spent outdoors during childhood playing an exploring, helps build a good foundation for children to become healthy, happy adults.

The Garden has been co-created with landscape architects Andrée Davies & Adam White of ‘Davies White Ltd’ Chelsea Gold Medal & People’s Choice award winners, in conjunction with the Royal Horticultural Society.

The Duchess’s theme in the garden also highlights and combines her work as part of the ‘Heads Together Foundation’ that helps people to come together, speak about and care for their mental health.

The aim of the garden is to show what benefits the natural world can bring to mental and physical well-being.

One of the themes that was intertwined into the Garden concept was that of ‘Forest bathing’.

If you have never heard of this before, then we can reassure you that you are not the only one…

‘Forest Bathing’ also known as the practice of ‘Shinrin-Yoku’, is a Japanese concept where research has shown that immersion in forests and other natural environments promotes healing and wellness.

So a visit to a forest is regarded as being similar to natural aromatherapy.

Following research by Japanese scientists that spending at least two hours surrounded by nature in a Forest or natural surroundings, helped to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, boost our immune systems and improve memory and concentration.

The Japanese government in the 1980s introduced it as a national health programme.

It was also discovered during the studies that ‘phytoncides’ which are chemicals released by trees have an anti-microbial effect on humans

So for all of those who thought ‘Tree Hugging’ was only a form of protest to stop felling, then think again…

We should all be walking through, spending time in woods and forests and when no one is looking giving a tree a ‘Little Hug’.

Why not make a trip and immerse yourself into beautiful forest surroundings, and take the opportunity to breathe deeply, de-stress, and enjoy the wonders of a Forest.

Some of the other wonderful aspects of Kate’s Garden include a swing seat, a tree-house, edible plants, a campfire and a rustic den.

What Child would not find this garden enchanting and wonderful to play in..

In fact all of us here at PAIRFUM London, think that the Child within us all would love it xx

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 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’.

It is the reason that we created the PAIRFUM Organic Skin Care range, that includes our Anti-Aging Prebiotic & Organic Creams.

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Video Post – London’s Artisan Perfumers

30/05/202615/10/2018 by Josephine McCarthy

Why do most fragrances smell so similar?

It is easier to copy than to be original.

We are London's Artisan Perfumers.

Always Original.

How to Evaluate, Sample, Smell or Test Fragrance?

23/02/202409/10/2018 by Josephine McCarthy

We are often asked how to evaluate, smell perfume or test fragrance.

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It may seem like a strange question “How do you Test Fragrance” ?

However it really is not as strange as it seems, some people would say “Just open a bottle spray and take a sniff”

Incredible Facts About Your Sense of smell, people can detect one trillion distinct scents. Test Fragrance

Finding the right fragrance is not quite as straight forward as it may seem, at times it would appear that there can be no logic behind your choice of perfumes because your emotions are so intrinsically linked to your sense of smell.

Perfumer Nose Smelling Strip Evaluate Scent Test Fragrance

We are conditioned to have smell preferences, and our response to a particular odour or note could be based partially on our individual genetic make-up, and partially on our life experiences.

Dark Chocolate Cake Fragrance Test Home Natural

So what do we mean by this?

Question Mark Info Graphic Sample Fragrance

In simple terms it means that we all have an ‘olfactory blueprint’, which like us is totally unique. Think of it as your life’s experiences or life’s road map all happily recorded in our smell memory.

No two individuals are alike and just as we respond differently to different situations, colours, music, art, clothes, food or wine, we also react differently to something that we smell.

Self Talk Day Positive Fragrance Test Aromatherapy

We here at PAIRFUM London are delighted that this is the case, could you just imagine for a moment how boring the World would be if we all liked the same thing… colour, food, wine, clothes..

How To Evaluate Sample Test Try Perfume Fragrance

Taking this idea a step further it would also mean that we would all, be attracted to the same type of partner, scientists have already proven that mice can and do, detect compatibility genes by smell, and that certain fish choose their mates by their colour. How this works in humans, is still not fully understood.

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However it is such a fascinating topic, it deserves a post all to itself – so that is one for another time.

So! how should we Evaluate, Sample, Test or Smell Perfume..

Well, the Perfume World is divided into families, and then divided yet again into sub-family’s. Technically, ‘fragrance families’ are a classification system that the perfume industry has used for years. In the language of scent a ‘Family’ is used to place individual perfumes into olfactory groups, based on their more dominant characteristics.

When choosing which scent or perfume to wear we often without even realising it, gravitate to the same ‘fragrance family’ time and again. Instinctively, we prefer scents from some fragrance families and dislike others.

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However this may vary or alter slightly with a change in temperature or weather, for colder months we may prefer a warmer note and a lighter, fresher note for Spring or Summer.

The in-house perfumer here at PAIRFUM London, Huib Maat has just written a more in depth article on how to evaluate, sample, test Fragrance. If you would like to find out more, and learn how to do it like a professional then please click here.

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How to make a Reed Diffuser that is Personalised?

23/02/202404/10/2018 by Josephine McCarthy

We are often being asked the question, “How to make a Reed Diffuser that is Personalised?

We all enjoy fresh, fragrant flowers or at the very least a natural uplifting or calming fragrance in our homes. This explains why over the past number of years, reed diffusers have become a very popular and a ‘must-have’ addition to our rooms.

They have a timeless simplicity and versatility, that enables their inclusion into every room or interior design scheme make them universally loved.

Today, they are available in every shape and size in a wide variety of fragrances, from a variety of brands – even companies that would not normally be associated with or have a background in perfumery……….???

There are times however when:

a) The diffuser you have chosen may not quite fit the overall theme of your home, or the scheme you have chosen for a particular room.
b) You would like to add a more personalised touch to your interior scheme, or
c) It may be for a special occasion such as a Wedding or a party.

For these or other special occasions, we have a simple suggestion:

1. Turn your favourite vase into a unique reed diffuser.

The rising popularity of reed diffusers has seen us all getting used to refilling our bottles with a reed diffuser refill and inserting fresh reeds. We all know how to do this.

Did you know though, that you can do the same with your favourite vase or bottle?

Using your favourite vase or a unique bottle, to create an aesthetically pleasing decorative item will take just a few moments of your time, and yet you will create a touch of elegance to perfectly compliment your home décor.

To clarify, you will need the following items to create your unique reed diffuser:

• Your chosen vase or decanter

• PAIRFUM reed diffuser refill – well you would not expect us to recommend anything but the best to you – would you?

• PAIRFUM’s extra-long natural rattan reeds – yet again, nothing but the best is good enough for you.Choosing extra-long reeds is vital for the success of your reed diffuser because if the reeds are too short, then not enough of the rattan sticks out of the top of the bottle. You will find in this case that the reed diffuser will not be strong enough to fragrance your room. As a rule of thumb, you need at least 10 reeds that stick about 6 – 8 inch or 15 -20 cm out of the bottle.

Please note, the next critical step in this process is that you only select a vase, bottle, decanter or any other vessel that is resistant to perfume oils. If you are in any doubt about this, then please do not attempt this.

We recommend only using the following types of vases or vessels:

– Made from glass or crystal without any lacquer, paint, varnish, coating, fabric, paper etc on the inside or outside. Please insure that any type of container you choose is free from cracks, chips or defects that may cause it to leak or spill.

– Made from ceramic, porcelain or earthenware that are glazed on the inside and outside.

This may sound very restrictive (and probably is) but it is better to be ‘safe’, than ‘sorry’. After all is said and done, you are using one of your preferred vases.
On the other hand, you will be surprised how many beautiful, graceful and interesting vases or bottles you have in your cupboards that would be ideal to be used as a reed diffuser.

Just have a look around.

When selecting a reed diffuser refill oil, here at PAIRFUM, we recommend choosing a ‘healthy’ refill fluid:

– Natural,
– Without alcohol (as these don’t last very long), and
– Non-VOC (meaning free from solvents that damage your lungs and in particular free from glycols)

All of PAIRFUM’s reed diffuser refills and Diffusers meet these criteria.Now that you have all the ingredients assembled, it’s time to put it all together.
Begin by filling your favourite or chosen container with the reed diffuser refill oil to approximately 50% of the volume of the container, this is done to insure that you leave room for the reeds (if in doubt, then just fill it to the halfway mark).
Next, place the reeds inside the vessel, you will notice that the level of fragrance oil inside the container rises(think of it as the Eureka effect), which is why we advised earlier to fill to only 50%. This avoids spillage when you insert the reeds, and will insure that the liquid does not flow over the edge.

As with all reed diffusers, the reeds will now begin to soak up the fragrance infusion and the perfume will begin to travel up the reeds. Once the perfume has soaked or ‘wicked’ up the reeds past the neck of the bottle, your personalised reed diffuser will begin to fragrance you home.

Please take the usual precautions with reed diffusers and be careful if you are placing your reed diffuser on a wooden, lacquered or porous surface you may wish to use a coaster as fragrance oils can leave marks on certain surfaces.
Pro Tip: the optimum position for your reed diffuser is where it catches a little air flow that enables the fragrance to disperse, enhancing the atmosphere and setting the ambience you wish to create.

And there you have it – your very own, personal but luxurious reed diffuser in both scent and design.
The PAIRFUM collection is available online at www.pairfum.com

homo faber craftsmanship exhibition venice flower

“Homo Faber” Showcases The Very Best Of European Craftsmanship

19/09/201819/09/2018 by Huib Maat

The Finest of European Craftsmanship, from jewelery to bespoke bicycles, will be shown at “Homo Faber” with the aim of ‘crafting’ a more humane future by celebrating the excellence of artisans. The exhibition inspires interest in the skill of artisans that machines cannot match.

“Homo Faber is an expression that was first coined during the renaissance and it captures and celebrates the infinite creativity of human beings,” says Johann Rupert, co-founder of the Michelangelo Foundation.

According to Wikipedia, “Homo Faber (Latin for “Man the Maker”) is the concept that human beings are able to control their fate and their environment as a result of the use of tools.”

Here at Pairfum we are proud of the Artisan nature of our products, the skills used to handmake each and the spirit of the perfumer-creator in each fragrance.

Sleep and Insomnia – How to Fall Asleep with Fragrance

23/02/202429/08/2018 by Josephine McCarthy

Our reason for writing an article on Sleep and Insomnia – How to Fall Asleep with Fragrance, came about when we were contacted recently by a number of customers and specialist groups regarding sleep deprivation, and it’s effect on our general well-being and mental health.

If you were asked to suggest a product to include in a list of the ‘Best or Most Life Changing products’, that has to suit all budgets… Would one of the first things that spring to mind be, something that helps you get a ‘Good Nights Sleep’?

One of the most important things we need to do after ‘Breathing’, ‘Hydrating’ and ‘Eating’ is ‘SLEEPING’…
Sleeping is not just some down time from our busy routine, the body and mind needs sleep to repair and heal.

So as odd as it may seem, one of the best or one of the most life changing things / gifts you could give to someone is a good night’s sleep – just ask any new parent if they agree?

Lack of sleep can make us feel physically unwell, impair concentration, and leave us feeling stressed, anxious and irritable.
Findings of recent studies also point to the fact that sleep deprivation can also contribute to heart disease, premature ageing, and is a known factor in road accidents

With our increasingly busy lives it’s estimated that we now sleep around 90 minutes less each night than we did in the 1920s.
When we see it written like this it may not seem so bad, but if we were all asked to get up an hour and a half earlier than normal every day, but still go to bed at the same time each night .. really how would we feel?

Now if you add to this the large number of people who already suffer with problems sleeping, it’s obvious that many people are now functioning in a permanently sleep-deprived state.
Some people suffer from serious sleep problems, ranging from the inability to get to sleep (insomnia) to the inability to stay awake (narcolepsy).

However thankfully many sleep problems are temporary, and there are some very basic self-help measures which will help get you back to a more normal sleeping pattern.

One of the ‘Top Tips’ that every sleep expert gives is – prepare and unwind before going to bed, we have all read that switching off all our electronic devices, is very important, but why?

Electronics such as tablets, laptops and smart phones emit artificial light that can deter and disrupt sleep. Insure that you sleep in a darkened, well ventilated and quite room, and avoid stimulating activities, such as using electronics and exercise just prior to sleep. The advise on stimulating activities just before sleep, did raise a number of eyebrows… but we are sure that we can leave that up to you to judge.

Adopting a bedtime routine can promote consistent and restful sleep.

Here at PAIRFUM London the product that we have designed/created to help people sleep is our ‘Pillow Spray’ – For A Deep Night’s Sleep ( well we didn’t create it to help them sleep at work – but if the product works that well – what more need we say).