This Advent began on Sunday the 1st of December and will end on Monday the 24th of December.
In many Christian Churches, Advent is a time of expectant waiting, a preparation for the celebration of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ.
The word ‘advent’ derives from a Latin word meaning “coming”.
Advent is the beginning of the Western Christian Calendar Year, which starts on the 4th Sunday before Christmas, also referred to as ‘Advent Sunday’.
As a sign of Advent having started, Churches and many Homes light a candle on an Advent wreath. An additional candle is lit with each coming Sunday until 4 candles are burning on Christmas.
In Sweden, the practice of erecting a Chrismas tree and Christmas also starts with Advent.
Why not start your Advent with a beautiful, natural Snow Crystal Candle by Pairfum?
Then add another with each Sunday until Christmas Eve.
Most people who live in, visit or plan to visit London have all heard of ‘The London Eye’, have any of you heard about ‘The London Nose’ ?
Well you have now….
As anyone with an interest in or knowledge of Perfumery will know, Perfumers are referred to as ‘The Nose’
Here at PAIRFUM London we are proud to have ‘The London Nose’ creating Perfumes for us…
With the upcoming launch of PAIRFUM London’s New Niche Perfumes
We decided to have a ‘Nose’ around the Capital (excuse the intended pun) to see what was on offer that would entice our olfactory senses…
The City really does offer something for everyone and the upcoming London Craft Week it’s 5th annual event, returns to the capital from the 8-12 May 2019.
This year the festival brings together over 240 established and emerging makers, designers, brands and galleries from London and around the world.
With events as wide ranging as the City is diverse, from a series of workshops hosted by Tom Dixon of ‘Grow’ in Coal Drops Yard, that informs and inspires new ways of using plants, where the seeds for the idea as wonderful as ‘Gardening can save the World’ were first sown.
To a Whisky tasting Masterclass with a guided tasting of Bruichladdich Distillery’s cult Islay Single Malts, where they also promise to let you in on the meaning of the name ‘Bruichladdich’ being held in the original 321-year-old shop at Berry Bros. & Rudd, what is not to like, Whiskey & secrets….
The programs on offer that caught our attention were and it will come as no surprise I’m sure were ‘Nose’ related…
Where Anatomē launches London’s first ‘sleep bar’, where someone will be on hand to offer bespoke sleep oils based on personal sleep challenges.
Or… how about a collaboration between The Beaumont Hotel and individual Perfumers to create bespoke perfumes, inspired by the hotel’s gallery of famous rebels and rogues. The Exhibition runs from the 8th to the 12th of May 10:30 – 20:30.
It may be that you wish to know more about candle making, dress making or interior design the craft week’s calendar is packed with ideas & classes for everyone.
So from everyone here at PAIRFUM London, have a wonderful weekend…
One of the biggest challenges in perfumery is the continuous question of “How Do You Describe Perfume”.
Our noses can distinguish 1 Trillon different smells but we struggle to articulate the differences, character or nuances of a fragrance.
For this reason, the perfume industry has to a degree developed its own set of words, classification systems and various other aids to help in this task.
Here at Pairfum London we have created a brief introduction into “How Do You Describe Perfume” which we believe is ideal reading during National Fragrance Week.
After reading the article, you will feel much more comfortable with some of the terms you come across in the World of Perfumery.
When admiring the winning or commended photographs, we noticed how some of them created ‘fragrant images’ for us here at Pairfum and we wanted to share some of these ‘olfactive photos’ with you.
Protea Banks, KwaZulu
The image above was taken in Protea Banks, KwaZulu – Natal, South Africa by Pier Many (photographer) and he said this about his image: “Protea Banks is an underwater reef on the east coast of South Africa that is under consideration for protected area status. Amazing creatures such as this cephea (or crown) jellyfish live there. It was the biggest jellyfish I’ve ever seen, over one metre in diameter. Its purple head and yellow fuselage were simply amazing. With no background objects present to provide perspective, and wishing to exalt this crown jellyfish with its stunning colours, majestic size and dancing elegance, I opted to purposefully crop the jellyfish to fill the frame.”
For us this image created the vivid fragrance of the sea, with its aquatic & salty nuances, its marine minearals, the notes of sea weed and algae. We regularly incorporate these elements in our notes and we particularly liked about this image that marine notes are frequently only displayed a ‘blue’ images whereas this image is displays the most vivid colours.
Namib Desert, Namibia
Here are the comments of Tom Putt (the photographer) about his marvellous photo: “Flying low over the endless sand dunes of the Namib Desert, I noticed the cloud cover provided this interesting play of light on the landscape. When the sun heats up the dunes, it draws the black minerals to the surface. When I came to process the image, the stunning colours revealed themselves.”
We believe this image perfectly captures the essence of ‘oriental notes’, their warmth & richness, the depth of their accord and sensuous nature.
Storvatnet, Flakstadøya, Lofoten, Norway
This is what Daniel Laan, the photographer says about his image: “Stjerntinden is a sheer-walled 930m peak rising from the often frozen and snow-covered Storvatnet lake. Along its shoreline the ice is punctured by unyielding rocks, which create tiny ice caves. I decided to put my camera inside this particular one because its curvy roof and virgin snow complemented the inhospitable background so well. However, therein lay the main challenge. I put the camera in from the front, facing out, but had no idea of the composition. I carefully turned the focus ring each shot with a view to making a final focus stacked image. I then lifted the camera for the final frame to reveal more of the mountain and fill the entirety of the cave mouth.”
It conjures up the salty but beautiful fresh, clean ozonic note of ice and outdoor ions.
El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California, USA
The comments of Alex Palmer (photographer) “Two climbers approach El Cap Tower on the The Nose route on El Capitan. I was taking a day off from the route that my partner and I were attempting on the West Face of El Capitan. We headed down to the meadow opposite the peak to watch the climbers on the wall and get some images. The hardest thing I’ve found about photographing this rock face is to get any idea of how vast it really is. I spotted two climbers* approaching the El Cap Tower feature and just started to snap photos. When I zoomed in to preview the images, I was really pleased with the scale and atmosphere they showed.”
Do stones have a scent? Have you ever taken the time to smell one?
Try it and you will be surprised by the variety of fragrances that you pick up. The sheer cliff face certainly triggered a memory of an earthy, sun-bleached rock face for us.
Grand Union Canal, Olton, Solihull, England
Chris Fletcher said this about his photo:”This shot was taken handheld using the diffused sunrise light to soften the subject and surrounding woodland. This helped to bring out the colour of the autumn leaves and of the boat. I regularly explore the canal network in the West Midlands and in autumn the atmosphere and colour of the waterways offer fantastic scenes to capture. The composition was made easy by the diagonal positioning of the canal and towpath, which gave me a natural rule of thirds image.”
Here in Europe and London in particular, this image conjures up the memories of moist woody notes from walks in the forest in Autumn. Add to this watery, green notes of the canal and you can see how this images creates a beautifully complex note.
Wyming Brook, Peak District, England
Jay Birmingham about his shot: “I had gone to Wyming Brook in the Peak District to try to capture some landscape shots. Struggling to find any unique angles, I cast my eyes over the smaller features around me and spotted, in the middle of the water, a small mossy island with a solitary bonnet mushroom growing on it. Even better, there was a small waterfall just behind. I crouched as low down in the water as I could to position the mushroom in front of the waterfall, and then used a neutral density filter to capture the path of the water swirling through this beautiful micro landscape.”
“Oakmoss” is also known as ‘Mousse de Chene’ or ‘Treemoss’. For many people this terms does not trigger an olfactive memory and yet it is a very prominent ingredient in perfumery, such as “Mitsouko” by Guerlain, its role within the ‘Chypre Accord’ or its presence within the ‘Fougère’ Olfactive Group,
For us the image below captures the note of Oakmoss wonderfully: earthy rich, inky bitter, evocative of a sensually damp but woody oak forest, with hints of musky and amber.
Do you find that photos have the power to create ‘olfactive images’ for you? Which images are the most potent for you?
Anosmia – what does it mean and why should we care?
Well for those that have not heard of it before and would like to know!
Anosmia is a complete loss of the ability to smell…..
Women Anosmia Day Nose Perfume
When taken in context in regards to your other senses, the loss of your sense of smell should be nothing more than an inconvenience at most ? If you did loose it would you even miss it?
We would also love to know, would you ever ‘Voluntarily Give Up’ one of your senses?
In a survey carried out of 7,000 young people from around the world, approximately half of those between the age of 16 and 30 said that they would rather ‘Lose their Sense of Smell’ than give up access to technology like laptops or cell phones.
Anosmia Day Woman Nose Fragrance Scent
Well there is a saying that “Fair exchange is no robbery”, so it begs the question how much did these people know about the importance of their sense of smell to their health and well-being?
The second question would have to be, that if they did know and still choose to lose a sense rather than access to an electronic device! then how much sense do they have to lose in the first place? – ‘common’ or otherwise? and why is it called ‘Common Sense’ when it is such a rare commodity?
Research by Leslie Vosshall from The Rockefeller University estimated that the average person can detect at least one trillion different smells, and that the one trillion is probably an underestimation of the true number of smells we can detect, but for now I am sure it is enough for us to be getting on with… In fact, new research suggests that our noses can outperform our eyes and ears, which can discriminate between several million colours and approximately half a million tones.
The 27th of February is ‘Anosmia Awareness Day’ – it is a day to spread awareness about Anosmia and about how it effects the lives of those who suffer from it. As there are few outward signs of the disorder, the practical difficulties associated with it and how the nature of olfactory dysfunction and its consequences for an individual’s safety and quality of life are not widely appreciated or understood.
PAIRFUM London fully agrees with Dr. Vosshall who says that – “It’s time to give our sense of smell the recognition it deserves,”. We would go even further and say that current ongoing and future research will show just how important and underrated our sense of smell is to our health and lives.
Sadly today the World lost one of its ‘Great Masterpieces’, the Original, the Unique, the ever Changing Karl Lagerfeld.
A fashion designer, a creative director, an artist, photographer, Cat lover and caricaturist. He has left behind a legacy and body of work, few will ever be able to emulate.
We here at PAIRFUM London would like to honour the great man by remembering some of the wonderful quotes that shine a light on his unrepeatable personality.
Here are 10 of his most memorable quotes:
Style in his words: “Chic is a kind of mayonnaise, either it tastes, or it doesn’t.”
About himself: “Everything I say is a joke. I am a joke myself.”
His tongue in cheek quote about beauty: “Life is not a beauty contest, some [ugly people] are great.”
His view on furniture: “The most important piece in the house is the garbage can.”
His take on the worldwide web : “I don’t do internet, I don’t do Facebook. I have to sketch, I have to play with Choupette [his cat], I have to sleep. The day is too short for that.”
On Work: “Work is making a living out of being bored.”
On being asked about Tattoos: “I think tattoos are horrible.”
On Dress or should we say Business Sense: “I remember a designer who said that intelligent women don’t wear her dresses. Obviously, she went bankrupt.”
On Style: “Don’t dress to kill, dress to survive.”
On Coco Chanel: “What I’ve done, Coco Chanel would never have done. She would have hated it”
Some Special Quotes, that we could not leave out:
On his ego: “I’m very much down to Earth. I’m just not from this Earth.”
On his bedroom: “If you see it you will think about everything except sex, because it is the unsexiest room ever. I love unsexy bedrooms.”
Our Thoughts
Here at Pairfum London, our thoughts and sympathies are with his family and friends.
The worlds of fashion and fragrance is a poorer place without you, Mr. Karl Lagerfeld. It will take a giant to fill your exquisitely crafted designer shoes.
He is one of the Legends of this industry.
Famous Fragrance Quotes Series
If you are looking for more inspirational perfume quotes, then we invite you to visit these pages on our website:
Are you having a problem falling asleep or trying to get a good night’s sleep? Yes, … then using a Deep Sleep Spray can help you solve this problem.
One of our most popular products, that customers come back for repeatedly, is our Natural Sleep Spray, that can be used on your pillows, bed sheets, duvet covers, night clothes, or sprayed into the air.
We all know that there are a number of contributing factors for why we can’t jump into bed and sleep, ranging from the age and condition of your mattress and pillow to the temperature in your room. Not to mention noise levels and how dark and electronic free your resting place is.
Some of the causes for a disturbed nights sleep may seem very obvious, but it is surprising how many people, do not consider them a factor when trying to eliminate or alleviate the cause of a sleepless or restless night.
One of the most obvious things is that you do not go to sleep in a brightly lit room, bright light especially blue-ish light that is emitted from T.V.’s, Computer Screens, Mobile phones, all send a signal to our brains that it’s still daytime and prevents the body’s natural release of chemicals critical for restful & deep sleep.
Our bodies release chemicals in a 24-hour cycle, telling us to do certain things at certain times.
Each of these cycles is called a circadian rhythm, one of the most important chemicals involved in this process is melatonin, a hormone that makes us feel sleepy.
The amount of melatonin in our bodies starts increasing in the evening, as natural light decreases, and peaks in the middle of the night, letting us know it is time to sleep.
It then decreases by morning, allowing us to wake up refreshed.
Why is it so important that we get a good nights sleep?
Studies show that four in every ten Americans don’t even get the minimum of seven hours of sleep doctors recommend, and the important word in the previous sentence is ‘MINIMUM’.
This is now considered a public health emergency, as lack of sleep and fatigue leads to both short and long term mental and physical health problems.
Recent studies have shown that Americans currently average only 6.8 hours of sleep per night, down an hour from 1942, which means that they have lost ‘One Full’ hour’s sleep per night since then.
Think of it as having to set your alarm clock an hour earlier every morning … !
This is not something that effects only people living in the USA, but they have recognised the problem and are studying the causes and effects.
As I have mentioned above, study after study has shown that watching a screen before bedtime or while you are lying in bed is an absolute ‘No-no’ – if you wish to drift off to the land of nod and stay there until morning.
So, … whether it’s a TV screen, your laptop, tablet or phone, if you want to fall asleep ditch the pixels until morning.
Expert Tips
The following are some simple tips that will help improve your nights sleep:
Lavender has been shown to decrease heart rate and blood pressure, potentially putting you in a more relaxed state.
In one study, researchers monitored the brain waves of subjects at night and found that those who sniffed lavender before bed had a deeper nights sleep and felt more invigorated in the morning
If Lavender helps us get a better nights sleep – then “Why is that”?
Well, … you will be delighted to know that there is scientific proof to backup the claim:
Lavender oil is mainly composed of linalyl acetate (which is a naturally occurring phytochemical found in many flowers and spice plants, and is one of the principal components of the essential oils of Lavender and Bergamot) and linalool.
Both are natural chemicals that are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream.
Studies on mice have shown that these compounds inhibit several neurotransmitters and have a sedative and pain-relieving effect.
In humans, lavender has been proven to lower the heart rate and reduces anxiety, leading to a more relaxed and peaceful sleep.
Dr. Chris Winter, MD, is a renowned sleep specialist and author of the book: ‘The Sleep Solution – Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How To Fix It” – He has also been called “The Sleep Whisperer”.
I love this nick name, as it is better to whisper, so you do not wake anyone up.
He stated that scent plays a role in helping people drift off to sleep, with the proviso that the formula contains lavender.
“There are a number of studies that indicate it might have sleep-promoting effects,” he says.
Other notes that are known to help promote relaxation and sleep are Chamomile, Bergamot, Jasmine, Rose, Sandalwood and Valerian.
Recommendations from the Harvard Medical School suggest using dim red lights in the evenings and to expose yourself to bright lights during the day time help to reset your sleep schedule (your internal clock).
In a recent Bedroom Poll by the National Sleep Foundation in the US, 53% of their respondents rated sleeping on sheets with a fresh scent an important contributor to their sleep experience.
If Lavender is not one of your favourite notes, other fragrances that you associate with happy events in your life are also perfect to use.
For example notes or smells that evoke or awaken happy, calming memories, such as walks on the beach or in the woods, a wonderful relaxing holiday, times spent with loved ones, or memories of childhood when sleep came easily at the end of a day well spent.
Dr. Winter, the ‘Sleep Whisperer’, also said that “Sprays can be helpful if we pair a certain smell in our minds with the act of sleep. This is particularly true with travel. If you associate a certain smell with your bedroom, spraying that in your hotel room can trick your brain into thinking you’re at home.”
This is the reason why here at PAIRFUM London, we developed the ‘Voyage’ Spray, it is the perfect travelling partner to take with you on Holiday.
We are a London based Natural Niche Perfumery House and we have been working on Sleep Aid Perfume Sprays for a number of years.
Today across the World we celebrate St Valentine’s Day which has become the day associated with LOVE and Lovers, so from everyone here at PAIRFUM London “Happy Valentine’s Day”
History tell us that St Valentine was a Priest or Bishop who helped young people to get married against the strict instructions of the Roman Emperor Aurelian in 273. Although not much of St. Valentine’s life is reliably known, and whether or not the stories involve two different saints by the same name has also not been officially decided, it is widely accepted that he was the Saint of Courtly Love.
In other circles it is believed to have first become associated with romantic love thanks to a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400?), titled ‘Parchement of Foules’ or the ‘The Parliament of Birds’ which contains one of the earliest references to the idea that St. Valentine’s Day is a special day for lovers.
It was not until the 18th Century that it rose to prominence, when people began to send cards or letters and give gifts to their loved ones – or to those they wished were their Amour.
Whichever version of the wonderful story of how St Valentine became associated with the 14th of February tugs at your Heart strings, we wanted to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day that we hope you can share with the ones you LOVE xx
Rarely is a public bin (or trash can) being admired nowadays but seeing beautiful floral bouquets decorating these trash cans, one cannot help but hope to see more this type of bin freshener.
The designer Lewis Miller filled empty trash cans on the streets of New York with beautiful floral bouquets using the voluminous bins as vases to support the colorful blooms and lush greenery.
These decorative arrangements are made up of a variety of blooms:
pale pink roses,
branches of flowering azaleas,
bright sunflowers,
gorgeous exotic blooms, and
striking greenery.
“We are storytellers through the art of floral design, transforming an arrangement into a love song and an event into an indelible experience.” This is how the team of Lewis Miller describe the project in their own words.
The team noticed, how pedestrians no longer walk around the bins but are actually drawn to the floral installations to smell the beautiful flowers in their unique ‘vases’.
This is what we call an ideal bin freshener and we encourage more cities to adopt creative ways of turning smelling trash cans into pieces of art that draw crowds.
We invite all city authorities to call us here at Pairfum London, if they would like to realise a project in this field.
Is Coco Chanel one of the reasons why we love Niche Perfume?
If asking is the founder one of the most famous brands in the world, one of the reasons why we love Niche, Artisan, Boutique or Indie Perfume is not a contradiction in terms?
Then I don’t know what is …
By definition the words Niche, Artisan, Boutique or Indie, describe a product that is different, created by smaller, independently owned brands, in some cases artisan products are handmade in-house, and are described as original and creative.
There has been quite a lot of discussion lately about the definitions and distinction between the use and meaning of the words niche, indie, boutique and artisan perfume brands, but that is a topic for a later post.
For the moment let us just say that they are used to describe a Creation or Collection of Perfumes in PAIRFUM London’s case, that make you stand out from the crowd, something that is unique and will not be found in every drugstore, airport and supermarket.
Niche, Artisan, Boutique or Indie Perfumes
Why then you may ask would we think that Coco Chanel could be one of the reasons why we love Niche, Artisan, Boutique or Indie Perfumes?
Well, in her own inimitable words – “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” – Coco Chanel
There are many other Coco Chanel quotes, that we can point to that show us examples of how that unique Lady wanted us to – “Be who you are, not what the world wants you to be.” – Coco Chanel
She quite rightly pointed out that “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening”. – Coco Chanel
She also said that the – “The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.” – Coco Chanel
I would add that “The best Perfume in the World is the one that smells amazing on you, so don’t be afraid to try, search for the things that make you the original you were born to be”. – Huib Maat
So as this creator of fashion also said – “If you want to be original, be ready to be copied.” – Coco Chanel
One of my favourite quotes from her for a host of reasons is – “The best things in life are free. The second-best are very expensive.”
With this in mind and when you are next searching for a special perfume for yourself or for that someone special – “Be Your Authentic Self” – Huib Maat
Famous Fragrance Quotes Series
If you are looking for more inspirational perfume quotes, then we invite you to visit these pages on our website:
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