I had heard of natural scents but I’d never actually worn them exclusively — merely a spritz here, a spray there. Years ago in the world of fragrance, natural perfumes had a stigma. They were thought to be unsophisticated and generally had a bad reputation. But these days, there is a huge number of them on the market. So, in a bid to completely immerse myself in the world of natural fragrances, I decided to forgo the synthetic variety for a whole month, moving solely to the natural ones.
Starting from scratch
The benefits of natural fragrances have long been noted. Not only are they known for their therapeutic and mood-enhancing qualities, but they’re also good for the environment.
To truly test out natural fragrances it is advised that I remove all synthetic fragrances from my life. When it comes to perfumes, so far, so easy; I simply pack them all up and move them into a drawer, so I won’t be tempted to have a familiar spritz every now and then. But I know I have to go further. Next, I go through my cupboards, reading the ingredient lists on the backs of bottles. To my surprise, I discover almost everything I use — from my washing powder to my handwash and my favourite shampoo — is filled with synthetic fragrances. Unbeknown to me I have been having an olfactory overload! The only solution is to have a purge. I go around packing away all my current products, replacing them with fragrance-free options.
The trial
When it comes to selecting new natural fragrances, I go straight to a master and consult Frances Shoemack from Abel Odor natural perfume house. Shoemack launched her brand in 2013 while she was living in Amsterdam, however the company has recently relocated to New Zealand and now has its headquarters in Wellington. When I tell her I am a little dubious about natural fragrances, she instantly puts my mind at ease.
“Natural perfume has come a long way in the past decade, so I wouldn’t base assumptions on old-school natural perfume making — that’s not us,” Shoemack reassures me. “What we are doing is very modern, and will only get better as natural science advances. Every month, we’re getting access to new ingredients. I always like to quote a British perfume critic on our London launch: ‘I love the Cobalt Amber so much, I’m willing to forgive the fact that it’s natural!’ We’re here to prove the sceptics wrong.”
Nature v. nurture
To start my journey, I opt for a fragrance I am already familiar with, Nurture. The scent was developed in collaboration with organic children’s clothing brand Gray Label and originally made with mothers in mind. Created by French perfumer Fanny Grau, this 100 per cent plant-derived offering uses healing properties like calming rose and energising orange blossom, as well as ginger (for its anti-nausea properties) and sandalwood (for grounding). The fragrance has proved to be a worldwide favourite — and not only among new and expecting mothers, but also with women, and even men, of all ages and life stages. Overall, it’s subtle, yet uplifting, which makes it the perfect every-day fragrance. I note that unlike the synthetic perfumes I’m used to, it slowly evolves throughout the day — or perhaps my senses adjust. I wear it for a week, finding it hard to move on to anything else.
What’s next?
I delve into the catalogue of Abel Odor fragrances, deciding to give each one a week to see how I find it. By week two, I feel like my olfactory senses have come alive. Fragrances seem more robust, more noticeable. So keen is my sense of smell that I’ve even started to recognise the smell of all the ‘fragrance-free’ products I’ve been using.
Green Cedar, which uses twice-distilled Texas cedar and wild-harvested Atlas Mountains cedar, has a rich and velvety smell with a calming and grounding quality. I ask Shoemack for some uplifting options and she suggests Cyan Nori (a sweet and salty mix with tangerine and peach) and Golden Neroli (a citrusy floral). It is the latter that becomes another favourite, and somehow I do think it helps to improve my mood when I wear it.
Layering
After three weeks, it is clear that my smell has remarkably improved, and, dare I say it, evolved. But I do notice that unlike synthetic fragrances, which tend to linger, natural fragrances need to be reapplied later in the day. Fortunately, there is a solution to this: layering. Now, we’ve all heard how certain scents can be layered, but somehow the offerings from Abel Odor give the best base for this. Shoemack explains the concept of layering happened organically for the brand, as they heard from customers (and staff) who were choosing to layer the different Abel Odor fragrances.
“Our scents lend themselves to layering, as they share a certain DNA and are unlikely to clash,” she says. “Plus, natural perfume is less heavy, meaning you can have a little more fun exploring different layer combinations without being doused in an offensive cloud of scent.”
Shoemack’s favourite? She suggests layering Green Cedar on the skin, with any of Cyan Nori, Golden Neroli, or Pink Iris in the hair. I give it a go, and find that I’ve somehow created a new fragrance altogether.
I continue using my selection of Abel Odor fragrances far beyond the four-week trial that I prescribed myself. I still use synthetic fragrances every now and then, but sometimes they can be a little overwhelming, a little too sweet or too floral. And even though I absolutely loved layering the fragrances, I still can’t go past the first one I tried — Nurture.
