Perfumes and Fragrances

Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal could easily earn an "exceeds expectations" rating for potion-making. In their new project, Voyages Imaginaires, all five compositions are not perfumes, but magical and strange concoctions, with a slightly artisanal, casual style.

Every final text begins with a lament about how difficult it is to choose the best from a good selection. In 2025, there were even more good perfumes than usual, although the overall number of launches was 20 percent lower due to logistical issues and the general economic downturn.

I tried the new rose cosmetics line from Siberian Wellness, and I insist it's a must-have for all rose lovers. I'll be stocking up and giving them away like crazy. It's a limited edition, which means if the general public doesn't appreciate the scarlet, green, berry, and honey roses, there won't be a reissue. And they won't, as we all know roses are viewed with suspicion in our country.

When the desire to leave a mark on perfumery meets the necessary opportunities, brands like LEN Fragrance emerge. An art collector, a publisher with journalistic experience, and the daughter of a diplomat, Elena von Olnhausen brought together renowned designer Thierry de Baschmakoff and equally renowned perfumers Michel Almairac and Mark Buxton to tell a personal story through the language of scent.

Cigno Nero is Emily Chinigo's third niche project, once again dedicated to mysticism, magic, and spiritual quests. Each Cigno Nero fragrance is a talisman, an olfactory image of a mythical creature imbued with magical powers.

Les Indemodables is an example of how little concept matters when the perfume itself can tell its own captivating story without any crib notes.

Astrophil&Stella is an Italian niche project inspired by the sonnet cycle of Sir Philip Sidney, the Elizabethan poet and politician. In Sir Philip's poems, the hero speaks vividly of his love, with passion, jealousy, and subtle irony, but in the end, he receives not a beloved, but disappointment and experience.

If you're considering trying the Supercritique Les Eaux Primordiales collection, here's a cheat sheet from someone who spent years researching these fragrances. And yes, Supercritique isn't a perfume for supercritics, but rather a process for creating exceptionally authentic raw materials that most closely capture a living scent.

Perfumer Camille Legay released five fragrances dedicated to energies, feelings, and thoughts. She's not a household name. She worked at Mane, signed a couple of fragrances each for Lorga and BDK, and then suddenly went freelance.