Life
Scent of the city
From tobacco to rose and even carrot...Viola Levy picks the perfumes which evoke London
October 1, 2021 11:24
From tobacco to rose and even carrot...Viola Levy picks the perfumes which evoke London
October 1, 2021 11:24My Uncle Irving found out on the family grapevine that I’ve been writing for this paper. So he promptly phoned me up and suggested demanded that I write an article about the closure of Harry Morgan and how this has affected him personally, as a long-standing customer (he’s 83). I knew there would be a family broigus if I didn’t try, so I promised I’d work this into my beauty column somehow…
As a famous London haunt, this dearly departed deli did made me think fondly of my hometown. London is such a great place to find inspiration when it comes to picking a new perfume for the colder months.
People talk about “city smells”: the cosy floral fug of a laundrette, the spike of vinegar from a fish and chip shop, the exotic waft of a Harrods shopper as they pass you by and their fragrance knocks you for six. This kaleidoscope of scent is what many of us find fascinating about city life, myself included.
There are plenty of perfumes that pay homage to The Big Smoke too. Penhaligon’s Lothair Eau de Toilette (£144) takes its name from one of the last tea clipper ships that the city was once famous for, and contains a cosy concoction of black tea, bergamot and fig milk.
While Maya Njie’s Tobak (£90) echoes London’s famous tobacco docks, with a beguiling blend of tobacco leaf, cinnamon and musks. Soapsmith’s Bloomsbury Hand & Body Lotion (£18) smells of fragrant peony, honeysuckle and primrose, a nod to the famous flowers in the iconic opening line of Mrs Dalloway, written by famous Bloomsbury resident Virginia Woolf. And then there’s Richard E. Grant’s perfume (yes, he has a perfume line) Jack Covent Garden (£95), inspired by the area’s famous fruit and flower market, with uplifting orange and lime notes, teamed with a buttery, confectionary heart of rose, carrot and musk. All rich and enveloping scents that are worth taking time to savour at this time of year.
And yet, picking a new perfume can sometimes be a ganze business (especially if a salesperson happens to get too trigger happy with a tester bottle). Subscription boxes are a less stressful alternative and a great way to sample different scents in the comfort of your own home. The wonderfully named Hoohaa (hoohaa.co.uk) offers “no nonsense niche fragrance” where you can discover fun-sized versions of the latest arrivals on the indie perfume scene — housed in groovy little boxes — for £14.95 a month. Or there’s Parfumado (uk.parfumado.com) which allows you to discover and reconnect with some old-school classics, for £12.95 a month (since signing up, I’ve fallen in love with an 80s gem by Estée Lauder called Knowing). These monthly boxes also make great gifts and provide the perfect antidote to the winter blues – although perhaps not enough to cheer up my poor uncle. (Harry Morgan – if you’re reading this, please let us know if and when you plan on reopening…)
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