Smelling DAIGAN one of my all time faves from the shop, from @ruthmastenbroekperfume . It is SO uplifiting and bright, and frankly, kinda magical - lime and crisp mint notes sit over warm notes of orange blossom and rum, bolstered by a base of sandalwood.
Photo credit: @milknosugarstudios
SNEAK PEAK!!! Here I am, Sarah, founder of SOLIFLORE (you all know that already), in the dress of dreams from @sideline_ww in Lewes. This is a shot from crazy talented and beautiful, super chic Clementine of @milknosugarstudios - we had our first shoot together today at the shop and it was amazing. We worked really well together and I can’t wait share more.
Thank you Clemi ❤️💋💕
ALSO NEW!! All these goodies arrived yesterday - this is is gloriously soft and unexpected.
Impression:
Scottish Lavender, Beeswax*, Fennel, Apple, Honey.
Fade:
Neroli oil, Hyacinth, Flouve, Patchouli, Morocco Leather*, Gurjun Balsam, Oak, Ink.
*of synthetic origin
Knurled, waxen, smudged, pulpy, sun-warmed, hazy.
Upon entering the athenaeum one is struck by the overwhelming aroma of degrading pulp and ink, shrouded in a haze of sun-kissed dust. Without haste, the smell transports you to arable mid-summer fields and days lost in swaying pastures, nose buried in hundreds of papery leaves, crops and mulchy woodland all around.
Like gauzy sunshine whistling through rugged lands, Athenaeum is as comforting as it is solitary. A fragrance crafted for reflection.
Athenaeum expertly showcases sustainably-sourced, hand harvested Scottish Lavender and is the first master-crafted perfume to make use of Scottish-grown, harvested and distilled biodynamic perfume materials.
Also new to the shelves is Carduus, a fragrance that I've been quietly obsessed with but not ranged until now.
Impression:
Chamomile, Bengal Pepper, Honey, Clary Sage, Marjoram Tea, Myrtle, Vetch, Clove Bud, Hart’s Tongue. Fade:
Musk-thistle, Heliotrope, Tormentil, Mahogany, Cocoa Absolute, Tobacco, Deertongue, Cherry
Unashamedly polarizing, this is a blend of jagged leaves, herbal seeds and xeric barks.
Carduus assaults with a potent crash of warm gustatory herbs, tingling seeds and defensive leaves. This dry herbal bouquet prevails over medicinal botanicals, ardent barks and bruised molecules. The resulting effect conjures images of untold ceremony and ritual. The fragrance flirts with tradition; aged herbs and spices blended alchemically.
This romantic brew is woven with bundles of complex flower essences and fermented leaves before revealing sweet confections and pounded roots.
There is unusual buoyancy experienced with Carduus. Starting extremely rich, dense and laced with spices before shedding layers to reveal a veiled and noble incense facet that feels weightless.
NEW!!! Delighted to have the newness from @jorumstudio here - Risso is summer in a bottle, and if you loved the limited edition Zhaar then you will LOVE this too.
Sculptural sunbeams filter through the breaks in gauzy linen, air is cool, carrying the bittersweet embrace of seasonal citrus and the brightness of soap on fabric and skin. Crisp, clean and radiant.
Risso awakens with the cool ambience of majestic Douglas Fir and bracing Cypress oils, evoking the hush of dawn.
Pear and Bigarade bring bright clarity, where expressive citrus meets delicious soft-fruit sweetness. The centrepiece: a gilded rush of vibrant Neroli and delicate Orange Flower Absolute, bringing a fusion of enduring luminosity.
This is @houseofsarahbaker best seller, and will convert any non-fruit loving fans to the joy of a fruity scent, myself included. Just as I swore I wasn't a hot white floral lover... (hello, Brutal), I also swore I wasn't a fruity fragance lover. Do come and try these ;o)
A vivacious, fruity start startles and surprises as peach, guava and nectarine intermingle. Under, a thrilling amaretto purrs, half sweet, half dangerous. It is joined by orris and a clutch of warming spices. Vanilla and amber provide a deep and thrilling finale sweetened with a drizzle of caramel, and amplified by sensual, hot-skin musks.
Introducing Prism Head from @houseofsarahbaker - you all want weird, so - voila. Deep, dark and earthy. Damp soil, mushrooms with the refreshingly bright lift of lemon greet you when you spray Prism Head. Sultry cannabis and costus lurk underneath, waiting like a rainstorm to break, whilst clouds of musk and vetiver swirl like the gathering dusk. Incense and patchouli give a 1970s vibe in this fragrance which has slipped through the cracks of time and place.
Delighted to welcome @houseofsarahbaker to the shelves, a sweet, tight edit (very hard to choose). Starting with Velvet Vendetta; a vanilla with no manners and no mercy.
Forbidden vanilla rides in hard with a flask of bourbon at her hip, the sweetness laced with gun smoke and pink pepper sparks.
Dried fruits spiced with nutmeg add a juiciness, while black olive gives it a salty edge. A whip-cracking stampede of deadwoods and resins rides through the haze, before the whole scene drops into a dusty sunset of tobacco, molasses, and black vanilla.
This is how important perfume is in the morning. Just thought I’d share. After tea and teeth, it’s perfume. Before makeup, before getting dressed. ❤️. And lots of it, this one in particular.
I'm not sure I really believe it yet but SOLIFLORE has been shortlisted for Retailer of the Year, against Harrods, Fortnums, Space NK, John Lewis and Boots. Yes, you read that right. Can you imagine?!! Me. Sarah. Me and my one shop with no website. Ha!!! Just busy living my dream, one shop, three pop ups and one total refurb in two years.
You all know that every fibre of my being (and every penny of savings) is in this shop, so to be recognised by the industry is unbelievable. Exciting, nerve-wracking, head-spinningly brilliant.
Perhaps more importantly though, this is a wonderful nod to all indies who put their heart and souls into creating, and curating, really excellent, thoughtful spaces, who go above and beyond for customers, who remember every face that walks through the door, what they bought last time, what their husbands bought for their birthday, what curveball to offer them. We offer old fashioned service and a respite from a crazy world, a little sliver of hope on a grey day.
I never knew the joy that being a shopkeeper would bring, the PEOPLE that walk through my door, the friends I've made, the kindness of the industry, the sheer volume of perfumes (omg) and brands that exist.
Thank you to all the members of @fragrancefoundationuk who voted for me, and see you all on the 11th ;o) #GOSOLIFLORE
