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The Architecture of Fragrance: Part 2 Innovation
Our most primitive sense is smell. It has the propensity to dictate roughly 75% of our daily emotions, allowing us to form opinions, vivid memories and perceptions. We actively choose to douse ourselves in fragrances, plot them throughout our homes and tether them irrevocably to milestone events in our lives. But how are they forged? In our explorative three-part blog series, ‘The Architecture Of Fragrance’, we’re tracing the creation of exquisite scents back to their origins. For this second instalment, we want to ascertain the ‘innovation’ of perfumery. How does a brief translate from paper to life, what is the science behind fragrance distilling and how exactly is a perfume assessed? THE PERFUMERS Our cadre of renowned perfumers are located worldwide, peppered throughout cities rich in culture, life and history like London, Paris, Munich, New York, Rio and Hong Kong. When we prepare a brief for a fragrance, we send it to one of Apsley and Company’s Account Managers, who then stows it in their database. After discerning what expertise the distinctive brief demands, they will then match the work to a highly-specialized perfumer. Like summoning Burberry for outerwear or Chanel for a little black dress, every bespoke perfume brief calls for an idiosyncratic, passionate perfumer. All the major perfume houses have data-rich portfolios, so even if a fragrance is developed by a perfumer in New York, the formula can easily be accessed by the rest of the organisation, anywhere in the world. Many of the larger perfumeries have library-like troves of fragrances as well, allowing for shortcuts in the development process. But we’re firm advocates for offering unique scents to our customers - we like to continuously create to ensure we will always have a point of difference with a new release. When it comes to the tactile process of creating that fragrance prototype, our labs are based in France, Germany and the US. THE PROCESS Depending on the complexity of the fragrance we’re striving to create, the innovation process can span anywhere from four weeks to three months before the testing phase commences. Trialling a fragrance across different applications is paramount, demanding patience, time and diligence. Sometimes, this testing period can take up to several months as we monitor the stability of a fragrance under a whole host of conditions. UV light, heat, cold and raw material sources can all have a profound impact on perfume, morphing its characteristics and governing its performance. It’s also important to note that the industry of fragrance is highly regulated. Apsley and Company must abide by the many rules and regulations synonymous with deriving raw materials for fragrances, as outlined by the IFRA (The International Fragrance Association). TROUBLESHOOTING The troubleshooting saga of fragrance development occurs during what we dub the ‘stability trail’. For some context, it’s crucial to remember that fragrance is designed for specific applications and can only be used in those applications - i.e. to be burnt in a soy wax candle or to be distilled into a diffuser. If you use the fragrance outside of these parameters, you risk failure. So, how do we sample test our prototypes? Normally, we receive one sample of the fragrance. Maybe we’ll tweak it by amplifying its sweetness, enriching its base or emboldening its musky undertones. Once this modification round is complete, the fragrance is then malleable to be tweaked for its diffuser, candle or room spray application. Once receiving the tick of approval, we move onto stability testing through three types of rigorous trials. One is housed in a temperature-controlled environment in the perfumers lab, another is undertaken in our factory where the perfume is tested within its application, and lastly we run a number of functionality trials to see how it performs in ‘natural conditions’ reminiscent of the home. A fragrance is passed after stability testing when it still smells exactly the same as the original fragrance sample after being trialled ‘in situ’. We also have to watch out for any reactions to the packaging that it will be sold in. Plastic and fragrance preservation don’t partner well, being one of the integral reasons Apsley and Company opt for glass encasings. Lastly, we monitor the nuances in a fragrance’s colour over time. Raw materials can change from season to season, leading, for example, for some citrus fragrances to be green-tinged one year and lemony in hue the next. Our process of ‘innovation’ approaches the concept of fragrance design on a holistic level. We hope to have unearthed some of the intricate, behind-the-scenes magic that leads to the manifestation of the Apsley and Company fragrances you love. Be sure to read on for our third ‘The Architecture of Fragrance’ instalment, in which we guide you through the final destination of our fragrances’ trajectory - ‘In The Home’.
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The Architecture of Fragrance. Part 1: Inspiration
A first impression of a fragrance is an instantaneous, almost primal response. Creating one, on the other hand, involves a rigorous and impassioned process of research, collaboration and perfectionism. From an evocative, postcard-like memory captured in a fleeting moment abroad, to the wax being poured into a mouth-blown glass vase, our scents undergo an impressive trajectory from inspiration, to innovation, to in-the-home. In ‘The Architecture of Fragrance’ series, we’re taking you behind-the-scenes. In this blog trilogy, you’ll take an exclusive tour through the tantalising development of Apsley and Company fragrances, debuting with all things people and places that spark our ‘Inspiration’. Today, we’re dissecting the intricacies of planning for an intoxicating and thought-provoking fragrance. FINDING THE NARRATIVE From the initial idea, through to release, it can take anywhere between three to eighteen months to conjure a new scent from a hoard of rich inspiration sources. Like an architect would envisage aesthetics, mull over measurements and consult with builders, we conceptualize our fragrances through exchanging ideas, retelling stories and establishing a scent narrative. We’re avid trend-watchers, ardently tracking changes in everything spanning beauty, fashion, food, drinks, postcodes, technology and lifestyle. When scouring for new inspiration catalysts, we often take to the airport, or extrapolate from still-potent memories of faraway places. One of our signature fragrances, Oud, encapsulates the wanderlust integral to our creative process. We noticed an increase in high-end perfumes carrying notes of Oud, so we decided to build upon the luxe trend and incorporate this into the world of home fragrance. Earthy, woody and redolent with raw material derived from agarwood, this premium scent is extremely popular in the Middle East. Our Founder and Director, Helen Armstrong, sought out the compelling fragrance in vibrant Dubai. After searching through bustling street markets, she eventually found inspiration for Oud burning in an upmarket souk. Heady, aromatic and exotic, Helen knew this was a fragrance that had to be further explored. CREATING THE BRIEF After our souk stints, we undertook research to see how the essence of Oud could be encapsulated in a uniquely Apsley and Company scent. Our vision with this particular fragrance was to transport consumers to Dubai’s magical perfumeries without having left their living room. A brief was then compiled for our European-based perfumers, outlining the essence we intended to capture. For example, we wanted to create an intoxicating, vivid scent that mingled Dubai’s ‘Oud’ with Bulgarian roses and earthy woods to replicate the old-world charm of a vintage reading room. After briefing our highly-talented perfumers, they work their magic to send us across a trial sample of a proposed fragrance. Their ability to distill memories, imagery, blurbs and other inspiration into a palpable, unique scent is a testament to the talent involved here. TRIALING THE PROTOTYPE If we’re happy with the prototype, we then get a larger sample and trial it in its application - for example, we make a candle with the fragrance and then burn it to test the fragrance throw. However, determining the prototype isn’t always that simple. Fragrance formulations require modification for different applications, so the composition of an Oud candle differs from that of its diffuser counterpart. Likewise, the type of wax or diffuser formulation that we use as a ‘base’ forour fragrances can also impact the nuances of scent To gauge what fragrances will triumph, we run something called a straw poll test at Apsley and Company HQ. To harness an office brimming with different opinions, tastes and personalities, we can try to forecast how successful a fragrance idea will be out in the ‘wild’. Typically, if 70% of the team loves it, we have a good indication that it will be popular in the market. There’s no simple formula for calculating if a fragrance will be loved. But, when we develop a range, we usually try to incorporate a large variety of fragrances from several scent families so that we can offer a maelstrom of nuances and choice. The ability to unearth, pull apart and manifest a flicker of inspiration is a process extremely close to our hearts. We hope to have allowed for an exclusive glimpse into the ideation behind the Apsley and Co range with this first instalment of our ‘Architecture of Fragrance’ series. Make sure to stay tuned for Part 2: ‘Innovation’, where we head into the labs to uncover the method behind the art of perfumery.
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Pulling Off The Perfect Galentine's Night In
Galentine’s Day is on the horizon. Think potent cocktails, indulgent fare, laughter amongst friends and memorable finishing touches in the comfort of your own abode. We've curated a guide to to perfecting your Galentine’s Night In, with everything from martinis to making your home feel lush and welcoming. Gather the girls and let the often overlooked, extraordinary love between friends shine through this V-Day. The flicks No Galentine’s Day gathering would be complete without a marathon of classic, cheesy, cheerful chick flicks. Our top picks? Think Sex and the City, How To Be Single, Bridget Jones’ Baby, Bridesmaids and a whole hoard more. Raid your stash to curate a lineup of old icons and new favourites. Stuck for ideas? Have a peruse of this list. The atmosphere If French is the language of love, fragrance is the language of memory. With our sense of smell and memory so intrinsically linked, a Galentine’s to truly remember calls for striking a match on an irresistible soy wax candle. After all, candlelight isn’t just reserved for rom-com scenes and Italian Bistro dinner tables. For a charming, alluring touch to your soirée, ‘woo’ your girlfriends with an innately summer scent. Think Gardenia or Frangipani to exude more romantic, captivating aromas than a traditional bunch of red roses. And there you ‘glow’, you’ve successfully seduced your ultimate girl crushes. The menu The easier and the more devilish, the better. Go to town on simple, collaborative creations like DIY pizzas or spin a Mexican twist on the evening with a help-yourself taco station. If you’re stuck for ideas and know that your tribe go wild for a good cheese board, swathe the kitchen bench in antipasto platters or outsource some freelance platter services. For outsourcing your boards in Melbourne, turn to I Am Board for bespoke platters and boxes that will be sure to impress and satiate. Ripe fruits, dreamy cheeses, shards of chocolate, dips, crusty baguettes, quince paste - that’s what we call ‘true love’. The tipples Less roses, more rosé. If you’re wanting to go all out, load your bar cart with a celebratory bottle of Mumm, or go for a lip-smacking, sweet cocktail with some festive martini creations. Set up an island or bench dedicated to Cosmopolitans in an ode to Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha. You can sit back and watch the boozy bartending unfold as your favourite girls shake their own concoction of vodka, Cointreau, lime and cranberry juice. If cleaning up is to be kept to an all-time minimum, let a boutique wine delivery service act as your ‘middle man’ and get outstanding drinks delivered right to your doorstep. The Pretty Pinks pack from Sunday Wine Co is our favourite, spanning a trio of refreshing rosés. Don’t forget to take a ridiculous number of photos! The ambiance If it’s ambiance you’re longing to achieve, reach for a potent Abode Aroma reed diffuser. Finding a scent that feels bespoke to your night in will enthral the girls in a lively, intoxicating fragrance trace. Our pick for the evening? Embrace the last balmy, summer nights of February with the foliage and citrus-based Olive Grove scent. Expect notes of Mediterranean olive leaf, married with delicious tangs of blackcurrant. It’ll throw perfume all the way from where you start cheers-ing and chatting in the lounge to where you dance the night away in the living room. Fire those invite texts away, prep the party palace and get ready to make this V-Day the most love-filled yet with the leading ladies in your life. Here’s to the friendships, flutes of bubbly and fragrances that are set to have you smitten.
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How to host the ultimate summer soirée
As we welcome summer with a warm, swimsuit-clad embrace and a chilled glass of rosé in hand, the prospect of balmy evenings spent with excellent food, good vibes and great company feels palpable. But with myriad festivities ahead, the thought of home entertaining may get a little daunting. Welcoming loved ones into your home can be fraught with last minute stress, the pressure to get everything ‘right’, and the woes of disorganisation. Deep breaths. When throwing your next fabulous summer fete, here’s a few helpful (and oh-so simple) tips to hone those host(ess) skills and stay calm. Set the mood with Abode Aroma Who can forget those sacred pillars of entertaining? Ambiance and atmosphere. Homely summer gatherings aren’t complete without a divine fragrance for your guests to revel in. If French is the language of love, fragrance is the language of memory. A home that exudes personality through a captivating scent will spark a truly memorable fiesta for your nearest and dearest. For conjuring a dreamy atmosphere, turn to the simple touch of candlelight with one of Abode Aroma’s soy candles. For a touch of glow and a low-lit backdrop to the good times, strike a match as the sun begins to set and enjoy the gentle flicker of a candle . If it’s ambiance you’re longing to achieve, reach for a potent Abode Aroma reed diffuser. Perhaps you’re drawn to wafts of Fresh Fig, bursting with ripe, fruity aromas, or your home pairs perfectly with a Lemongrass fragrance, exuding a crisp fusion of Eastern wildflowers, cedar and fresh basil. Finding a scent that feels bespoke to your haven will enthral your guests as they enter peripheral areas such as the bathroom. The Power of a Glorious Grazing Plate Magnificent cheese platters are a classic hallmark of all summery get-togethers. Think rustic, wooden boards swathed in salami and fresh market gems such as soft cheeses, colourful dips, juicy fruits and crunchy grissini sticks. A share-style grazing plate or table serves as a failsafe, striking antidote to entertaining woes. Don't forget the music Music is a must. While feasting and catching up over a clamour of conversations, set the tempo low to avoid any major distractions. But, when the dinner party transcends into a dance floor, press play on a favourite Spotify playlist (think ‘All Out 80s’), old CD or your own tailor-made lineup of tunes. Keep your portable speakers charged up, and prepare before the party ensemble arrive. May your drinks be ever-flowing Make sure to prepare potent party juice, tempered with plenty of water and mocktails for a fruity alternative to the real stuff. When it comes to catering beverages at summer’s hot peak, more is always more. With a bar cart fully locked and loaded, invite guests to DIY their drinks, or create a delectable punch bowl for visitors to ladle on arrival. Think Pimms replete with citrus fruits and hoards of ice, fresh mojitos in glass tumblers topped with mint leaves, or an Aperol Spritz station adorned with orange segments. Keep the menu seasonal, tonal & vibrant As much as every budding entertainer would love to morph into Nigella Lawson for the night, it’s important to resist feeling the pressure. If cooking is your forte, excellent. If you feel slightly off- kilter in the kitchen, especially when entertaining, stick to your guns and serve up what you know best. A menu rife with kaleidoscopic colours, fresh produce, any relevant dietary tweaks and crowd-pleasing dishes will go down a treat. If all else fails, strive for a rainbow of salads and brilliantly BBQ’d meats, followed by a juicy fruit platter and ice cream for dessert. On the next sweltering summer evening, approach your get-together with an air of ‘cool’. From finishing touches of intoxicating scents, to icy cascades of drinks for guests on arrival, we know you’re now set to helm nights steeped in laughter, ambiance and fun.
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Taking care of your candle
Ah, lifting the lid on your beautiful, new candle is a feeling of elation similar to popping a champagne bottle or unwrapping a stunning bouquet of blooms. Pure bliss. Abode Aroma scented candles Australia are crafted to cast a continuous, atmospheric veil over your space, boasting a staggering burn-time of 55 hours. But with each captivating fragrance, it’s often forgotten that the journey from ‘brand new’ to ‘all burnt out’ is one of T.L.C. We’ve collated a list of go-to tips to resolve any qualms you have whilst setting the mood with our trilogy of luxury candle brands, including Scented Space, Apsley & Company and Abode Aroma. Those tainting soot marks? An uneven burn? Is wick-trimming really a thing? We’ve got it covered, so you can get the most out of your candle life. Caring for your new Candle Carefully follow the below steps to keep your soy candle burning a delicious aroma for (way) longer, so you can enjoy more of those low-lit soirées and lazy Sunday afternoons with a cuppa in hand. To improve the life of your candle and maximise that delicious fragrance throw, ensure you create an even wax pool over its entire surface upon the first lighting. Wait, a wax what? Basically, the wax pool is the melted puddle of wax resulting from burning your candle. The longer you burn your candle, the larger the wax pool will become. This wax pool will create a candle wax ‘memory’ or imprint, and avoid any oddly-shaped hollowing (aka, candle kryptonite). Ensuring the whole candle’s surface burns evenly will allow for a steady, glorious fragrance release, every time you strike that match! Once the entire surface is liquid, don’t let the candle burn for more than one hour, despite how seriously tempting this may be. Trimming wicks to 5 mm before each burn and keeping a lit candle away from any drafty home corners or billowing curtains will also help create an even wax pool and achieve the best burn time. Always double check that at least 1 cm of wax is sitting at the bottom of your favourite candle, so that the base is never reached by the flame. But when that time does come, it’s not all bad news. Wash your decorative glass jar our and reuse as a treasure trove for keepsakes. Think a beautiful piece for office taming, a mini succulent planter, a vase or even a makeup brush holder to adorn your bathroom vanity. Candle Safety While we’ll never stop candle-lit bath routines (especially when paired with VOGUE and pinot), it serves to heed a little caution when melting your favourite candle in your haven. While being a gorgeous way to festoon your space and conjure an alluring, personalised home fragrance, there are a couple of small things to remember as you revere your signature scent. Never use your candle if the glass is cracked, chipped or broken in any way. Just like you always check to be sure that hair straightener is turned off, don’t leave a burning candle unattended. Always do a double take before running out the door or calling it a night. Keep your candle out of the reach of children and pets. Don’t let your candle sit near anything that can catch fire. A flat, heat-proof surface is just what you need. Never move a candle aglow! Always wait until the wax is solid again to reignite that flame. Be vigilant when your candle nears its end! Don’t forget to stop burning when 1cm of wax remains. Good news, you can try another tantalising fragrance next! May your home rituals be spruced with divine scents and the gentle glow of our sumptuous soy candles. We hope these simple steps will help you make the absolute most out of your burn-time, and keep your zen-zones heavenly for longer.
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Apsley Reed Diffusers Independently proven to last between 30% to 300% longer then International Competitors
Our Abode Aroma, Apsley & Company, and Scented Space diffusers have recently been tested by Eurofins Environment Testing Australia Pty Ltd. Independently pitted against top international selling brands, the results have revealed that they last between an impressive 30% and 300% longer than international competitors. Cue the round of applause! Ranking no.1, we rose to the occasion when tested against some of the Diffuser World's biggest names, including True Grace, Archipelago, Marks & Spencer, The Aromatherapy Co, Glasshouse and more. While we’re all accustomed to choosing our home fragrances based on those vital first impressions of aesthetic and smell, there’s actually many variables that can affect the performance of your product. Our signature room fragrance diffusers are made using a proprietary, uber high-quality formulation of 90% fragrance oil and 10% food-grade ethanol derived from the cassava plant. We’ve donned the lab coats and science goggles to divulge what goes into making the crème de la crème of diffusers. It’s a lot more complex than you may think... The actual diffuser formulation plays a major role in the longevity of your signature scent. If it includes water and high levels of alcohol, it’ll disappear pretty quickly. This tends to be why the cheap and cheerful diffusers in the discount shops are so inexpensive: you’re basically buying water and very cheap alcohol in a glass bottle. Not ideal, right? Climatic conditions of the room where your dream diffuser is placed is oh-so important. Hot, dry areas in direct sunlight equate to speedy evaporation. Heeding caution to open doors and windows will keep the diffuser at its best, and ensure it keeps on giving! When it comes to the number and length of the diffuser wicks or reeds, less is more. More wicks means more surface area for the fragrance to diffuse from, and this will reduce longevity. Again, the longer the wick, the more surface area for the fragrance to diffuse from, shortening your diffuser lifespan. The type of reed or wick used can majorly influence the fragrance throw. Natural reeds from rattan (plants) require turning more frequently as they dry out rather quickly. Wicks, however, tend to require less flipping as the raw material of the wick holds more diffuser liquid than a reed will. The frequency with which the reeds or wicks are flipped. Now, this is a delicate balancing act. The more you flip, the quicker the evaporation, but the less you flip, the less potent your beautiful fragrance will waft around the house. That’s why we recommend a ‘flipping’ ritual of roughly once a week. Let’s talk about the type of fragrance. Not all fragrances are created as one, and the style of fragrance can impact longevity. (Think about what differentiates your favourite perfume from a transient body mist). Citrusy fragrances have a molecular structure that means the ‘bubbles’ are big, so they’ll evaporate really quickly when compared to those deliciously smoky, vanilla and amber type of scents which have a tightly concentrated structure. The opening at the top of the diffuser bottle determines evaporation rates. The more open, the greater the evaporation, and just like your no.1 wine, the liquid will also oxidise (causing a change in colour). Luckily, this doesn’t affect the scent in the same way it does with that chardonnay! We’re extremely pleased to share that when scientifically tested, our reed diffusers are unrivalled in both fragrance and longevity, so you can revel in your favourite scent for as long as possible. As it turns out, victory smells a lot like delicious notes of gardenia, fresh fig and crisp linen!
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