Another day, another fragrance, or so it would seem. The beauty industry can’t stop spouting new launches, and we can’t stop buying them, but while most magazines and web stories would have us believe that Chanel’s Nº5 was the scent that started it all, modern fragrance really did go back farther than that.
British fragrance company, Penhaligon’s, was founded by a barber, William Penhaligon, in 1872. Eventually, he became the court barber and perfumer to queen Victoria. Here, he would create bespoke fragrances for royals like the Duke of Marlborough, along with other outside-the-box scents that defied the trends of the time—think spicy, woody, citrus concoctions, while the rest of Europe was wearing heavy florals.
Interestingly, the Duke of Edinburgh’s particular bespoke fragrance, “Blenheim Bouquet,” is still around today, albeit modernized a bit for today’s fragrance connoisseur. The brand has also recently launched two brand-new scents, Oud de Nil, and Alizarin, both of which are unisex (though a handful of the brand’s fragrances always have been—how very forward-thinking of them). All of Penhaligon’s perfumes and colognes come housed in a glass bottle, crafted with the founder’s original design, bow included. And nowadays, you’ll find other scented items too, like candles, deodorants, luxurious shaving creams and more.
To explore the collection, or purchase, visit etiket.ca.