In this episode we’re partnering with Estée Lauder for the first in a new series: Fragrant Focus. This is where we take our time exploring a single scent - smelling it together and sharing our thoughts. And we have an exciting GIVEAWAY for you to enter! Listen and read on to find out how to enter, hear our reviews of Glimmer, and the beautiful inspiration behind its launch.

We have a plethora of exciting new launches to tell you about, from niche names, designer and heritage houses alike. But we begin with an emo...

We’re hanging on to summer with the fragrance launches discussed, and in what we’re wearing this week, but there is a noticeable change in the weather here in the U.K. There have even been sightings of socks, jackets, cardigans and knee-high boots on the streets! A week ago, such items were unthinkable, but now we’re almost looking forward to the seasons changing again.

ALMOST, but not quite yet. Not when there’s a plethora of new perfume discoveries to delve in to (many of which will prove incredibly versatile in cooler weather...

We cannot tell you how much we LOVE receiving your questions and requests for

‘perfume prescriptions’ (something we’ve always specialised in at On the Scent

Podcast – it brings us such joy being able to match people to perfumes they’d

perhaps never tried or even heard of). And we get a LOT of DMs

@onthescentpodcast on Instagram, and messages on our On the Scent private

Facebook group, so here we are dedicating an episode to do a deep dive on two

fascinating fragrant conundrums...

Sometimes...

Okay, we all know vanilla has been trending for ages now, but WHY does it prove

so popular? We think half the reason is the sheer diversity of vanillas available,

and the incredibly high-quality materials perfumers are able to use these days.

Plus the fact that vanilla continues to be one of the most universally adored

scents. Love them or loathe them, we feel sure there’s truly something for every

taste (and maybe some that will surprise or even shock you) in this week’s

episode...

Season 8, Episode 7 Alice du Parcq & The Philosophy of Perfume (her

NEW BOOK!)

This week we welcome back dear perfume pal and friend of the pod (star of two

previous episodes), the multi-award-winning fragrance writer, presenter, content

creator and now AUTHOR, Alice du Parcq!

Alice has always been ‘on a mission to decode perfume in a fun, relatable and

objective way.’ Now, added to her perfumed portfolio will be an incredibly gift-

able (to self or scent-loving friends) book, created in collaboration with none

othe...

This week is a truly madcap sniffathon HOPEFULLY encompassing [*takes a

deep breath*] wild seascapes, fragrant ghosts and a notorious rake; a spicy

summer scent to set your senses tingling; a fruity treat based on a perfumer’s

favourite breakfast; a splendiferous peacock strutting its scented stuff; a stunning

sueded rose; perfumes pulled straight from the vegetable patch; Harrods

exclusives to swoon over; a seriously affordable new niche house; a mesmerising

myrrh, and Alice du Parcq’s book pre-order discount code…

AND if all that wasn’t...

[AD: This episode is proud to be in partnership with BeauFort London - a house Suzy has championed from the start, spoken about passionately over the years, and continues to be excited by.]

From a single, hand-poured moustache wax to one of the world’s most daringly distinctive fragrance houses, BeauFort London’s story is as elemental as the scents themselves. Founded in 2013 by musician Leo Crabtree, the brand was born from salt-spray memories, naval histories and a fascination with the poetry of smoke — quite literally “per fumum” (‘through smoke’).

In this episode o...

Embracing the heat, and leaning into the ‘Sunscreen Scent’ perfume profile this week, we’re following on from the BONUS episode originally available to Patreon subscribers (which should soon be available here too - keep checking & scroll back in your podcast app to find it), in which we explored our favourite scented sunscreens. Flipping that fragrant theme on its head, this time we’re all about those solar, ‘holiday in a bottle’ type perfumes, and find ourselves particularly drawn to those with a vintage vibe.

Later in the episode, Nicola answers a listener question from someone who...

Talk about varied - we go from a ‘posh banana’ Brazilian carnival in a bottle Nicola experienced at a vibrantly fun perfume pop-up in Liberty, to an extraordinary, burning, bloodied rose Suzy’s entranced by (don’t worry - it’s not as scary as it sounds!)

We’re also featuring two incredibly inspirational women on this week’s show - one who’s created her own fragrance brand to reflect a life lived in scent and adventure, and another who’s bringing the playfulness back into perfumery by allowing you (and your friends) to attend a blending...

Looking for some truly outstanding and very affordable fragrances? Have we got an episode for you! This week, as challenged by you, we went on a scent safari sniffing our way around the new fragrances in one of the U.K’s most beloved high street shops. The results? Well, we were rather awe-struck with how wonderful they were, to be honest.

Suzy is totally in love with a new perfume shop she popped into for a (free!) half-hour hand and massage the other day; and we’ve also got some suggestions for a listener desperately missing thei...

If this is your first bonus subscriber-only episode: welcome! We’ve so much more for you in store, with an extra episode every single week (even when we’re on a break from the main podcast).

Claggy, sweaty, humid weather: it’s the absolute worst for trying to get to sleep in, right? Well in this week’s extra episode, we’re discussing scents that, once sprayed, seem to instantly lower the temperature and create a cool, calming atmosphere.

Do you wear fragrances to sleep (and save some especially for hot weather), or use diffusers, essential...

We’re back with a whole new season of On the Scent Podcast!

While we had a break on the main pod, we’ve still been recording our Patreon exclusive episodes every week, which you can catch up with on patreon.com https://www.patreon.com/u84518038

Meanwhile, we’ve been busy attending some incredible new launches, many of which you’ll hear about in this episode, and Nicola and her husband, Chris, got to have bespoke fragrances made for them by Nicola Pozzani, the Global Fragrance Ambassador and Bespoke Perfumer for Flor...

In this episode we’re catching up with the joyous beauty and fragrance journalist and broadcaster, Alice du Parcq, for part TWO of her mega-list of fabulous fragrances. (If you haven’t already, do go and listen to Part 1 (episode 11) where Alice hilariously explains how one of her favourites is forever entwined with frogs legs… Meanwhile, here we delve into those she’s adored for decades and more recent scent discoveries made on a shopping trip with Sali Hughes!

Part 2 of Alice’s Fragrance List:

@ysl Kouros

@ysl Rive G...

In this episode we’re thrilled to welcome self-confessed fragrance obsessive, Alice du Parcq.

From the age of 17, Alice worked in the beauty departments of Tatler, the Telegraph, The Times and Glamour magazine and was Beauty Director at Conde Nast Brides and Easy Living for over 10 years. Since going freelance she’s written for British Vogue, Red, Stella, Stylist, Sunday Times Style (the list goes on), is now Contributing Editor at Glamour & writes for Space NK’s magazine. Phew!

During lockdown Alice began regular Instagram lives called Desert Island Spritz, which Suzy w...

We’re utterly thrilled our guest for this episode is @salihughes - a hugely influential journalist with her regular Guardian column, a broadcaster, author of the books Pretty Honest & Pretty Iconic, and who can often be found ferreting around in celebrities’ bathrooms for her fascinating YouTube series ‘In the Bathroom With…’ As if that wasn’t enough, she’s also Co-founder of @thebeautybanks - an organisation that gets donations of self-care and hygiene products directly to those in need.

We could have talked to Sali for hours, but in this episode we’re delving deep into the fragran...

Wowie! So many excellent fragrances to get your noses around in this episode, it was difficult to know where to begin. But with so many to explore we started with a recap of the recent barnstorming success of Barnes Fragrance Fair...

We talked through Suzy’s choices for her sold-out talk with Alice du Parcq (and if you couldn’t go or were there but missed any of the talks: never fear! They were all recorded and will be on the Barnes Fragrance Fair YouTube channel when they’re all edited. We’ll let you know whe...

How we’re loving - and living for - those moments when the sun properly shines this spring. It almost (whisper it) feels like summer’s knocking on the door. However, if grey skies meteorological or metaphorical are plaguing you currently, we’ve bottles of sunshine and hope to bring a smile to your face…

In this episode we discuss:

Lush Fresh As

‘Revitalising fir needle absolute and tagetes oils mingle to surround you with the bracing draw of nature. If any scent can embody the freshest of forests, snapping sticks underfoot and the warmth...

On The Scent Podcast Season 7, Episode 36: Classic Scents Remixed & Reinvented

Chanel N°5 Eau de Toilette

Housed in a redesigned, minimalist (label-free) bottle inspired by the original 1924 silhouette, the classic scent profile is absolutely there (bubbly aldehydes, light florals) but with a modern, more casually dressed feeling. Lighter, more intimate, but with a grounding depth beyond the beloved soapy floralcy, Chanel describes it as: ‘A woody abstract floral fragrance that is powerful and textured – an invitation to discover N°5 in a new light.’

Chanel N°5 L'EAU Eau de Toilette

‘Less a...

This week we attended the most incredible party thrown for @onthescentmedia by

Glorious Brands and Muse Communications - a room filled with friends: movers and

shakers of the scent scene, from press, PR and brands alike. All were there to

celebrate the official launch of On The Scent Magazine - and somehow, with all their

love and support - it suddenly felt real!

The magazine was arrayed on tables around the gorgeously flower-bedecked room,

Mimosa cocktails were sipped, fragrant friends laughed and we all basked...

We’re rhapsodising about some of the incredible fragrances we’ve got our

noses on lately (and beautiful new stores we’ve discovered while out and

about) in this episode – so jam-packed with perfumes we’re telling each other

about that we’ll have to do a Part Two to fit them all in. What can we say? It’s

been SUCH a busy time for launches and exciting newness in the fragrance

world. Indeed, during the recording of this episode, Nicola got so excited by

Suzy’s descriptions o...

From a listener’s mystery novel set in a perfume shop, refillable candles, a handsome man holding a bouquet by a fireside and where to find vintage fragrance posters - this episode is a veritably bulging postbag of perfume-matching pondering!

Kathy (aka Kat LaGue) is a long-time listener and author of two ‘cosy mystery’ novels set in a fictional perfume shop of her hometown, Baltimore, Maryland. You can read all about her work here: https://katlague.com

With her first ever signing event happening in May, Kathy ‘thought it might be fun to b...

How do you discover which fragrances evoke your personality, or find those perfumes that portray the character you’d like to be, rather than how you happen to feel that day? In this episode we reply to a listener’s email asking for help finding her perfect perfume(s), and discuss how we went about discovering our own perfume identities.

Then, we answer another listener’s question about scenting a wedding (including how to find fragrances evoking the evening, and the practicalities of perfuming an event)…

We suggested Jennifer tries:

We’re counting down the days until you can get hold of your very own On The Scent

Magazine – in print and online – when it launches on April 14 th . In this week’s

episode we welcome guest Jo Fairley, who explains why the magazine was so

important to launch, what you can expect to read in the first issue, and why fragrance

is continuing to absolutely bloom and blossom.

Jo also talks about some of the fragrances she’s been most excited by, recently,

mentioning...

Schiaparel...

Immersive perfume spaces are popping up all over the place lately, and Soace NK recently invited people to step into an olfactive art gallery, featuring some of the hottest new fragrance launches around. Here’s what we tried (and loved the most)…

Space NK’s Granary Square Kings Cross pop up promised you could ‘Step into our immersive fragrance gallery and get creative with scent. Delve into masterpieces by Phlur, Glossier and more, and learn how to express yourself through scent. You'll take on the role of both curator and artist as you move through the space, before l...

In some Middle Eastern cultures, people layer up to SEVEN fragrances at a time. Sometimes many more! Never be afraid to play with perfume. (The wonderful thing about fragrance is there is no right or wrong: if you like something, then it’s right. If you don’t, you can wash it off. It’s not a tattoo after all.)
One listener recently wrote in with a specific question about layering options throughout the day (and into the evening); but before we get to that, we go back to basics and tell you ALL the things you need to know a...

This week has been a curious mix of in-between weather: oddly misty days with some areas of the U.K. looking distinctly Dickensian as ‘pea-souper’ fogs rolled in, though spring sunshine tried to peek through. Other days it’s felt almost autumnal again - chilly enough to crave our cosier clothes (and fragrances!) again.

After chatting through what we’ve been wearing in these confusing times, we take a look at some more questions listeners have sent in (through Instagram DMs @onthescentpodcast & Facebook group comments), with requests including snuggly scents, two listeners desperately seeking replacements for discontinued perfumes...

With the world feeling a bit uncertain at the moment we wanted to talk about some of the fragrances that help us feel better.

Here's what we mention:

Acqua Di Parma Colonia Il Profumo Millesimato

‘To mark the 110th anniversary… Expertly distilled over 24 hours and delicately fractionated, the 2024 harvest of Ylang-Ylang from Nosy Be amplifies the vibrancy of the citruses and gives density and depth to the perfume. Italian bergamot, blood orange, petitgrain and grapefruit open the composition with a golden freshness, while rosemary, orange leaves absolute, patchouli, and vetiver give structure and soph...

This week we’re talking new London perfume destinations and prescribing scents that whisk you straight to the medina or wrap you in a sensuous tobacco haze.

Suzy visited the brand-new @nishane.official boutique in London’s Mayfair, sharing why she’s so glad this Istanbul-born house has a home on Maddox Street.

Just across town, Suzy explored the new @matierepremiereparfums store in Covent Garden, and why their single-ingredient focus feels so perfect to explore in person. Suzy was wrapped in @matierepremiereparfums Encens Suave Extrait, a smoky-syrupy incense that feels like velvet in candlelight.

...

Dipping deep into the postbag for this week’s episode, we’re celebrating the strength of one of our listeners, Amy, and rejoicing in the perfect perfume found for @amtstevens for her anniversary trip to Bruges. Aaron’s moved to Mexico City and is seeking scents to stand up to the heat, and Louise is looking for bone-dry forest smells to remind her of home in the peak of summer. Suzanne, meanwhile, is craving watercolour spring florals for a sense of hopefulness we could all do with right now...

We reccommed:

House of Bō AGUA DE SANT...

In this week's episode we are prescribing some wonderful fragrances for you our On The Scent Family.

From cuddly cashmeran to scents to conjure up warmer climates, there's something for everyone!

In this week’s episode of the podcast, we’re picking perfect perfumes for the cast of Emily in Paris (well, Rome when season 5 begins). As the show progresses we see all manner of complicated liaisons, along with a general theme of growth, glamour, ambition, & escapism. Here’s how we’d scent it!

Suzy suspects the fictional house of Muratorio in the show takes inspiration from Brunello Cucinelli. The designer set out to reinvent Italian luxury, marrying craft with conscience. Based in Solomeo, the restored Umbrian village now stands as the heart of his brand — a symbol of beauty...

In this episode we're talking about the fragrances that are giving us joy at the moment.

We also have some new brands to introduce you to, an amazing listener prescription and lots more.

Here's what we mention:

Ode Ona Carte Blanche

Chloe Atelier des Fleurs- Les Pins

This Works Own Time

Saville Row Private Collection:

Bucula and Tela

Guerlain Absolus Allegoria Tabac Sahara

Sabrina Carpenter Sweet Tooth Caramel Dream

Beaufort London Vie et Armis

Fantôme Vassago

In this week's episode we're talking about a wonderful experience at Maison de Diptyque in celebration of their jazz club inspired fragrance Orpheon.

We're also updating you on some fabulous new fragrance launches and we're answering a perfume prescription that gets Suzy thinking about bracing seaside walks in Cornwall.

Finally we have the most powerful message to read out from a listener who is using Shalimar to empower her on protests.

Here's what we mention during the episode:

Diptyque Orphéon

Jo Malone Labdanum Amber Cologne Intense

F...

In this week's episode we're leaning into the our nostalgia needs and exploring the wonderful world of vintage inspired fragrances.

Here's what we discuss:

@guerlain Shalimar L’Essence Eau de Parfum Intense

“Shalimar celebrates its 100th anniversary. To mark this exceptional event, the Maison is revealing Shalimar L’Essence, a new intense variation which concentrates Shalimar’s distinctive codes: its quintessence. A homage to the timeless modernity, daring and seduction of Guerlain’s most famous scent for women.

Delphine Jelk has added the precious Madagascan vanilla tincture stemming from Guerlain's ancestral know-how t...

We're back with more of your brilliant prescriptions.

Here are the fragrances we recommend:

Roos & Roos Globulus

DS & Durga Big Sur Eucalyptus

Grossmith’s Shem-el-Nessimlwood

Molinard Habanita

Lanvin Arpège

Coty L’aimant

Bienaimé Vermeil:

@sergeslutens Fleurs d’Oranger

@mizensir Solar Blossom

@granadobrazil Citrus Brasilis

Happy New Year one and all.

We wanted to start 2026 with a chat about our favourite and most worn fragrances of 2025 (the ones we didn't have space to talk about during On The Scent Live!)

We hope you enjoy this first episode of the year.

Loads of love

Nicola and Suzy (both wearing Marc Antoine Barrois Tilia today naturally)

In this, the second part of our look back at On The Scent Live, we're reading out (and playing live) some of your AMAZING perfume prescriptions from the two events. As ever they were fantastically creative, emotional and in some cases utterly bonkers (which is what we love!)

Here are the fragrances that we mention:

@beaufortlondon Terror & Magnificence

@sergeslutens L’orpheline

@tombstone_fragrances Sweet Coffin

@nealsyardremedies Remedies to Roll Relaxation fragrance oil

Lavender & frankincense

Layered with either…

@rubini_profumi Nuvolari

@mschf MSCH...

Come and join us one and all for On The Scent Live. Whether you were there and want to relive the fun or you didn't manage to get a ticket and want to be part of it, we really hope you enjoy this bumper episode. You'll hear a combination of live recordings from both events and us reflecting on the scents we chose.

Onto the events:

Our wonderful helpers over both days

On the Scent-ers Little Helpers:

(Friday)

William Borrell @vallensefragrances

Amanda Carr @wewearperfume

Sharon...

It's finally here...our On The Scent Live bumper episode.

For those of you who couldn't make our 2 events, we hope you feel like you're there with us as you listen to this and for those who were there, we hope it brings back all the memories.

On the Scent-ers Little Helpers:

(Friday)

William Borrell @vallensefragrances

Amanda Carr @wewearperfume

Sharon Whiting @scentinelcomms

(Saturday)

Thomas @makingscentsmakesense

Hester @peacock.vintage

FRIDAY:

****Nicola’s fragrances:

1. Clive Christian E Cas...

Incense is having a real moment and in this episode we're exploring why and also talking through some of our favourite incense scents.

Why is incense so popular again? 

Incense has moved from temples and churches into living rooms,

studios and perfume wardrobes; it’s become a chic, modern ritual as

much as a smell.

Trend reports link the boom to the hunger for spiritual and holistic

practices – incense is an easy way to pause, “set an intention” and

create a little ceremony around everyday life.