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A key ingredient in African luxury is remaining close to the source

Making scents: the secret ingredients to African luxury

Tammy Violet Frazer explains how ordinary handmade products achieve luxury status.

In the fragrance industry

Making Scents: I’ve grown a custom scent for you

In the fragrance industry, perfumers are champing at the bit to offer distinct personalised fragrances, writes perfumer Tammy Violet Frazer.

The more oil-filled your skin is

Making Scents: The right fragrance for your skin type

Fragrances especially natural scents, which are more subtle and nuanced than chemicals – smell different on different skins because of skin chemistry.

A fragrance is a framed story and sometimes how that story is told is as important as the juice itself. Brad Pitt’s monologue served as the “reboot” for Chanel No. 5 in 2012. Here was a man promoting a woman’s perfume with a strange esoteric message.

Making scents: A perfume speaks a thousand words

"A fragrance is a framed story, and sometimes how that story is told is as important as the juice itself," writes perfumer Tammy Violet Frazer.

A brunette’s personal odour with caprylic acid

Making scents: Perfume as portraiture

More and more people are curious about the art behind perfume and scent.

‘In the highly competitive environment of commercial perfumes

Making scents: (A)scent of the indie designer

It is all about dedication to the integrity of the craft, where a designer or celebrity promotes the perfumer’s expertise in a "collaboration".

Victoria Falls

Making scents: To mark territory

A house scent can make guests feel immediately at ease, but it can be dangerous if not executed properly.

A tree in the Ethiopian mountains where opoponax resin is collected.

Making scents: Resins are really from Africa, by gum

We should be investing in local technology, otherwise the only winners are logistics companies that transport our precious natural resources away.

Roses from Bulgaria.

Making scents: Seduced by sweet, shy roses

An African hand helping to preserve a fragile and dignified business – rose harvesting.