Season 8 • Episode 3: Posh bananas, burning roses, & perfume blending
Talk about varied - this week’s episode goes 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!)
The show also features 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 workshop via Zoom - to create your own fragrance with her stunning and easy-to-use accords.
A whole group of the #fragfam (Suzy, Nicola, Jo, Alice du Parcq, Amanda Carr, Thomas & Hayden) attended a Zoom, and were HUGELY impressed, plus loved the scents they blended!
Amidst all of that there’s talk of a naughty Toy Boy who’s back in town, and Suzy finds two exquisite (and very affordable) iris-forward fragrances for a listener.
Plus: get the second issue of On The Scent magazine which has just been published and is already flying out again! Order your print copy online here.
Now, on with the show, and let’s jump in…
Granado Yes, Nós Temos Banana!
The Brazilian brand has taken over Liberty’s historic Atrium for the whole of July with a huge banana pop-up! Do see it in-person if you can. They say: ‘Evoking the tropical vibrance of Brazil in olfactive form, Yes, Nós Temos Banana! eau de parfum from Granado is an invigorating addition to any fragrance collection.
Anchored by a classic, woody base of sandalwood and cedar, this fragrance combines vibrant notes of banana and peach blossom with the romantic delicacy of fig and iris, while highlighting banana leaf as the protagonist of the creation - spritz onto skin for a breath of escapism.’
[From Sainte Cellier website] ‘This rose is on fire… Ensang Noir is an extraordinarily pungent rose perfume, sanguineous red petals stained with black ink, rusted at the bleeding edges. A scent of temptation, danger and the ritualistic fumes of burnt love. Fanatical, obsessive. Skin becomes an altar for this most plush and smoky offering.
Top notes: aldehydes, blackcurrant, coriander, cucumber
Heart notes: red rose, magnolia, peony
Base notes: incense, birch, opoponax, patchouli, vetiver, caramel.’
‘Moschino’s celebrated fragrance for him is back! This time, the new TOY BOY 2 will take you on a sensory journey that opens with a spicy spark and closes with an amber caress.
Toy boy 2 comes alive with an explosion of intriguing nutmeg and sparkling ginger and sets out on a quest to start a journey of lively and ironic charm, to escape from the daily greyness by retracing distant but ever-present emotions. It wraps you in a warm embrace of intense coffee, while akigalawood adds a bold touch. As the adventure continues, it leaves behind a soft trail of myrrh and vetiver, comforting you and promising even more surprises.’
Top notes: saffron accord, nutmeg Indonesia, fresh ginger
Heart notes: coffee extract, cedarwood, akigalawood
Base notes: cistus concrete, vetiver oul, myrrh resinoid.’
‘Three perfumes, three chapters of a life lived through fragrance.
From an English garden to distant horizons and star-filled nights — each captures a moment in Liz Astor’s journey: where she began, where she wandered, and what she became.’
HETHERSETT
‘Hethersett is a return to origin — a chypre–fruity fragrance that feels like sunlight through orchard branches and summer gardens in full bloom. Each breath reveals the early whispers of creativity: petals, citrus, and memory intertwined. Bright, romantic, rooted — the scent of home becoming art.
Orange, citron, jasmine, magnolia, orange blossom, saffron, cedarwood, musk.’
From £40 for 7.5ml
8.7°S 118.3°E
‘The coordinates point to a remote stretch of the Indonesian sea — a place etched in Liz Astor’s travels, when she chased adventure beyond familiar shores.
8.7°S 118.3°E captures the spirit of exploration — the scent of salt spray and sunlight, the pulse of courage, and the thrill of finding beauty in the unknown. It is both fearless and fluid, an ode to self-discovery carried on the ocean wind.
Radiant, unbound — freedom bottled in light and sea air.
Bergamot, mandarin, grapefruit, clary sage, jasmine, patchouli, vetiver.’
From £40 for 7.6ml eau de parfum
Nadira No.9
‘Nadira No.9 evokes the sensual hush of desert air beneath a vast night sky — where time slows and the spirit expands. It’s a fragrance of reverence and reflection, born of distant travels and the quiet awe of standing beneath a thousand unfamiliar.
Soft, luminous, intimate — starlight woven through spice and skin.’
Amber, musk, night-blooming florals, spiced woods.’
From £70 for 7.5ml parfum
Discovery Set: £25 for x3 samples
‘Purchase the collection for £25 — this is fully redeemable against a future purchase of any 75ml fragrance once you’ve chosen your favourite.’
Elix perfume blending workshop (via Zoom)
Nicole founder Elix because: ‘Scent is uniquely powerful, yet we rarely have the opportunity to play and experiment with it. After a career in product innovation and creative facilitation, I returned to my childhood dream of perfume alchemy. Artisan perfumery became my creative outlet during lockdown, and I was inspired by the joy and mindfulness it brought into my life. I founded ELIX Personal Alchemyto share that playful magic with others and make artisan personalised perfumery more accessible.’
‘Our hand-crafted Eau de Toilette blending accords harmonise beautifully in endless combinations. Blend 2–4 accords together to create a range of scents that evolve with your mood, style or occasion; or enjoy them solo.
Our luxury set contains everything you need to enjoy a mindful personal ritual or a shared creative experience at home.
Our curated collections are inspired by some of the most-loved accord combinations created during our live workshops, and include a selection of popular blending ideas to inspire your own journey.
• Up to 70% naturally derived ingredients l • Blending accords can be worn alone or combined • Two refillable atomisers with replenishable elements • Additional accords available individually • Hand-crafted and hand-packed in the U.K.’
£149 for a Personal Alchemy Blending Kit
https://www.elixfragrance.com
Listener Prescription: Joanna Caccavo wrote…
‘Dear Suzy and Nicola,
First of all, a big congratulations on the new magazine! It is absolutely mouthwatering and Suzy’s prose is exquisite - I MUST read more! I am also eager for a perfume prescription for an affordable ($100 or under) very iris-forward fragrance. I’m accustomed to seeing iris perfumes raved about online, but they tend to be quite pricy. However, I recently blind-bought Zara’s Romance d’Iris Elixir, which is almost an iris soliflore and about $70, and I fell head-over-heels in love! I know that iris is a note in many fragrances, both expensive and inexpensive, but in my (admittedly limited!) experience it’s usually quite subtle. Surely there must be other affordable super-iris-y perfumes out there? (They needn’t smell only of iris, but I’d like that to be the dominant note.) Thank you! :)’
Suzy suggested:
Composed by Daniela Andrier (of Prada Infusion d’Iris fame!) here,;lbase notes are Musk and White Cedar Extract.
‘Belle de Paris is elegantly cloaked in iris, a symbol of chic, and wears its incomparable scent.
Its fruity head notes of green mandarin, neroli, and pear brighten a generous heart of iris absolute adorned
with violet and incense. Musk and white cedar form its base.’
Top Notes: neroli, pear and green mandarin;
Heart Notes: iris, violet and incense
Base Notes: musk and white cedar extract.
€42 for 100ml eau de toilette
‘Imagine a secret 1920s party, the perfumes that people are wearing are the new things: violets and iris, vanilla and musks. They're wearing smart suits and straight silk dresses with beaded tassels. Someone opens a new paper packet of cigarettes, and they all whip out their elegant holders, even the women!
It has a powdery feel reminiscent of early 20th Century perfumes, because we both love the violet-iris texture and aroma created by ionones and irones, including those from natural orris (slightly extravagant but worth every penny). Among the many materials assembled here to create a completely new scent, we have a smidgen of natural rose, a fair quantity of Cashmeran, woods, sparkly orange flower, bergamot, creamy ethyl vanillin and layers of musks.’
£35 for 15ml eau de toilette
Have a question you’d like answered on the pod? Send it via a DM @onthescentpodcast and they’ll try to find your perfect fragrant match!
