Louise Smith has managed to bottle the Welsh sky. 50mls of it is available for £81. online and for personal callers in Monmouth. She has also bottled the Welsh woodlands and forests covering its fields, mountains, and valleys.
And encapsulated the coastline of the land of her fathers.
“Wales has a network of International Dark Sky Reserves, Dark Sky Parks, and discovery sites,” says the founder of Wales’s first and so far only luxury perfume house, Wales Perfumery. “I interpreted its night skies with my Star–Seren perfume. Dancing and jumping stars, bright and sparkling. That is how Star-Seven smells. It opens with a burst of yuzu, and cedrat, followed by magnolia jasmine and beautiful waterlily –the floral stars.
“Scent is everywhere, when I go on a walk I make notes about the different scents I can smell.
My first fragrance, Coast (Arfordir) was probably the quickest formula for me to create. I went to school in Tenby. Living close to the sea in Pembrokeshire – 300 meters and a field away from the beach- I had all those scented memories stored, the smell of rock pools, seaweed, sandy beaches, and the water. Forest (Coedwig) was created from the scent memories of walking, as a child. with my parents through our favorite wood and our own secret Tudor walled garden in the Wye Valley with its different varieties of fruit trees. including many apple trees.
“Country-Gwlad, Country has many green notes, also narcissus (Daffodil in Wales) and a Gardenia note as a nod to my grandmother who loved gardenia fragrances in the 1930s & 40s. I can still smell my grandmother’s violet-smelling lipstick! She adored a soliflore fragrance. I spent hours playing with the bottles, smelling the caps… and her lipsticks had an amazing violet scent, while her face powder was musky.”
Louise always dreamed of opening a perfume shop. “My sister and I would spend hours pretending to run our own little store. My father built us a counter and shelves, and we filled them with my mum’s old perfume bottles and empty makeup containers, imagining we were selling the most luxurious beauty products. My fascination with fragrance began in childhood, and chemistry was always my favorite subject at school. So I know all about molecules and compounds!”
After moving to Cardiff, while still working in the corporate world, she worked on a Lancome counter. “Back then, in 1998, there was nowhere to train as a perfumer. I was there when Miracle was launched. I spent all my Lancome salary buying bottles of fragrance, including Poison, Eden, Beautiful, Tresor, Eternity, and one of my favorites, Aqua di Gio. I remember the launch of Aqua di Gio when I visited Paris on holiday with my family. There was a huge Aqua di Gio fountain on the Champs Elysees.
“Eventually, I became Expert Relations Manager for Glaxo Smith Kline and was responsible for managing relationships with dental schools, medical schools, and universities across the UK. My work involved supporting clinical trials, creating and delivering undergraduate programs, and liaising with professors and consultants. Then, in 2012, after reading an article on perfumery in a chemistry magazine, I took the plunge! I went to Paris to study to become a perfumer.
“It sounds glamorous. But it was 45 degrees and boiling! I was the only Brit, let alone Welsh woman. Everyone else was from southern Europe, But it was a wonderful experience. The workshops gave me insight into customers’ likes, dislikes, and what they look for in fine fragrances. Every day is a training day, new materials and new ways to get to know the materials. I love it!”
Louise describes her products as “handcrafted perfumery with a respect for the past and an innovative approach to an old age art. We just don’t make fragrances we craft them. Patience is key, lots of drafts, and lots of trials and once all materials are balanced and harmonious I can then submit my paperwork to a cosmetic chemist to ensure that it is safe to use on your skin, then I apply to IFRA (International Fragrance Regulatory Authority) and receive a compliance certificate, finally uploading to the European portal. We have a small team who work in our operations department, hand bottling, labeling, and shipping.“
“We are independent, we don’t have to answer to huge corporate creative directors, in-house teams of people telling you what fragrance to create and budget to stick to. We are able to use the best quality, sustainably sourced materials to handcraft in small batches. We are passionate about waste and recycling everything our packaging is fully recyclable and all of our bottles and packaging are sourced from UK businesses.
“It’s all about the revival of the golden age of perfumery principles, using good quality materials in simpler packaging focusing on creativity. Knowing that it has been handcrafted by someone who is hugely passionate and respectful of the art of perfumery. Customers can also come and take a look around the lab and ask me any questions. And we have workshops where people can make their own bespoke fragrances. Niche fragrances are the fastest-growing market segment.”
The first three fragrances based on the Welsh landscape launched in 2022: Coast – Arfordir contains seaweed absolute, bergamot, a water accord, minerals, driftwood, and amber.
Country – Gwlad features Petitgrain, Neroli, Narcissus, Cut Grass, Gardenia, and Fig Leaf. Finally, Forest-Coedwig presents notes of Fir needle, spices, saffron, ambrette, sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, and patchouli.
“I am very proud to be Welsh. Wales is very different. Although it is a country, we are more like a village. Ancestry is important worldwide; I am contacted daily by customers with Welsh heritage from America, Canada, Australia, and Europe.
We have beautiful landscapes, four UNESCO heritage sites, three national parks, and 1,680 miles of coastline. Wales has more castles per square mile than any other country in Europe.
“My perfumes not only stimulate the senses but also evoke a profound emotional connection to the Welsh landscape.”
