Welcome to the weekly Perfume Chat Room, perfumistas! I envision this chat room as a weekly drop-in spot online, where readers may ask questions, suggest fragrances, tell others their SOTD, comment on new releases or old favorites, and respond to each other. The perennial theme is fragrance, but we can interpret that broadly. This is meant to be a kind space, so please try not to give or take offense, and let’s all agree to disagree when opinions differ. In fragrance as in life, your mileage may vary! YMMV.
Today is Friday, May 30, and I’m back from London! I had such a wonderful time, while my lovely husband worked (which is why we were there). One of my many adventures was the Barnes Fragrance Fair, which I found out about from Sarah McCartney of  4160 Tuesdays.
The Barnes Fragrance Fair is a relatively young event; it started after COVID lockdowns, I believe. It is a showcase for British independent perfumers, like Sarah. She had a display there and she taught perfume-making workshops like the one I did at her studio the week before.
There were so many interesting perfumers there, from some that are well-known among fragrance fans, like Beaufort London, 4160 Tuesdays, Jorum Studio, Kingdom Scotland, Maya Njie, Gallivant, Angela Flanders, Nancy Meilland, and more. There were also brands that were new to me, which was fun. All the perfumers were very friendly and interesting, and I came home with a few discovery sets as well as three new 4160 Tuesdays fragrances. I got there right after it opened, so it wasn’t too crowded, but by lunchtime, it was packed.
I have more photos to share but I’m having technical issues right now! Do you know any of these brands?
Serenity Now Scents and Sensibilities 
Ooh I’m envious – so far I haven’t been in London at the right time to catch this! I’m familiar with some of these, or at least have heard the names, but others, like the AI one, are new to me. Which 4160Tuesdays fragrances did you choose? Did you smell the new one, Vianne’s Confession? I’m curious about it based on the notes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I sniffed it on paper and liked it, but I was much more focused on her latest florals. I bought No Mow May, London Linden, Sonnet No. 1, and Tempest Rose. Also came away with a sample of an unreleased fougére that I hope she’ll eventually release, it’s gorgeous! The fair was really fun, held in an outlying part of London near Putney and the Thames, in a building in a park that is a senior center during the week. It was very easy to reach on transit, and I just had a marvelous day!
LikeLike
The fair sounds wonderful. I remember smelling Sonnet No. 1 and Tempest Rose (as well as the three perfumes that make up the whole). Hadn’t heard of London Linden – love the name!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I crowdfunded & now Vianne’s Confession. Will be on alitykescents very soon
LikeLiked by 1 person
Can’t wait!
LikeLiked by 2 people
The fragrance fair looks wonderful, so much to explore! I know you enjoyed it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope to visit the Barnes Fair when things are more stable at home.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I hope you can, and I hope things settle down to being more manageable at home. The atmosphere at Barnes was so warm and welcoming.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Woo Hoo! Lucky you OH.
This looks like such a fun event. How gorgeous is Nick de Bougie?
Portia xx
LikeLiked by 2 people
Pia did her hair bright neon pink for the event. I have only seen pix but she looked amazing!
Nick’s shirt sort of matched too. He looks so happy to be there in OH’s photo
LikeLiked by 1 person
They were all so cheerful and nice!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, I saw the fluorescent Pia hair, so cool. She’s beautiful.
Nick is super sweet. love his happy face.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always enjoy reading these chat room threads, such a welcoming space for sharing scent discoveries and everyday favorites! It’s fascinating to see how everyone’s preferences shift with the seasons. I’ve been exploring more versatile and mood-based picks lately, and often browse FragranceShop.ph for ideas and inspiration https://fragranceshop.ph/perfume-premix/. Looking forward to seeing what everyone’s wearing next week!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll be wearing Dior’s La Colle Noire, since I have a travel atomizer of that and I’ll be overseas. It’s such a lovely summer staple for me.
LikeLike
I always enjoy reading these chat threads—so many thoughtful scent choices! I’ve been reaching for Hermès Un Jardin Sur Le Nil lately; it’s light but has this quietly refreshing complexity that really fits my current mood. Also found a few new things to try while browsing Fragrance Shop Ph; they’ve got a nice mix of classics and newer releases https://fragranceshop.ph/best-seller-inspired-perfumes-in-the-philippines/ I hadn’t seen elsewhere. Excited to see what everyone’s wearing this weekend!
LikeLiked by 1 person