Scents of spring at Wales Perfumery

Spring is the season when we’re reminded of the power of scent to lift our mood and to carry us to another place and time.

We caught up with Louise Smith, of Wales Perfumery, to ask about the inspiration behind her handcrafted fragrances and to find out what led her to set up Wales’ first (and only) perfumery near Monmouth.

What inspired you to get into perfumery?

The idea started in 1986. Ever since I was a child, I dreamt of opening a perfume shop. I would play pretend shops with my sister. My Dad built us a counter and shelves and we would ‘sell’ my Mum’s old perfume bottles and empty make-up containers. I would play for hours at my Grandmother’s mid-century dressing table smelling everything from perfumes to lipsticks and face powders. Oh how I loved the smell of her lipsticks – waxy and violet scented. Beautiful!

My studies however took me down a different path into the dental industry, where I worked for a number of years as an Expert Relations Manager for a large well-known pharmaceutical company.

When and where did you train as a perfumer?

One day in 2012 I picked up a chemistry magazine which included an article on perfumery. I was immediately captivated and began Googling ‘perfumery’. I found a Perfumer in Paris and off I went to train. I have since also trained in Italy & London. I continue to learn every day with new raw materials and ways of working. I also train other students on the principles of perfumery and I’ve never been happier.

What's special about Wales Perfumery?

Wales Perfumery is the only fragrance house in Wales. It's a celebration of the recent revival in the ‘Golden Age of Perfumery’ with fragrances based on high quality ingredients, simple packaging and creativity. The niche perfume market is growing rapidly and is forecast to be worth £5.4 billion globally by 2027. Knowing that a scent has been handcrafted by someone hugely passionate and respectful to the art of perfumery is increasingly important to consumers.

Wales Perfumery is set within a 500-year-old Secret Walled Garden, a place of natural beauty and tranquillity and a source of endless seasonal inspiration.

What does Wales & Monmouthshire mean to you?

I’ve lived in Monmouth for more than 20 years and have a strong sense of belonging here. I am proudly Welsh and have a deep connection with Wales’ culture, history & language. I love the strong sense of community and passion for music, food and arts. And this is a beautiful part of Wales, with stunning views of the Wye Valley and Brecon Beacons and amazing castles close by. It’s a place I feel very privileged to call home.

Where do you get the inspiration for your fragrances?

Memories. There is a connection between smell and memory. Research shows how smell can provoke a memory more than any of our other senses such as sight or sound. I created my ‘Coast’, ‘Country’ and ‘Forest’ fragrances specifically to evoke memories of being on Wales' beaches, of walking across fields in our countryside, and of being immersed in our woodlands. They are the perfect memento for visitors who want a tangible reminder of Wales when they return home.   

I also create fragrances for other well-known brands and a variety of scent projects.

Where can people buy your fragrances?

Our website www.walesperfumery.com  

Scent Event Bespoke Fragrance Creation Workshop

A fun interactive team building experience creating your very own bespoke fragrance.

During your one or two hour workshop discover how scent actually works. We will work through the basic principles of perfume creation including top, middle, and base notes. We will demonstrate the perfect balance.  A bespoke formula will be created from your choices, you will blend the ingredients to make your own 30ml bottle of fragrance to take away with you.

Please note the duration of this workshop does not cover the in-depth history of perfumery, raw materials knowledge and other creation content. 

Scent Event experience :

• Includes : 30ml fragrance 

• Duration : 1 hour or 2 hour workshop experiences

• Where : At a location of your choice.

• Cost : Enquire for further details -  info@walesperfumery.com

• Fragrances – Genderless, Vegan, Cruelty free, Compliant to EU standards.

• The workshop commences at the given time and no participants will be admitted into the perfumery experience after the workshop has begun, no refunds are given due to late arrivals or no show. 

Customers are welcome to contact me and to visit our lab to ask me any questions and to see how we create our fragrances. Alternatively you can book on to a perfume making workshop to create your own fragrance.

What is your involvement with the Fifth Sense charity?

I’m an ambassador for Fifth Sense, the charity calling for greater recognition of the impact that smell and taste disorders have on people’s health, wellbeing and safety, along with better services, support and research to help those affected and their families. I became involved in Fifth Sense when CEO Duncan Boak approached me and I realised how valuable my current role as a perfumer and background in pharmaceuticals could be to the charity.

Wales Perfumery has been featured in ‘The Guardian’, ‘National Geographic Travel’, ‘Wales Online’, ‘Monmouthshire Living’ and in many perfumery reviews including ‘The Sniff’, ‘I Scent you a day’, ‘A life in scent’ and many more. Our stand also won first place at The Royal Welsh Show in 2022.

You can book your own fragrance workshop on the Wales Perfumery website.