April Showers, Scent Library Card, NYC Perfume Events
+THE FRAGRANCE HOUSE THAT PATENTED INSTANT COFFEE
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Hi friends, it’s Nadia! I’ve missed you. Today’s newsletter is packed, with good stuff brewing—from a scent lending library (!!) to the fragrance house that patented instant coffee, plus April events to keep your calendar (and nose) full.
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THIS WEEKEND:
Scent Lending Library opens at Olfactory Art Keller: 100 scents you can sniff and borrow. 100 scents you can sniff and borrow. An immersive installation by Donna Lipowitz that invites you to explore scent like books in a library. (4/12, 4-6pm)
UPCOMING APRIL & MAY EVENTS:
Aromatherapy Workshop (4/17)
Perfume Workshop (4/24)
Tarot & Tea ‘Tinis at Maraschino NYC (multiple dates)
Floral Creation Workshop (4/30)
BEYOND NYC:
Dedcool Mochi Milk Run, LA (through 4/13)
MOROCCANOIL L'ORIGINALE pop-up, LA (through 4/18)
NEWS & NOTES
Susan Alexandra, the quirky, New York City-based accessories and jewelry brand, is dropping a fragrance … and LAFCO is developing their first fine fragrance collection.
There’s now a new fragrance inspired by Patrick Bateman—yes, that Patrick Bateman. The scent, created by Milan-based brand 19-69, is the first in a planned series of perfumes based on Bret Easton Ellis novels. According to their site, it’s meant to evoke Bateman’s “vanity rituals, fine sparkling water, icy sorbet, and Wall Street in the 1980s.” (Make of that what you will.) Notes of bergamot, jasmine, and cedarwood make it sound a little more refined yuppie than deranged killer. Fun fact: When Ellis actually wrote American Psycho, he was wearing Ralph Lauren Polo Green, not sorbet.
This isn’t Bateman’s first olfactive appearance. Back in 2023, Austin-based brand Xyrena released American Psycho, a scent that leaned fully into the chaos. It has notes of sorbet, chardonnay, and an herbal-mint facial mask accord, followed bySichuan pepper, cardamom, bloody metallic ambroxan, crème brûlée (from Dorsia, obviously), and premium cigar tobacco. Because of course.
🔍 INSIDE ROBERTET
A few weeks ago, I got invited to something special: the grand opening of Robertet’s new Creative Center in NYC, marking 175 years of fragrance innovation. I’ve been to a lot of events, but this one felt like a true behind-the-scenes pass into the world of raw materials, perfumer’s tools, and scent storytelling. Luxe, immersive, and quietly magical.
The new space, located on East 60th St., is a gorgeous blend of lab, gallery, and sensory lounge. Shelves were lined with familiar perfumes, ones you’d recognize from store counters, but right next to them were mods: early versions of fragrances laid out for tweaking and testing. I love seeing how the magic gets made, and this felt like peeking into the sacred notebooks of perfumers.
Robertet might be one of the most influential fragrance houses that defines quiet luxury, and artisanal creation. As the global leader in natural raw materials, they've been distilling naturals since 1850, supplying ingredients to icons like Guerlain and Chanel—and they literally patented instant coffee back in 1880. Yes, they’re the OGs of café culture and perfumery.
The event was a celebration of French savoir-faire. There was a photo exhibit by Stéphane Martinelli, live music by French singer Dolly Lowe, and a curated immersive scent experience built around Robertet’s new ICONS 175 series.
When you stepped out of the elevator, a whiff of rose vines hit you, bright and citrusy. The Rose 175 blend by perfumer Elena Valdivieso-Ruiz, was crafted around the Centifolia rose, paired with zesty bergamot and juicy passionfruit. In the library space, guests discovered Mimosa 175, a radiant mimosa scent, surrounded by vibrant yellow blooms and a lemon tree. Another creation by Elena, it celebrated Provence-sourced mimosa in all its shimmering, powdery glory.
You know I’m all about immersion so my favorite bits were the scent booths. Guests were guided through three immersive scent booths designed by perfumer Jérôme Epinette.
Coffee 175: Resinous, dark, comforting; a nod to their café instantané patent
Iris 175: Celebrating one of their most prized naturals, this is moody iris with frankincense, patchouli, and rose; elegant, earthy, and quietly stormy
Tonka 175: A warm, cozy scent featuring roasted tonka, pistachio, and vanilla—sourced via their CleanRScent™ sustainability program.
We left with fresh-cut iris bouquets and mini perfumes from the ICONS series (which I have been layering with the last few weeks)—small tokens from a house that’s shaped scent history in quiet, powerful ways.
Jérôme Epinette’s style has always struck me as clean, emotive, and atmospheric. His fragrances often feel like an airy memory. That made his creation for the evening, Iris 175, feel especially fitting. It was moody, elegant, and utterly rain-soaked in spirit: a velvety iris laced with frankincense, earthy patchouli, and soft rose, like petals after a spring storm. If the month of April could wear perfume, this would be her signature.
Their new NYC center is designed to foster collaboration with indie brands, house their extensive ingredient library, and offer space for olfactive innovation in the heart of SoHo. If you ever wondered where the real fragrance magic happens—this was it.
Speaking of rain, if you’re looking for a Epinette-created perfume that captures that april showers energy, try scents that feel like wet pavement, spring rain, and misty mornings:
Byredo by Byredo – A soft, dewy blend of violet, iris, and fir balsam with a chilly freshness that feels like misty morning rain.
Notes: Gin, Pink Pepper, Iris, Orris, OakMoss, Fir Balsam
Dark Rain by Björk & Berries – Imagine a Scandinavian forest just after rainfall—fresh, woody, and quietly powerful; think wet pavement, amber-lit woods, and that electricity in the air before a storm.
Notes: Ginger, Tangerine, Pettigrain, Geranium, Jasmine, Amber, Vetiver, Cedar
Others not by Epinette >
Karst by Aesop — Salty, mineralic, and windswept. This one channels rain-soaked cliffs, coastal stone, and the coolness of an overcast sky. Sharp at first, then grounding.
Notes: Juniper, Pink Pepper, Rosemary, Sage and Cumin, Vetiver, Sandalwood
Debaser by D.S. & Durga – Not technically a rain scent, but it hits that humid, storm-is-coming energy. Fig and iris meet coconut water in a lush, green, heat-kissed blend that lingers like summer air before a downpour.
Notes: Bergamot, Pear, Fig, Coconut Milk, Iris, Tonka, Moss
Dirty Grass by Heretic — This one's earthy, wet, and quietly trippy. It smells like walking barefoot on damp grass after a summer rainstorm. Vetiver-heavy with a slightly herbal-green haze, and a whisper of hemp that adds to the “after-the-rain” mood. It's grounded, meditative, and a little rebellious—perfect for the moody spring scent lineup.
Notes: Lemon Zest, Pink Pepper, Galbanum, Violet Leaf and Coriander, Vetiver
That’s all for today, friends! Stay dry & have a lovely, scented weekend!
x
Nadia
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A belated note to say how lovely it was to meet you at the Robertet event. Huge fan of your posts!
Enjoyed reading this. 😍