Spotlight on: Abel - Luxe Associates Luxe Associates

Last week’s blog was all about the joyous new scent from Abel, Cyan Nori. But we want to shine the spotlight on Abel as a brand and delve deep into what makes them so special and unique. So grab a cuppa and settle in, because by the end of this blog we’ll be surprised if you’re not wondering which bottle you should buy first

Amsterdam, 2012. New Zealander and ex-winemaker Frances Shoemack is searching for a perfume which is modern, chic and long-lasting. After struggling to find one, Frances came to a resolution – she was going to create the world’s best 100% natural perfume herself

Luckily for her she had a wealth of wine making experience and, according to Abel’s Nose Issac Sinclair, perfume and wine aren’t actually that different

The two began their adventure towards creating an all-natural perfume which not only inspires positive change, but doesn’t compromise on ethics or aesthetics either. Thanks to Isaac’s scrupulous approach to perfecting fragrance, it took several years working closely together in Paris (yes please!) for the Vita Odor collection to be born. Latin for ‘living fragrance’, the symbolism behind the name couldn’t be more complete. It’s a nudge to the fact that natural perfume develops on your skin, creating a scent unique to the wearer, and it’s also a reference to the ingredients used to create it

Something that sets Abel apart from most other natural perfume houses before you’ve even considered all the other great things they do, is the fact they work closely with a Master Perfumer. Not many other natural perfume houses can say they do that. The result is meticulously perfected natural fragrances that can be worn individually, but are also layer – able

Each Abel fragrance takes hundreds, if not thousands of trials and years to perfect, but they’re most definitely worth the wait. Using only 100% natural ingredients sourced from plants, each perfume is vegan friendly, ethically sourced and cruelty free. Abel have also introduced a kind of transparency rarely seen in the fragrance world, by publishing an ingredients list for each fragrance they create

Ingredients are only sourced from suppliers who have farmed the land for generations and know exactly where it comes from and what’s gone into it. For example, the all-important base for their fragrances is organic non-denatured, food-grade grain alcohol. Their other ingredients are born from the latest natural scientific developments, to ensure their footprint on the planet is as small as possible. To quote Abel themselves, it’s “the ultimate intersection of art, ethics and natural science”

You’ve probably guessed that sustainability is a core focus for the brand, and Abel donates 1% of all their revenue to environmental non-profits who are approved partners with the 1% For The Planet scheme. 60% of their online orders are shipped carbon neutral within Europe, and they’ve also taken steps to make their packaging as environmentally friendly as possible, although this is an ongoing journey. They already use vegetable dyes and FSC paper, but they’re continually searching for ways to improve this. And if all that isn’t enough, for every bottle sold online a meal is donated to a child in need with Mary’s Meals

Not to mention Abel operate a ‘one in one out’ policy. This limits their collection to just 7, meaning with the latest addition of Cyan Nori, Red Santal is being discontinued. They wholeheartedly believe that the world needs less ‘stuff’, and this is their way of combating it

That is the cherry on top for us here at Luxe HQ. It’s efforts like this that make Abel stand out distinctively within their industry, and what makes them so incredibly special as a fragrance brand

“We are the generation of businesses and consumers who have the power to turn the tables on the global climate crisis. But, we need to act now.” – Frances Shoemack

Rounding things off now because we don’t want your cuppa going cold; Abel believe in the power of scent. But they also believe having such an indulgence in life doesn’t need to negatively impact the planet, or ourselves. They’ve brought the world a selection of natural unisex perfumes that are as much a thing of beauty as the plants they’re derived from

Modern, chic and long lasting, the full Vita Odor collection (still including Red Santal!) is available online on www.e-scents.co.uk