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How the Awkward Kid Became the Most Popular Guy in Class

We spent this past weekend at the Nicarella Market in Parkview. It’s always a fun event and this year was no different. For everyone who came to visit us, a big thank you.

There were lots of familiar faces and a few new ones. It’s always nice to chat and catch up.

One long standing customer of ours is a young man who has been buying from us since he was a little 12 year old boy at a local junior school. He’s always been into fragrances and I remember the first time he found us. He and a little friend came on to the stand, “I only buy originals” he announced to me and then proceeded to sing the praises of the fragrances to his friend which I found quite amusing.

Anyway he must have been converted as the following year he was back and this time he did not limit his purchases to just originals. Now The Perfumery scents were well on his radar.

Every year for the last 6 years, apart from the unspeakable Covid period, he has been back. Every time with a little friend in tow.

Now he’s a strapping 19 year old young man and out of school. He’s never been especially chatty, he would come onto the stand with a list of fragrances he wanted to sample, he would pick his favourites, advise his friend, they would pay and be on their way. This is the first year that I have spoken to him in any length.

He told me that at school he was quite awkward and didn’t have too many friends, but that fragrances were his thing. He always made a point of wearing a fragrance, it was his calling card. Occasionally classmates would consult him on what they should try and he would make a few recommendations.

He was at a co-ed high school and, as happens, the boys suddenly noticed there were girls around and they wanted to be noticed. The sweet smelling, awkward, slightly odd boy was getting far more attention than any of the other boys could imagine, and they didn’t know why.

Suddenly he’s in demand, his knowledge is valuable. He knows what to buy, and more importantly where to get it and I am glad to say he sent us a few customers.

“It’s how I found my confidence and survived high school. Thank you, your business really helped me” he said quietly. It was really touching.

He’s now off to study accounting at Stellenbosch. We wish him all the best.

This is exactly why we wrote “The Secret Art of Transforming Yourself with Perfume” to shed light on the amazing confidence boosting and emotional impacts of perfume. You can get it here.

Of course at this time of year, most people are shopping for gifts. We had many people buying teacher’s gifts, our mists are great for this and if you get them on the Black Friday specials they are incredible value at only R75 each. Or get a matching set of a diffuser and a mist for just R200.

The collections were also very popular, they make great stocking fillers, table gifts, for Secret Santa etc. At just R100 for the 2ml sets its really excellent value

At the market we launched what we hope will be a fun competition – Pose for Perfume.

How to enter:

1⃣ Take a creative photo of yourself posing with any product from The Perfumery — OR set up a fun scene where the perfume bottle is the star of the show!

2⃣ Post it on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok

3⃣ Tag us @theperfumerysa and use #PoseForPerfumeSA

📌 Posting to Stories?

No problem — just DM us a clear screenshot so we can share it on our page.

🏆 Judging:

We’re choosing the winner based on creativity and overall engagement (likes, comments, support from your followers!)

So get your friends and family cheering you on!

Winner announced 16 December 2025.

READY… SET… STRIKE A POSE! 💃🕺✨

For those that follow us on social media, you’ll see the promotion for this competition going out this week, but you’ll see that the prize is R1000-00 worth of products. If however you are an existing customer of ours and you have bought from us in the past three months, and you turn out to be the winner, we’ll add another R500 to the prize.

So, if you want to win your Christmas presents for this year, make sure you’ve ordered in the past three months and get your entries in.

As always, if you have a fun, sad, interesting, amusing story or experience you would like to share with us and it’s chosen for the newsletter you’ll win R150 worth of reward points you can use whenever you like. We’d love to hear from you.

FOR SCENT EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS

Woody scents first appeared across the perfume horizon in the 1940s and due to their potent character, were initially considered male scents.

That all changed in 1952 with the launch of the first women’s fragrance, Féminité du bois, a classic scent created by French designer, Serge Lutens.

Suddenly, cedarwood wasn’t just rugged — it was elegant. Sandalwood wasn’t just smoky — it was sensual. And the perfume world hasn’t looked back since.

Today, woody scents are everywhere: in lotions, body washes, room sprays, candles, even floor cleaners. Anything that wants to smell clean, comforting or quietly luxurious eventually turns to wood. There’s something deeply human about it — a connection to the outdoors, to calm, to warmth. Woody notes give a fragrance its spine. They linger, they ground, they hug the skin long after brighter notes have faded.

But wood never travels alone. Depending on what it’s paired with, a woody scent can shift personalities as effortlessly as changing outfits.

Pair wood with spices — cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg — and suddenly it becomes the perfume equivalent of a warm winter jumper: fuller, richer, deliciously cosy.

Blend it with aromatic herbs — rosemary, lavender, sage — and it takes on a fresh, green crispness, like a morning walk through a forest that hasn’t quite woken up yet. Patchouli and moss often join in here too, adding depth and softness.

Introduce flowers and wood becomes surprisingly tender. Peony, magnolia, tuberose or lily-of-the-valley brighten the edges and make the whole scent feel more luminous and romantic. These are the kinds of blends that feel effortlessly elegant.

Fruit softens wood in a completely different way. Add peach, plum or nectarine and you get that honeyed, velvety glow — plush, sensual and a little flirtatious. The contrast makes each note shine brighter.

Citrus brings its own magic. When bergamot, mandarin or grapefruit sparkle over a woody base, it’s like sunlight flickering through trees — refreshing at first breath, then gradually settling into something deeper.

And then come the woody orientals, which pull you into richer, more opulent territory: patchouli wrapped in vanilla, sandalwood smoothed by coumarin, amber and labdanum adding a sweet, smoky shadow. These are the fragrances that feel like velvet — warm, mysterious, unforgettable.

What all woody perfumes share is their grounding nature. Cedarwood is warm and inviting. Sandalwood is softer, creamy, almost meditative. Pine is crisp and energising. Some perfumes let the wood roar; others its more of a whisper.

Looking at the fragrance pyramid you’ll find woody notes in the base, these are the notes that anchor a fragrance and give it longevity, just a fancy way of saying woody scents are long lasting.


From the citrus fresh rosewood of 6000 Light Blue, the rounded cedar notes of 6002 Terre D’Hermes, the softness of 6006 212 Men with its fougere sandalwood character, the fruitiness of 6007 Boss Orange to the smoky feel of 6009 Gucci by Gucci this collection is a great walk through woody scents and a perfect selection if you are new to the scent family.

We have a large selection of woody scents with many different personalities. There is the classic 6001 Farenheit and 6003 Tzar, both fantastic examples of woody fougere scents. 6008 Spicebomb if you like your woody scent with spiciness turned up to the max with notes of pepper, cinnamon, leather and tobacco. 6014 Wanted if you are looking for a bold unctuous scent, 6027 L’Homme an incredible iris, violet amber creation that is soft and sophisticated but still eminently masculine.

You’ll also find some amazing oud scents like 6019 Tom Ford Oud, 6033 Gucci Oud and 6036 Oud for Greatness.

Woody scents are so versatile, come in a wide variety of styles and are perfect for layering, bringing warmth and longevity to any combo.

Collections are a great way to get better insight into what you like and what you don’t. We’ve have done all the hard work for you. Each collection has a selection of 5 scents that are connected but different. Add a couple to your next order at R100 for a 2ml selection. They really are great value. If you are looking for interesting gifts, stocking fillers, or Secret Santa ideas, Collections are perfect.

Browse through the full Collections range here.

LAYERING IS FUN

Fragrance layering is a fantastic way to get the best out of your scent collection, every week we’ll highlight fragrance layering combinations that we love and have had good feedback on.

7012 A*Men plus 6025 Gucci Rush

A*Men is one of the few sweet men’s fragrances. The addition of the pine, cedar and sandalwood of the Gucci Rush reigns in the sweetness a bit and makes for a wonderfully woody long lasting creation that you can really make your own.

0000 Light Blue plus 6000 Light Blue

We so often hear that women’s scents are too fruity, floral and sweet. Layering your Light Blue with Light Blue helps it to hold onto that lovely summery freshness from the floral citrus notes whilst gaining warmth and sophistication with the addition of the gentle woody notes of the men’s variant. One of the complaints levelled against 0000 Light Blue is it’s not as long lasting as many people would like, adding the woody notes gives it that all day staying power you may have been looking for

We would love to hear what your favourite layering combos are. Every week we are going to be featuring different combinations. Send us yours and if we choose it for the feature, you’ll win R100 worth of reward points that you can use at a future date.

BLACK FRIDAY

Black Friday week is in full swing. Don’t miss out on your change to get two of your favourite scents for the price of 1. On 50ml perfumes, 100ml Diffusers and 100ml Room Mists you can get Buy one Get One Free by using the Coupon Code: BlackFriday2025.

Don’t forget we have lots of other great deals going.

YOU GET A DISCOUNT AND YOU GET A DISCOUNT

Don’t forget we are running our build your fragrance wardrobe special. You’ll get a great discount on 10 samples to try followed by a buy one get one free deal for you to get 50ml bottles of your favourites. Added to this you’ll get our handy guide “The Secret Art of Transforming Yourself with Perfume” absolutely free. It’s a great read filled with interesting info, tips and insights into making perfume your secret superpower. Grab it here.

With the festive season coming up and with it the annual search for that perfect gift, our home fragrance bundles make for phenomenal value. Perfect for teacher’s gifts, for office colleagues as well as friends and family. With Black Friday week on the go Mists are an absolute steal at only R75 after the discount.

If you are looking for stocking fillers, Secret Santa ideas or gifts for teachers, friends, and colleagues, our collections ranges are amazing value. Get 5 x 2ml fragrances packed beautifully for just R100 or go for the 10ml collections for just R300. Gifts that will really have your people smiling.

Until next time

Rob

"Love is a perfume you cannot pour onto others without getting a few drops on yourself."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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