Webchat with perfumer Sarah McCartney: Thursday 24 May, 9pm

[RachelMumsnet]

In response to this thread, we’ve organised a webchat on Thursday 24 May at 9pm with perfumer Sarah McCartney.

Writer turned perfumer Sarah McCartney composes fragrances for her micro-perfumery, 4160Tuesdays, and for clients including Google, Tinder and Hyundai. Using early 20th century methods, with a 21st century online business strategy, she has built a worldwide reputation and fanbase, with stockists in Europe and the US, as well as the UK.

Sarah’s perfumes, described by perfume archivist James Craven, are “a wardrobe of highly sophisticated scents which one can also play with”. They all have their own stories, which she enjoys telling with wit and enthusiasm, sharing some of perfumery’s secrets along the way.
4160Tuesdays operates from a small studio in West London, where all the creation, bottling and despatch happens in a friendly space with its own swing, a world away from the image led, celeb driven, multinational fragrance industry.

Join Sarah on Thursday at 9pm to find out more about perfumery and put your questions to her. if you’re unable to join us on the night, post your question for her on this thread in advance.

Almost anything with tonka bean seems to float my boat so keen to smell that. Such luchious (sp) resonance and so subtle.

@contracting

Lots of questions - sorry! 1) so I've worn the same perfume for 20 yrs. How would you suggest I choose one from yours if I'm buying online?? 2) Why are you called 4160Tuesdays? 3) Why do some perfumes not seem to last? 4) Can you nose detect milk that's about to turn without resorting to tasting it?

Naughty contracting!

1. We do sample sets, and if you call on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday you can speak to Brooke who knows much more about other brands' perfumes than I do. She'll advise you.
2. I didn't want to name it after myself because one day I want to retire and maybe I'll sell or or give the business away to nice people, plus there's Stella. 4160Tuesdays was a blog I wrote so I owned the domain name, it is inspired by a yoga teacher who lived until 80 (80 x 52 weeks = 4160Tuesdays, ish because of leap years) and was still doing headstands and backbends, so it's about not wasting your life.
3. Very VERY good question.
4. Yes.

OK about why perfumes don't last.
Three things.

1. Some are just very volatile like lemons and rosemary. Citrus fruits just last flit away. It doesn't matter how much you pay for them, they're off.
2. The concentration. If you buy one that's for more actual perfume concentrate in it, there's more per spray. So parfum lasts longer than eau de parfum and that lasts longer than eau de toilette.

If you've got a citrus EdT you love, then just take delight in spraying it more often!

1. If you love your perfume and wear it ever day, your brain just gets used to having it around, so it says "yes, got that, what's new" so you won't smell it but your friends will. If you wear something new and unfamiliar then your brain keeps asking, what's that what's that? making you aware of it all day.

I would definitely agree about notes in perfumes, and how you don't notice ones you think you don't like when they're done well. You just have to keep trying I can't stand tuberose but I'm wafting about in Rome 1963 today and loving it (although I do smell a bit like I've been having a crafty fag behind the bike sheds too)

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

I get very excited by your historically inspired scents (the 1920s ones...Goodbye Piccadilly... Oriane...) Do you have any more in the pipeline?

Your Royal Highness!

Yes, I just made Curious Essence, a scent from 1818, for Living Frankenstein at London University. If there's some left I'll sell it.

I also have an idea for a 1978 scent called Meet Me On The Corner, after the Lindisfarne song.

Hearing about your workshops where people get to sniff the different ingredients individually, would you be able to put together some sets, so that those of us who can't attend the workshops, could buy them?

There are lots of fragrances that I don't know what they actually smell like, such as heliotrope and orris, so something like this would be really helpful.

@auberginesrus

I would definitely agree about notes in perfumes, and how you don't notice ones you think you don't like when they're done well. You just have to keep trying I can't stand tuberose but I'm wafting about in Rome 1963 today and loving it (although I do smell a bit like I've been having a crafty fag behind the bike sheds too)

Always a good aroma, I feel Auberginerus.

@Motoko

Sorry, going back to regulations, do perfumes not come under the EU Cosmetics Directive then?

Oh yes, absolutely, We have to do stability testing and all the other many many things, but not toxicology.

Oh I love that Lindisfarne song - it would have to smell folky and wholesome (green notes, pipe tobacco, and leather for the sandals?)

Mmm almond hay-like peachy thing. Looking forward to it!!

@Motoko

Hearing about your workshops where people get to sniff the different ingredients individually, would you be able to put together some sets, so that those of us who can't attend the workshops, could buy them?

There are lots of fragrances that I don't know what they actually smell like, such as heliotrope and orris, so something like this would be really helpful.

Hi Motoko
Yes, that's in the pipeline, with online classes too. Heliotrope is a tricky one as you need a Home Office Class A Drug Precursor license to hold heliotropin as you can make crystal meth with it, apparently.

Yes, I agree with Pesty, we need to know more about what KDG would smell like!

Love me a bit of Tonka 😁

@auberginesrus

Oh I love that Lindisfarne song - it would have to smell folky and wholesome (green notes, pipe tobacco, and leather for the sandals?)

Ha! Possibly. Not sandals. And with an air of the things I wore at the time, like Diorella,

Ooh, very excited at the thought of an 1818 perfume. Now you're talking!
Fingers crossed you have some left

The Lindisfarne song is a favourite of mine too, but I think it smells of wet tweed and sweat and metal.

Sounds lovely

Joining in late - love the idea of an almond/Tonka bean 4160.

Can you get to Bath tomorrow Countess?

@auberginesrus

Hi Sarah, so many questions so little time!

I would like to know what your favourite mainstream scent or house is, and as a follow up who your favourite perfumer (niche or otherwise) is too.

Probably Guerlain, and I also love Jean Claude-Elena's work. PErsonally, I adore Christophe Laudamiel because he thinks I'm cool, Can I swear is I'm quoting? He smelled two of mine in an NY shop and demanded to know who made them, "Because these are cool and all the rest are shit!" Look him up on Instagram and scroll down until the you find the photograph, You'll know when you find it. I also love the chap who did Tocade for Rochas, and all his works. I'll try to remember... He did one for EdP Frederic Malle too. Maurice Roucel
It's funny how you wonder why you like seemingly random fragrances from lots of houses, then you find out (Basenotes.net) that they're all by the same person and you understand it's their style.
Oh yes, and Patricia de Nicolai.

Sadly not Pesty, completely different end of the country!

@PestymcPestFace

We need to know what would go into Knicker-Dropper Glory

Give me ideas. The smell of disillusionment?

@OCSock

No lily fragrances as DH hates funeral flowers. If you don't mind...

Only yesterday, Socksy, I had a discussion about funeral flowers and every family seems to have a different idea about which flowers they are.

@Coffeecoffeebuzzbuzzbuzz

Joining in late - love the idea of an almond/Tonka bean 4160.

It's happening, Coffee. Shall I put coffee in it too?

What does multiple orgasm smell of?
Apart from the obvious.

@OCSock

What does multiple orgasm smell of? Apart from the obvious.

Chocolate. Or maybe that's instead of...