On how Ireland inspires, how she keep paces with the industry and what’s coming next …
What’s new? “After two years of working on The Perfume Experience Library – an Olfactory Journey (€45), I’m really happy to have all the elements finally here. Through many years of teaching people about perfumes and natural ingredients, I know that people love discovering scents and exploring their individual sense of smell. For it to be fun and productive, we need to show them how to go about it. Most of us were never taught how to distinguish between different smells or olfactory families: citrus, aromatic, woody, spicy, balsamic are new worlds. It can be such fun to take the time to explore new perfume notes in a mindful way, and a great activity to share with others. I have tried to recreate my own experience of working on a new perfume, alone or with Marianne, the master perfumer I collaborate with. There is something so peaceful and ‘out of time’ when absorbed in really taking the time to smell something with care. I have broken it down into simple steps with helpful notes and observations, and supplied all the elements, the perfumes, the olfactory pyramids and a special booklet of tester strips. All packaging is made and printed in Ireland and Europe from FSC paper and vegetable inks.
The Perfume Experience Library is more than a discovery set – it’s an olfactory journey, an immersive experience for those who cannot visit our perfumery in person. It captures a hint of the atmosphere that one would encounter if you were to visit us, guiding you through our perfumes. It invites you to awaken your senses, to explore your own olfactory world and to experience perfume not just as a product, but as a journey.
We also launched our Woodland Organic Body Lotion (€26) and Castile Soap (€18) a few months ago, and the serum will be launched shortly. Scented with only organic essential oils which have been known to be kind to skin and help with dryness, with calming notes of sandalwood, natural vanilla, Howood, frankincense and carrot oil, our Woodland range recalls the distinctive warm scents of the Burren woodland.”
On staying relevant in a crowded market … “Our aim is not to keep pace with trends but to provide something timeless and classic to our customers. I don’t try compete in the market or keep pace with trends. We have our house style and we always try to create the highest quality products possible. We spend a lot of time sourcing a particularly beautiful essential oil or visiting producers to see where our ingredients are grown, and put a lot of thought in creating products that will be classics, used by our customers for years to come.”
What impact does your environment have on the brand? “I love the sense of connection between our surrounding Burren landscape and the products that we create. I wouldn’t make the same perfumes and scents if we were located
somewhere else. The individual flower and herbs from the unique Burren flora have always provided detailed inspiration: Wild Rose is directly inspired by the wild Burnet Rose, for example. Winter Woods, Spring Harvest and Summer Harvest are all are inspired by the scents and plants of each season. But just the spaciousness of the environment, the ever-changing light and the proximity to the seasons are an influence. The pristine environment of the Burren reminds us to use the highest quality natural ingredients possible and to ‘leave not trace’: everything is recycled, reused and carefully considered to minimise the impact on our immediate environment and the customers. Everything is handmade, in small batches, using very sustainably sourced ingredients, with no waste.”
What are your brand plans for 2026? “We’re planning more perfume workshops, exploring how perfumes are made and where natural ingredients come from. Our third 100 per cent natural perfume in our Burren Botanicals range, Gorse eau de toilette, will launch in spring 2026. I have been working on this for three years. It evokes the wild beauty of the scent of gorse flowers across the landscape, using only precious natural oils with notes of ylang ylang, tuberose and Bourbon vanilla. For a sneak peek at another new launch, we have a new range of essential oils. We have curated a selection of our favourite essential oils, ones that we use in our own products and know the producers. I enjoyed drawing the illustrations on the packaging. We have a new range of organic perfumed body oils on the way too …”
What’s your favourite Irish brand? “This is a hard question – there are many amazing Irish beauty brands now it’s hard to select one. I love The Nature of Things for Benoit’s attention to detail and the outstanding quality of his oils. I like Seabody for their attention to detail, care and simplicity of ingredients and pared-down packaging.” @burrenperfumery
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