One ingredient that is used in a lot of perfumes is oud. Oud itself is the resin-soaked wood or Agarwood, a dark and fragrant wood, and its oil. Agarwood is formed in the heartwood of Aquilaria trees when they become infected with a specific type of mold. If the heartwood does not become infected with the mold, it remains odorless and a pale color. After the mold is present, the tree produces a dark fragrant resin which is the oud. Oud is used in multiple items, most commonly perfumes. As a common ingredient in perfumes it brings out a woody and somewhat spicy scent. Some unique scents with agarwood incorporated in them are: 1. Rigas by Parfumerie Nasreen 2. Oud by Masion Francis Kurkdjian 3. Oud Imperial by Perris Monte Carlo 4. Oud Santal by Royal Crown Agarwood is also used as an incense commonly in multiple different forms. Oud… Read More

Candlelight combined with the aroma from a scented candle helps the healing and rejuvenating power of yoga. The ancient Indian healing system, Ayurveda (herbal medicine), uses essential oils and asana (physical practice of yoga) to balance and unblock the body’s chakras, which promotes the flow of life energy. The chakras are the energy centers of the body. Now, maybe the language of the chakras doesn't speak to you. That’s okay. Modern science has also shown a strong connection between aromatherapy and asana practice. Yoga not only strengthens the body, but it also calms the mind. Yoga creates an oasis of peace that we can sit amidst all the hustle and bustle. Aromatherapy balances your brain and in addition, essential oils possess cleansing properties. These two together creates a balance in your everyday life. Choose candles, oils and perfumes with properties that stimulate and enhance your yoga and meditation practice. Energizing… Read More

Sandalwood is a very popular ingredient used by perfumers in fragrances. The process for using sandalwood is long and arduous but in the end it is one of the most distinct and beautiful scents in perfumes. Sandalwood comes from a class of trees (Santalum). The woods are heavy, yellow, fine-grained, and they retain their fragrances for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods and roots for use as a base note in perfumes and as an ingredient in candles and diffusers. Sandalwood has been in use for thousands of years in the creation of fragrances and cosmetics because it has calming and cooling effects. The primary supplier of sandalwood is India. However in recent times, other types of Sandalwood such as the Pacific Sandalwood and Australian Sandalwood have come to light. Of the types of Sandalwood there are only two, red and white sandalwood. Red sandalwood tree takes many… Read More

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, we have some of the perfect gifts to give to a lover. One of our favorites is a fragrance from the House of Sillage, called Love is in the Air by Mark Buxton. Inspired by the freedom of love, this scent brings a feeling of delicateness. This sweet scent has succulent plum surrounded with hints of citrus and subtle jasmine encircling a mixture of soft flowers, with vanilla and musk blending effortlessly for a smooth finish. As this is a more soft and sweet fragrance, for a more masculine type scent we recommend Lyric Man by Amouage. This unique fragrance has a masculine rose scent which brings a daring, deep version of rose, seamlessly blending with notes of bergamot, lime, angelica, orange blossom, green galbanum, spicy ginger, nutmeg, saffron, pine, sandalwood, vanilla, musk, frankincense to create a classic yet powerful scent. Love is… Read More

Depending on the season, people change what they wear, and the same happens with scents. Depending on the person, one might wear the same scent every day or they may switch up scents based on their mood. Every scent evokes different feelings for each person and these scents can affect your senses. For example, citrus based fragrances, especially those with grapefruit, are natural mood enhancers. Richer fragrances, those with amber or patchouli can tend to make you feel more sexy or attractive. Fragrances with clean notes or water-based notes tend to make you feel more refreshed. “Smell is the strongest of the senses and is best able to influence brain activity. Olfactory bulbs are part of the Limbic system and directly connect to the areas of the brain that process emotion and learning. This is one of the reasons why so often something that we smell will trigger a memory… Read More

We at Parfumerie Nasreen are always striving to make each visit to our store an experience, not a chore. We want to make you feel welcome, like you’re a part of our family. Even if we do not have what you’re looking for, we’ll always do our best to find you something you will love just as much or more. We will even show you the right direction for what you are looking for, even if we don’t have it. We are constantly looking to build relationships, to get to know you. When we know even a little bit about you, we can understand what you might like and show products you might enjoy. We will send you samples when you’re not here to try our new products or something we stumbled upon that we know you’ll love. Thankfully we’ve been able to create experiences that start long friendships. We… Read More

Fragrances tell stories. They give feelings, emotions, and memories. The perfume bottle plays a role in this as well. Some bottles are intricately designed, some are painted. Some are so detailed you wonder how long it would take to make and finish it. The aesthetic that comes with the bottle is part of finding a scent. What lures you into even smelling the fragrance is the appearance of the bottle. Some people dedicate their entire perfume collection to bottles, and some keep their bottles for display long after the fragrance has been used up. The visuals of the bottle can help you remember a fragrance you liked in the past and want to enjoy now, and it can help us to determine what fragrance you are talking about. The bottle itself tells a story too, with collections like The House of Sillage or Bond No.9, the bottle can be a… Read More

The story behind a fragrance is just as important as the fragrance itself. Fragrances conjure up feelings and memories. Fragrances conjure up memories and feelings within you when you are wearing and smelling them. Some fragrances tell a story, adding an entire new dimension to your scent. Arquiste, a newer collection, does just that. Each fragrance of their line paints a beautiful image in your mind. It gives you an idea of what Carlos Huber, the creator of the line, was inspired by to create these fragrances. One of his fragrances, Aleksandr, is a divine fragrance with notes of Leather, Fir, Violet and Lavender. It tells the story of a fiery gentleman preparing for a duel to the death. On a wintry morning, he splashes on his toilette of Neroli and Violet, dons his heavy fir and leather boots, and rides off to meet his destiny. Another fragrance, Infanta En… Read More

To start, I’d like to talk about what an incredible experience it is to be a part of the fragrance world. Diving into the unknown can begin an amazing journey, which I have had the pleasure to experience for the last few years here at Parfumerie Nasreen! Fragrances are so personal and unique. They become a part of your memory, they seep into the crevices of your brain and stay there forever. I’ve heard it said that the link between scent and memory is the strongest of all the links in the brain, followed closely by music. Smell something a relative wore, something you wore back in high school, the smell of fresh cut grass in the summer. Then smell it again in a fragrance and your mind takes you right back to that time. It can be an emotional journey. Fragrances have the power to envelop us and evoke… Read More