Between the Notes

This week is all about new smells; loved brands are revisited, new ones discovered. Olfactory cravings? Consider them satiated (for now). Fragrances mentioned:Neroli Pomodoro, Caffè Amaro/ Bianco ProfumoDo Son/ DiptyqueTamarindo/ Memo ParisTuberose Tantra, The Poet & Wedding in Oaxaca/ Kismet OlfactiveJardins de Misfah/ Une Nuit NomadeGlow/ AkroVetiver in Wool/ Scents of WoodUn Bel Amour d’Été/ Parfum d’EmpireWorkaholic/ FugazziBe sure to follow on Instagram ⁠⁠@btwnotes⁠⁠ for more smelly updates, and feel free to leave a comment or reach out through email at [email protected] & sound engineering: Jasem Jarrar

This week is all about discovering the breadth of Tuberose fragrances: the creamy, the fruity, the metallic and the narcotic. We also chat about a recent column from Jessica DeFino on strong smells, and an Ottoman lost artisanal profession (aka, the ultimate vibe curators): incense burning. Fragrances mentioned:Tuberoza / NishaneNarcotic V. / NasomattoHonor Woman 43 / AmouageCafé Tuberosa / Atelier CologneTubereuse / HeadspaceTuberose & Moss / Rogue PerfumeryEshaal & Pichola / Neela Vermeire CreationsTuberose Tantra / Kismet OlfactiveMoonwake Tuberose / Nomad NoéReadings:Jessica Defino: "I’m sensitive to the scents my children’s friend brings into the house. What do I do?" Ask Ugly Column for the Guardian Ergin, Nina, "The Fragrance of the Divine: Ottoman Incense Burners and Their Context" The Art Bulletin, New York: RoutledgeCheck out Goldensniff's awesome Tuberose axis here Be sure to follow on Instagram ⁠@btwnotes⁠ for more smelly updates, and feel free to leave a comment or reach out through email at [email protected] & sound engineering: Jasem Jarrar

This week is full of new smells, old favorites and some heartbreaks. I also chat about the unique ways frankincense is used in Omani daily life as discussed in Hajer Harrathi's work.Fragrances mentioned:Molecule 01 + Iris / Escentric MoleculesDelta of Venus / Eris ParfumsTubéreuse Absolue / Perris Monte CarloBurrow / Paraphrase ParfumChampaca / Ormonde JayneMilky Dragon / Isabelle LarignonPluck! / Jerom StudiosForbidden Bloom / Mabelle O'RamaFougère Émeraude / Les IndémodablesIsland Lush / Goldfield & BanksVanilla Powder / Matière PremièreRoasted Green Tea, Sumo Wrestler / J-ScentVetiver Bourbon/ Parfum D'EmpireReading: Frankincense's Ritual Uses in Oman: An Anthropological Study, Hajer Harrathi (Al-Muntaqa, 2023)Podcast music & Sound Engineering: Jasem JarrarBe sure to follow on Instagram @btwnotes for more smelly updates, and feel free to leave a comment or reach out through email at [email protected]

We often think about smell and fragrance in a vacuum; as a alternative form of self expression or beauty. But, scent is political. In this episode Sarah discusses Shivani Kapoor's writing on how Dalit autobiographies highlight smell and a critical experience that defines the caste system in India, and connect it to broader ideas of smelling "of your class". Don't worry, I of course chat about pretty smells too (perfume oils especially!)Fragrances mentioned:- Pear Inc/ JHAG- Myth/Ellis Brooklyn- 3 Fleurs, Le Cri, Vetiver Bourbon, Tabac Tabou/ Parfum d'Empire- Egyptian Musk, Sandalwood/ Nemat- O'Feminin/ M. Micallef- Yara/ Lattafa- Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere Reading:Shivani Kapoor: "Words that Smell: Caste and Odors in Hindi Dalit Autobiographies" in Aromas of Asia: Exchanges Histories, Threats. Edited by Hannah Gould & Gwyn McClellandBe sure to follow on Instagram @btwnotes. If you have recommendations or want to say hi, you can also email at [email protected] & Sound Engineering: Jasem Jarrar

This week is all about comfort scents, and the ongoing search for a new hyperfixation: the soapy, bubbly, shampoo-y scents of your dreams (a sign of the times). I need to know: what's the squeaky, fruity floral concoction you find yourself back to now and then?Fragrances mentioned:Hydra Figure/ Miller HarrisFascent/ I Fig youNo. 19 Poudre & No. 5 Eau Premeire/ Chanel Sandalwood/ NematKimono/ d'AnnamQueen Nzinga/ Marissa ZappasPorcelain Pulse/ RoanChampaca/ Ormonde Jayne Ghost in The Shell, You or Someone Like You / Etat Libre D'orangePurple, Blue Pour Femme, Bright Crystal/ VersacePear Inc./ JHAGLazy Sunday Morning/ Maison Margiella Sweet Pea/ Bath and Body Works Myth/ Ellis BrooklynBe sure to follow where you listen and keep in touch on Instagram @btwnotes!Have something to share? Write to [email protected] & Sound Engineering: Jasem Jarrar

Looking for a cardamom fragrance to fit your mood? Look no further, from the opulent to shape-shifting, Sarah shares the ultimate shortlist has a something for everyone, and then gets into the olfactive power of protest and memory that enables us to retain ties (even if complicated ones) to our places of origin. Fragrances mentioned:Trayee / Neela Vermeire CreationsNordic Cedar / Maya Njie Kyoto / Comme des GarçonsMoon milk/ Stora SkugganTchai/ Hima Jomo Jaipur chai/ Ineke ParfumsOtis & Me / Jazmin SaraïHonorable mentions:Night Flower / Eris ParfumNo. 7/ Enchanted Alchemy Readings:Lyrics: Fontaines D.C., Fairouz " El Kods Al Atika, القدس العتيقة"Book: "Men in the Sun" Ghassan KanafaniMake sure to follow where you listen, Between the Notes on Instagram, and message if something struck a chord with you! Music & Sound Engineering: Jasem Jarrar (@jas3m.j)

This week's episode is a bit more relaxed and chatty as Sarah talks about a recent smell trip, an very impulsive buy, the continued search for the perfect cardamom fragrance, and fragrance recession indicators (not all facts, some observations and vibes). Fragrances/ products mentioned:Neroli Body Oil/ NuxeBody Lotion in Black Rose & Oud/ Salt & StoneThe New Savant Candles (Androgyne was the favorite) Amber/ Nemat Nippon Kodo Incense Sticks (Musk, Jasmine, Green Tea, Lotus & Sandalwood)Olivenol Body Cream/ Medipharma CosmeticsMure, Bergamote/ OutremerSummer in Paro, Tchai/ Hima JomoDandelion Butter/ Clue Perfumery Moonmilk/ Stora Skuggan Toor Toor/ Regime de FleursFleur d' Ete/ BienaimeGolestan, L'Air du Desert Marocain, L'Air Des Alpes Suisses/ Andy Tauer Matchbox Romance/ BinauraleYou can follow Between the Notes on Instagram @btwnotes Feel free to reach out to the show's email: [email protected] & Sound Engineering: Jasem Jarrar

This week Sarah gets into reviews for fragrances from d'Annam, Chapel Factory, Aesop and more. Then from Indonesia we discuss Saki Tanada's research on how smell is associated with different states of being in Lombok, Indonesia. Fragrances:Tokyo Nights, Hinoki Meditation, Kimono/ d'AnnamMarrakech Intense/ AesopHoly Stick/ Chapel Factory Ashoka/ Neela Vermeire CreationsUn Air d'Apogée/ Violet ParfumEuphoria/ Calvin KleinGucci Guilty Intense Pour Femme/ Gucci Work Cited:Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Smell of Vunerability in Lombok, Indonesia by Saki Tanada, in "Aromas of Asia: Exchanges, Histories, Threats" (2023)Music & Sound Engineering: Jasem JarrarBe sure to comment, like and follow where you listen, and connect on Instagram: @btwnotes

This week Sarah discusses thoughts on Amer Perfume's Arabian Jasmine (Art & Olfaction award-winning), Perennial and Mandaroud before diving deep into the introduction of AI in the perfume industry, and its impact on the concept of craftsmanship (and Sarah shares her absolute no-nos for AI in perfume)Perfumes mentioned: Arabian Jasmine, Perennial, Mandaroud/ Amer PerfumesWorks cited:Arabelle Sicardi for The Verge "How AI Infiltrated Perfume" June 24, 2025I also suggest reading further on all the tech mentioned in this article and in the episode!Music @ sound engineering: Jasem Jarrar @jas3m.jReach out and share your thoughts! Between the Notes on Instagram: @btwnotes

This week, Sarah gives a brief review of Trayee, an introductory scent from the house of Neela Vermeire Creations. Then we dive into Dora Goldsmith's work on constructed smellscapes in ancient Egypt, and muse on smells of today's Egypt. Chuck out your 1920s harem pants and bobs, because this is not the Egyptology you think it is! Fragrances mentioned:Trayee/ Neela Vermeire CreationsWorks mentioned: Goldsmith, Dora. "Smellscapes in ancient Egypt." The Routledge Handbook of the Senses in the Ancient Near East. Routledge, 2021. 636-662.Hessler, Peter. The Buried: Life, Death and Revolution in Egypt. Profile Books, 2019.Dana El Masri for Alabastron Journal, 2024Sound Engineering & Music: Jasem Jarrar