Scenthusiasm pop-up in Hammersmith!

Independent perfumery, by its very nature, cannot be offered at ‘middle-of-Lidl’ price-points, so if (like me) the combined impact of Brexit and the pandemic has left you stone-cold broke, you might be thinking ‘why would I tease myself by going to this?’  The answer is because you will absolutely love it – it’s free to experience and the focus is completely on enjoying the sensory elements, not on retail.

The walls are lined with interesting fragrances to savour at your leisure (and to purchase if that’s available to you) but this is not a pop-up about selling: it’s about experiencing the joy of perfumery. 

Three tables in the space allow you to become a ‘nose’ : to explore your connections to ingredients, make a little something to take away, and enjoy a little artistic experience as well.

Sarah McCartney is the brains, nose, and engaging personality behind Scenthusiasm and 4160 Tuesdays Perfume. I enjoyed the most fascinating ‘what’s this note?’ experience with her, which is one of the free activities available at this playful pop-up. 

I have no problem with synthetic ingredients, but when it comes to recommendations I like them to be organic and natural …

The word ‘community’ gets thrown about in beauty marketing like confetti, and a lot of the time it’s used in an absolutely meaningless way. But when you discover a brand and people behind it that do know how to create a genuine community, you should band it to your bosom with hoops of steel. 

I became aware of 4160 Tuesdays because my friends Nita and Stefan (both of whom have better noses than me, and a huge passion for perfume) really rate them, and it’s because of their enthusiasm that I leapt at the chance to check out this pop-up myself.

Through Nita and Stefan I discovered the work of Sarah McCartney, and through Sarah creating this pop-up, I discovered artist and perfumer Amanda Beadle, founder of Bedeau X, whose gentle encouragement persuaded me to have a go at creating art for the first time in forty years! 

That’s what a good pop-up is all about: discovery, making connections, and  feeling really uplifted.

The Scenthusiasm pop-up at Livat is so good that I wish it were a permanent space!

Click this link for Scenthusiasm on instagram and this one for 4160 Tuesdays Perfume on Instagram. You can find Bedeau X perfume on instagram here.