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As a teenager, Boots was the shopping destination of choice for my friends and I when we wanted to buy a new Rimmel London concealer or a Barry M sparkly eyeshadow.
The brands stocked were on the cheap and cheerful end of the scale, perfect for a £10 pocket money budget. In terms of perfume there were a few designer scents locked away in a corner of the shop that we didn’t pay much attention to.
So, the sparkling white, luxury Boots fragrance boutique I had an exclusive preview of last week felt worlds away from the store of my teen years.
Boots’ new boutique fragrance hub at Broadgate, London.
This is an experience store, stocked only with perfume, to allow people to explore and take their time discovering new fragrances.
And it’s not just home to top designers like Tom Ford and Chanel, there are 20 brands that are joining Boot’s fragrance offering for the first time, many of them niche scents from independent fragrance houses.
I spritzed and sampled my way round the shop, chatted to perfumers behind the brands and being schooled on what’s trending (spoiler: woody vanillas aren’t the only scents for autumn).
This is my pick of the perfumes you may not have heard of that you can find in-store at Broadgate or shop online at the new Boots fragrance hub.
We all know Prada’s Paradoxe bottle – the iconic triangle – but the Les Infusions line is a different kind of cool. There are ten understated scents in the collection, designed to whisper rather than shout. My pick? The Rhubarb. It’s tart, crisp and just the right amount of unexpected. Ideal for anyone bored of the vanilla-woody brigade.
Not technically a perfume, but it was this candle that caught my attention from the Osten’s collection. It’s pure escapism – think that moment on holiday when you catch a heady waft of flowers in the warm air. The packaging, meanwhile, is a riot of colour – unapologetically joyful in a sea of beige minimalism. It’s the kind of candle that makes a brilliant gift, although you may find you want to keep it for yourself.
Former full-time supermodel Bella Hadid is the brains behind this brand (hence the name). She developed a sensitivity to alcohol-based perfumes, so created this oil-based fragrance brand. There are five scents in the line (Window2Soul, Blooming Fire, Nightcap, Eternal Roots and my favourite, Salted Muse). It’s slightly salty, slightly warm – if you lean toward unisex perfumes this is a great one to try.
Founded by Sophie King – better known for her YouTube channel Soki London, where she reviews perfumes for her devoted followers – this one’s for the fruity-floral fans. Aphrodite opens with juicy mango before settling into creamy coconut. It’s wonderfully tropical without veering into soapy territory. Wiith a long, dark winter ahead, a few spritzes might just be the shortcut to summer we all need.
For those who don’t like a vanilla that is too sweet and biscuity, Guerlain’s vanilla fragrance is a grown-up alternative. It’s a rich, musky vanilla, perfect for the colder months. It comes with a higher price point, but this fragrance has real staying power, you won’t need top-ups. The gold cage bottle will add instant French glamour to any bedside table.
