Bespoke Perfume: An Indulgent and Intoxicating Experience

 The “Proust effect” was coined by scientists to describe the brain’s tendency to trigger memories of moments or people when certain smells are perceived. It’s the effect that Lane Edwards describes feeling whenever she gets a whiff of a certain perfume. In those moments, she is powerfully swept up in a feeling of comfort, as loving memories of her mother who passed away seven years ago come to the surface.

Edwards is the founder of Pura Botanicals. The lovely brick and mortar location on Edmonton’s 124th Street has an in-house laboratory which creates products that are used by customers from as far away as Hong Kong. 

The Pura Botanicals lab handcrafts all-natural skincare, body care, baby care, and bespoke perfumes. Clients are able to co-create their very own signature scents. Edwards calls it a “very cool, intimate and luxurious experience.” 

You start by booking an appointment. Then Pura Botanicals sends you a questionnaire or “scent analysis” to fill out and send back before the date of your appointment. They want to know all sorts of information like what are your favourite smells, what perfumes have you worn at different stages of your life, and what three words would you use to describe your new fragrance. When you arrive for your appointment, the perfumer will have everything ready for you and together you will blend and smell your way to the perfect scent created just for you. “When you're the only person in the world who gets to smell like that it is very, very special,” smiled Edwards. 

This story appeared in the July 2020 Edition of Modern Luxuria Magazine