What if choosing a natural perfume didn’t mean compromising on complexity, character or staying power?
That question is at the heart of Abel, the fragrance house founded by former winemaker Frances Shoemack. More than a decade ago, Shoemack left the world of wine after discovering just how heavily conventional fragrance relies on petrochemicals — and, at the same time, how few sophisticated natural alternatives existed. Her response was not to create another version of a “natural” perfume. It was to rethink what natural perfumery could be altogether.
Today, Abel brings together three very different perspectives: a radical thinker, an artist and a scientist. Working with Master Perfumer Isaac Sinclair and scientist Dr Fanny Grau, Abel has built a collection of 100% natural fragrances designed to challenge the assumption that natural scents must compromise on performance or sophistication. The result is a collection that feels contemporary rather than nostalgic — confident, distinctive and created to be worn as an expression of self.
For Abel, “natural” isn’t simply a marketing label. It is a fundamental principle of how fragrance should be made.
The brand describes its approach as 100% natural and 0% petrochemical, with ingredients derived from plants, yeast or fungi. But perhaps more interesting than the ingredients themselves is what Abel is trying to achieve with them: fragrances with depth, texture and a sense of individuality that can stand confidently alongside conventional fine fragrance.
This is where science enters the story. Abel works with the latest biotechnology to develop new natural fragrance molecules and ingredients, viewing biotechnology as a renewable alternative to fossil-fuel-derived materials. It allows the brand to explore a much broader olfactive palette while remaining committed to its natural standards.
In other words, Abel isn’t looking backwards to recreate an idealised version of natural perfumery. It’s looking forward.
Abel calls this philosophy Radical Fragrance — and the word “radical” is deliberate.
It means questioning the conventions of the fragrance industry rather than simply working within them. It means publishing the full ingredient list, rather than only the fragrance allergens that are legally required to be disclosed. It means continually reconsidering how perfumes are formulated, how long they last and how they are packaged.
Even the brand’s relationship with consumption reflects this mindset. Abel closes its online store on Black Friday as a quiet protest against the relentless pace of consumerism — a particularly striking choice for a fragrance company whose business depends on selling something that is, ultimately, an object of desire.
Radical Fragrance is therefore less about being provocative for the sake of it and more about being intentional: transparency over mystery, thoughtful development over trend cycles, and progress over simply doing things because they have always been done that way.
There is also something deeply personal about Abel’s approach to scent.
Rather than treating perfume as an accessory or an ornamental final step, the brand describes fragrance as an extension of self. That idea comes through in the collection itself, where scents are not designed to fit neatly into predictable categories, but to have their own personalities.
There is the salty sweetness of Cyan Nori, the sun-filled citrus of Laundry Day, the soft floral musk of Nurture and the woody texture of Pause. Elsewhere, Cobalt Amber leans into a richer, more sensual warmth, while newer creations such as Double Scoop explore a toasted, milky vanilla and Miami Split an edgy white oud.
The names themselves hint at Abel’s approach: contemporary, evocative and slightly unexpected. They invite you to imagine a mood or a place before you even smell the fragrance.
The newest addition to the Abel collection, Tibi, feels like a natural continuation of the brand’s philosophy — while bringing something distinctly new to the table. Created for the Tibi Creative Pragmatist, it is a peppery green wood built around Timut pepper and aldehydes, with a heart of yerba mate and a grounding base of vetiver and cedarwood. The result is understated but characterful: modern, cool and quietly confident.
Double Scoop takes the idea of a gourmand fragrance somewhere unexpected. Rosemary and toasted black sesame meet a buttery butterscotch heart before settling into vanilla and musk, creating something creamy, savoury and delicious without becoming overly sweet. Inspired by long summer days that drift into warm evenings, it has a playful side — but there is enough depth to make it feel distinctly grown-up.
With Miami Split, Abel embraces contrast. Green banana and burnt caramel create an almost pop-art opening, before white oud and a trio of labdanum bring something darker and more rebellious into the picture. It is deliberately unexpected — bright and shadowy at once — and perhaps one of the clearest examples of Abel refusing to make fragrance predictable.
Green Cedar is for those moments when you want to disappear into the woods for a while. Magnolia and cardamom introduce a soft aromatic brightness, while cypriol, guaiac wood and two varieties of cedar create a deeper, earthy base. Grounding without feeling heavy, it captures that particular stillness of damp earth, fresh air and trees after rain.
Cyan Nori turns the ocean into something almost otherworldly. Tangerine and white peach bring a luminous sweetness, while musk and nori create its distinctive salty, umami character. It is aquatic without falling into the familiar marine-perfume cliché — more like warm skin, sea air and crashing waves beneath a neon sky.
Despite its wonderfully everyday name, Laundry Day is anything but ordinary. The fragrance opens with cut grass, aldehydes and neroli before moving into lime, bergamot and passionfruit, grounded by vetiver and ambroxan. It captures that fleeting feeling of opening the windows on the first warm day of spring: sunlight, fresh air, clean laundry and a sudden sense of optimism.
The Apartment is Abel at its more decadent. Tart cherry, rum and cacao lead into jasmine and tuberose, before settling into myrrh, balsam and vanilla. Inspired by the opulent atmosphere of the L’Appartement Étoile in Paris, it feels like late evening in a beautiful room — velvet textures, dim light and just enough indulgence.
As its name suggests, Nurture is about softness. Orange blossom and Bulgarian rose wrap around a heart of jasmine sambac, ginger and orris, while sandalwood and musk create a warm, comforting base. There is something almost tactile about it — floral, creamy and reassuring, like being enveloped in something familiar and beautifully soft.
Pink Iris gives the classic iris a distinctly contemporary twist. Powder-fresh orris is lifted by Sichuan pepper, raspberry leaf and basil, while rose and jasmine add a delicate floral layer before vanilla and musk soften the finish. The effect is polished but never prim — crisp, unexpected and effortlessly chic.
Rich and sensual, Cobalt Amber explores the warmer side of Abel. Pink pepper and juniper bring a bright, spicy opening, followed by cacao, Peruvian balsam and sandalwood, with tonka, amber and leather creating its smooth finish. It has the enveloping quality of golden amber, but with enough spice and texture to keep it modern rather than traditionally sweet.
Coat Check belongs to the after-dark part of the collection. Star anise, coffee and cassis give way to cacao and tolu balsam, while tobacco and cedarwood leave a smoky, lingering trail. Imagine stepping out into the night after dinner, the scent of black coffee still in the air — dark, intimate and quietly seductive.
And then there is Pause — perhaps the most meditative of the collection. Violet leaf and grapefruit introduce a fresh green brightness, while mimosa, narcissus and copaiba balsam create a textured floral heart grounded by hay absolute and cedarwood. It feels deliberately unhurried: earthy, atmospheric and designed to make you stop for a moment.
One of the most compelling things about Abel is that its version of natural beauty doesn’t feel like a retreat from modernity. Quite the opposite. The brand combines traditional expertise in perfumery with biotechnology, full transparency and an ongoing search for lower-impact packaging. It is also reformulating its fragrances to be more concentrated and enduring, while continuing to investigate how the packaging can have the lightest possible footprint.
For Abel, natural fragrance isn’t about accepting less. It’s about asking whether we can expect more — more transparency, more creativity, more responsibility and, ultimately, more beautiful ways to wear scent. Tthat is what makes Abel feel so contemporary: it doesn’t ask us to choose between conscious beauty and desire. It believes we should be able to have both.
Tags: Behind the Brand, New In, Perfume
I am part of the Amazingy Marketing & Social Media Team since 2020 ♡ Together we want to build a community, raise awareness, and create a space for conscious beauty lovers - like you and me!
There is a particular kind of glow that no highlighter…
There is something instinctive about water. We reach for it…
Some people have one stage persona, Lawunda Richardson has something…
