Sarah Horowitz is known as the force behind Creative Scentualization, and now Sarah Horowitz Parfums. She has three perfume series, What Comes from Within, Perfumers Palette, and PERFECT. I was lucky enough to receive some of her latest creation for the PERFECT series: Coconut Milk. A wonderfully almondy, warm take on a classic beachy note, I wanted to know how this fragrance came about.

What inspired you to make a coconut scent? 

Sarah Horowitz: Coconut Milk was launched in August of 2011, as the August addition to my Banque de Parfum collection.  Each month I design a fragrance for my customers (not for retail distribution), and for August, I wanted lush, sultry, sexy, tropical.  Coconut Milk seemed to be everywhere, and I adore it – my goal was to capture the lushness of a tropical escape.  What I got was astounding.  I had never gotten such a response from my customers to any of my monthly offerings; people were ordering it based on the description alone; and once they got samples, they ordered multiples – one for them, and one for a friend.  I started getting email from new clients saying they heard about it – which was amazing to me, as the only promotion I had done was my monthly email blast!  When it was still being ordered in October, I knew I was on to something, and we decided to make it a permanent edition to the Perfect Perfumes Collection.

When I first tried PERFECT Coconut Milk, I thought that this would be great all year long. Did you have it in mind to make a tropical scent that could be multi-seasonal? 

SH:  When I first designed it, I was trying to capture August!  Then I found that the lingering base note accord of Tonka Bean, Vanilla, and Egyptian Musk made a dry down worthy of the coolest winter nights – and honestly, the top notes still transport you to a sultry beach in the middle of winter, which is pretty much exactly where I dream of being when it gets to cold (not that I can complain right now – it was 80 degrees in Southern California today;-)).  I do have quite a few customers that have said the same thing – that they want this to be a scent for all year.  I love that.

I like the idea of your Banque de Parfum. Have any of your other scents become part of your line as a result of huge popularity like the Coconut did?

SH: Not yet.  Each has had an interesting response – Huntress did well over the Holidays, but I would say Coeur de Sang (Hearts Blood), my October offering (which was my ode to Amber, if you will), did very well – we are still getting orders for it today.  Arise, which is this month, was the second strongest launch after Coconut Milk – as in, customers ordering it based on the description alone, before they even get a sample.  We will see how it moves into the new year, but so far, so good – it is sparkling, and very 'clear/purple' with osmanthus, lavender, and the musk ambroxin accord in the base note. 

Do you have any favorite but as yet unexplored notes or perfume territory you may be visiting this year?

SH:  I do!  I have an ingredient I had developed for me that I am holding back until Spring…  it is a fresh green accord that I am playing with for my May fragrance (my birthday month).  I have yet to launch anything super green, super fresh… Stay tuned!

Many thanks to Sarah for taking the time to answer our questions. I am looking forward to seeing what she tantalizes us with next. You can win a lovely 0 .2 oz (6.2mL)  travel rollerball of Coconut Milk pure oil, perfect for dabbing at the beach or, for now, reminding you of paradise in the dead of winter; courtesy of Sarah Horowitz Parfums. Let us know something you learned from our interview, or tell us your favorite beachy scents. The winner will be drawn via random.org on January 19. 2012.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilt perfume.

-Tama Blough, Senior Editor

Editor’s Note: Perfect Coconut Milk is a nominee for The Fragrance Foundation’s Best Indie Scent of 2011 which will be awarded on January 30, 2012 at the Elements Showcase in New York City.