Nathalie Feisthauer of Lab Scent courtesy of the perfumer

There are some perfumers whose work you truly ‘’take personal’’ – and their art becomes inexorably woven into the fabric of your life – scented triggers of dear memories. For me, Nathalie Feisthauer of Lab Scent  is exactly this kind of perfumer, the invisible composer behind the fragrant soundtrack of many, many defining moments of my life. Her creations are my olfactive timestamps, marking joy, nostalgia, discovery – and every emotion in between – for the past thirty years of my life.

Artist’o Ode, Librery Parfum Sun Ice and Perfumology Decadent Memories – AI generated image by Nicoleta

One of the stories from this wonderful perfume world that stayed with me and still moves me to this day is Nathalie Feisthauer and her fragrant awakening. She often recounts the day she discovered Opium at the age of sixteen, freshly arrived in Paris. A self-described tomboy, with no interest in dresses or fancy girly things, wandered into a perfume boutique… and the second she smelled Opium –  her world changed. One of the perfumes that marked my own fragrance awakening is Versace Blonde. To this day, I vividly remember the pale blue oval bottle, tucked into its velvety blue pouch, and the very first moment I smelled it. It wasn’t even mine! -it belonged to my best friend’s mom. After school, we’d sneak into her closet, carefully applying just a few precious drops on our wrists. We were both tomboys, yet something about that scent shifted something of our perspective. We couldn’t believe something could smell so grown-up, so feminine, so utterly… beautiful. I was smitten. And I even contemplated becoming a blonde…

And so many followed, too many to count – the incredible freshness of Balmain Vent Vert, my mothers floral of choice (that I often stole): Oriflame’s Giordani Gold, the milky perfume that was decades ahead of its time – Diesel Plus Plus Feminine, the legendary uber-feminine that needs no introduction Putain des Palaces from Etat Libre d’Orange and the summer staple – Eau des Merveilles from Hermes. Nathalie Feisthauer is also the creator of some of my favorite scents of recent years too, with the ethereal Puredistance Papilio, the innovative Der Duft Privilege, the comforting  Zoologist Cow, the fluffy Mono Cachemere from L’orchestre and the entire  Lor line (that deserves so much more love and attention). You can imagine my delight when, just a few weeks ago, Nathalie Feisthauer shared with me some of her more recent creations. Choosing favorites was no easy feat, but in the heat-drenched, long days of July, these three delights effortlessly stood out:

Nathalie Feisthauer: Three Summer Delights You Should Be Wearing collage by Nicoleta

Artist’o Ode, photo via the brand Instagram page

Artist’o Ode (2025): “Le parfum est la musique du corps, la musique est le parfum de l’âme.” A perfume inspired by Charles Baudelaire? Oh, yes please! One that blends fragrance and music into a beautiful sensory duet? Wonderful – give me twenty bottles! “Ode,” from  Nathalie’s Allora collection, unfolds like a fragrant poem built on warm, sweet, and gently spicy layers, with a chic, unmistakably French gourmand twist. Raw almonds and heliotrope mingle effortlessly with vanilla and tonka’s rounded edges, subtly accented by a hint of cinnamon. The result is a deliciously refined experience, making you feel effortlessly chic – like slipping into your favorite white linen t-shirt, twisting your hair into the most perfectly imperfect messy bun, and applying just a whisper of red lipstick, blurred with your fingertips. (if you know, you know.) Top: Raw Almond, Heliotrope, Cinnamon, Heart Notes: Vanilla; Base Notes: Tonka Bean, Amber, Wood

Librery Parfum Sun Ice composed by Nathalie Feisthauer, photo via the brand Instagram page

Librery Parfum Sun Ice (2024): An ice cream-inspired perfume, perfect for summer heat without being sticky-sweet or heavy? Oh, yes! Sun Ice” from Librery Parfums is an olfactory scoop of pure delight: deliciously creamy yet refreshingly airy, with all the indulgence and none of the guilt. Mouthwatering blackcurrants and citrus zest melts into notes of crispy red apple, roasted pistachio, and delicious toffee, creating a fragrant treat that’s effortlessly uplifting. It feels exactly like savoring a cool gelato with a crunchy biscuit,  on a sun drenched Italian terrace near the sea – a dolce vita gourmand that feels weightless in the summer heat.

Top notes: Blackcurrant and Bergamot from Italy; Heart note Apple, Roasted Pistachio, Toffee and Heliotrope Base notes: Virginia Cedar, Tahitian Vanilla, Musk, Tonka Bean, Sandalwood and Amber

Perfumology Decadent Memories, AI image by Nicoleta

Perfumology Decadent Memories (2024): Ever since reading Olya’s review (she’s my go-to for all things delicious), I’ve been secretly craving a teaspoon of this fragrant rendition of a freshly baked pie. While I imagine it truly shining in colder weather -especially around Christmas – Decadent Memories worked absolute wonders in the slightly crisp evening air of summer. It’s a deliciously refined indulgence: baked apples, juicy cherries, and blackcurrants swirl together in a golden haze, wrapped around an elegant heart of creamy sandalwood and rich, decadent vanilla. Tempting, textured, and unexpectedly sophisticated – a very posh couture dessert. Yum!

Notes: Cherry Accord, Blueberry Accord, Baked Apple, Blackcurrant, Vanilla Absolute, Tonka Bean Absolute, Sandalwood Oil, Virginia Cedar, Ambroxan, Musks.

Nicoleta Tomsa, Senior Editor

Disclosure: Lab samples were kindly offered by the Nathalie Feisthauer, opinions are -always- my own.

Perfumology Decadent Memories, photo via the brand Instagram page

Thanks to the generosity of Perfumology we have a 60 ml bottle (with box) of Decadent Memories for one registered reader from  the USA ONLY. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Nicoleta’s article on Nathalie Feisthauer and that you live in the USA. Do You have a favorite by Nathalie Feisthauer? Giveaway closes7/30/2025

 Nathalie Feisthauer and Nir Guy in NYC June 2025 (via Nathalie)

Nathalie Feisthauer was Michelyn’s Best Perfumer of 2021 Astrophil & Stella Madame M is one of Karl’s Best Perfumes of 2022, Puredistance Papillo by Nathalie Feisthauer of Lab Scent was a top 10 perfume of 2023 by Nicoleta and she was Nicoleta’s best perfumer of 2023, Rosy & Earnest Vanilla Rum Royal by Nathalie Feisthauer is one of Hernando’s Top 10 of 2024, Hermes Eau Merveilles 2004 by Nathalie Feisthauer and Ralf Schwieger is a CaFleureBon Modern Masterpiece.

Check out Nathalie’s Award Page for all the Best of Scents from CaFleureBon here

Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebonofficial @nicoleta.tomsa @nathaliefeisthauer @perfumology @artistoparis @libreryparfums

This is our Privacy Policy

We announce the winners only on our site and on our Facebook page, so like Çafleurebon and use our blog feed… or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

Like our Facebook page: Çafleurebon and use our blog feed for new updates and articles.