Aysha Hansen Fine Fragrances

One of the things I love about independent perfumery is the opportunity to explore the work of talented people from every part of the world. The indie scene is incredibly creative and warmly inclusive, and while some industry experts and enthusiasts complain that too many brands keep popping up in the market, I’m always excited to hear about new launches and see all the unique and unusual concepts and scents artisans come up with.

A few months ago, Aysha Hansen of the Australian house Aysha Hansen Fine Fragrances reached out to me about her newly launched fragrance collection. I was very moved by her generosity and her trust in my opinion. Her beautifully curated discovery set traveled all the way from Australia and arrived safely (and quite quickly!) to my house. I was impressed at first sight: the delightful box, the handwritten note, the cards listing the olfactory notes, and the gorgeous juice in the samples made the experience especially luxurious and enjoyable.

I initially sprayed the fragrances on blotters and immediately liked Ambrosia. However, trying all three fragrances on skin revealed entirely different stories.

My favorite of the three is Ghost Lover, a full-bodied, dark, and slightly medicinal amber. I spritzed it in the morning and kept smelling my wrist all day long. As a lover of opulent amber fragrances, I found this truly addicting and reminiscent of classic perfumes, such as Krazy Krizia. And while you might expect this type of fragrance to be thick and heavy, my experience with Ghost Lover was intimate and enveloping.

Golden Thread was an unexpected and welcome surprise. I notoriously turn my nose at heavy doses of both banana and ylang ylang. The two often complement one another but I find them to be either cloying or unoriginal. Aysha’s creation opens with a photorealistic note of banana I found to be pleasant and distinct from those depicted in more gourmand fragrances. Seamlessly melding with banana, the ylang ylang comes through as lush and graceful, nicely resting on Aysha’s signature amber base. The fragrance was never overpowering and it’s a true joy to wear.

Ambrosia’s peachy, nectarous, and sweet floral nature was delightful on paper but didn’t quite work on my skin, even with the presence of my beloved rose and osmanthus. I attribute this to the presence of honey, which can sometimes take strange turns on me, but I’ve read the thoughts of other scent enthusiasts who considered it their favorite.

Aysha creates her artisan fragrances in her studio in Geelong, Australia. She also offers workshops that allow scent lovers to create their custom fragrances. Check more on the official website.

I’m grateful to her for sending me her beautiful discovery set.

 Interview

I enjoyed getting to know Aysha through our interactions, and I’m pleased to share her insights into her fragrance palette, her scent memories, and Australia’s presence and role in the fragrance world.

Aysha, your fragrances feel packed with natural ingredients. How did you become interested in using your current palette? Do you use any synthetics?

I use a mix of magnificent naturals, aroma chemicals and accords in my perfumes. I am a flower fanatic and try to use a generous number of naturals, I feel nothing smells better than quality ingredients and I personally want my clients to smell where the money is in each fragrance.

Can you name a favorite fragrance ingredient and say why you love working with it?

That’s a hard question. I go through phases where I fixate on different ingredients. Some of my favourite ingredients are jasmine, Madagascan vanilla, resins and labdanum. At the moment, I’m having a love affair with Sweet Clover Absolute, Fir Balsam and Western Australian Sandalwood.

Can you mention a challenging ingredient and say why you find it difficult to work with?

I find cocoa and mushroom absolutes really hard to work with, I cannot count how many mods I have been working on that I have had to walk away from. I have this idea about creating a sexy forest floor fragrance but am still wrestling with getting the balance just right.

Your fragrances are shaped by daydreaming and adventure. Can you talk a little more about your concept?

In terms of concept, I start to work with an idea or memory and then take time to flesh out the ingredients I feel are appropriate to help translate that into a fragrant form. This process can take months and every new ingredient I discover throws out another swag of possibilities. I know I have landed on something special when I cannot stop smelling it, keep thinking about it, and wear it exhaustively.

What is your favorite scent or smell memory?

Smelling Fendi per Donna in 1989 rocked my world, and time seemed to stand still for me. To this day, I travel back in time every time I smell it. I have created so many memories wearing this fragrance and it has become part of the scented soundtrack of sorts to my life.

What are your thoughts about the perfumery scene in Australia and how do you fit into this scene?

Being fairly new to the perfume scene, my experience has been delightful. The people and perfume community I have met have been welcoming, passionate and curious, very warm and supportive. I guess I am finding my place as one of the small number of perfumers who are composing their own fragrances within Australia. I have been lucky enough to meet some incredible perfumers who have been happy to connect and share knowledge, we get very excited when we get a chance to get together and bounce ideas off each other.

What does the fragrance industry need more of?

I think there is a big opportunity for education in the Australian space about ingredients, such as naturals and aroma chemicals and the role they play in perfumery. Ultimately there is room for every kind of maker and creative, but it would be great if we had more access to more perfume resources in this country instead of having to fly to Europe to seek them out.