Co-founder Catherine Frederico and Perfumer Justin Frederico of Frederico Parfums
It’s already been a year since perfumer Justin Frederico launched the inaugural perfume for his newly-minted brand Frederico Parfums: the fragrance was Blooming Amber, a tender honeyed floral. Since then, Justin has been busy– creating four exquisite and novel perfumes (all are perfume strength concentration), each one different from the next. He is currently in the process of updating his website, while he has been redesigning his labels and packaging, in order to better reflect and showcase his brand’s aesthetic. In addition, there are many more fragrant concepts currently in the works. Justin’s creative mind rarely rests.
Frederico Parfums Parfum Ensoleillé
Frederico Parfums Parfum Ensoleillé was the first fragrance to follow Blooming Amber, and it took a considerable amount of care to develop. One of the challenges resided in composing a Mediterranean-inspired perfume which encompassed multiple aspects of the orange in an original manner. Herbs, blossoms, spice, woods and verdant elements each had their part to play. From the beginning, it became clear that only a perfume concentration would do this scent justice. As it often happens, modules can reveal the specific, preferred format required to showcase a fragrance’s attributes. Few perfumes are as glowing as this one is – and more to the point, it’s one of the few newer scents on the market which I am happy to wear for my own pleasure.
Parfum Ensoleillé is an ardent ode to orange blossom that celebrates its universal appeal in parfum strength. Diverse facets of the flower’s sunny disposition are revealed: voluptuous floral languor is embellished with brisk aldehydes, zesty notes of bergamot, mandarin and Brazil orange. Ingenious pinches of thyme, ginger and coriander meld with beeswax and ambergris; basil and lavender provide a wisp of verdancy; the subtle base is peppered with touches of cedar, moss and vetiver. This is a glowing, alive fragrance which wears beautifully in any season – a warm and soothing solar embrace.
Notes: aldehydes, bergamot, mandarin, Brazil sweet orange, orange blossom, thyme, coriander, ginger, basil, lavender, cedar, moss, vetiver, beeswax, ambergris.
Frederico Parfums Lemon Basil Fizz
Justin Frederico wanted a zesty, tonic fragrance – something playful and refreshing that shared a lineage with some of the great perfumes which preceded it. Classic and quirky was the name of the game, and Lemon Basil Fizz turned out to be everything he wished, and then some. A cornucopia of citrus and citrus-imbued materials accompany carefully chosen florals which are highlighted by a variety of aldehydes, touches of spice, herbs galore and amiable woody tones. This is a sparkling, irresistible scent which is very versatile and happy-making. There are myriad ways of amplifying lemon – and the herbs melissa, citronella, and lemongrass contribute a significant increase in depth and complexity. The observer may note that there are common materials employed in both Parfum Ensoleillé and Lemon Basil Fizz; I urge you not to be deceived. Formulae, when listed purely as notes – do not reveal the concentrations, ratios present in a fragrance. It is not uncommon to see similar lists which result in very different fragrances.
Lemon Basil Fizz is a buoyant cosmopolitan cocktail which transforms effervescent herb-infused lemonade into an effortlessly elegant elixir – all the more potent and appealing as a parfum. Its suave charm is hard to resist and never fails to elicit a smile; call it Nature’s panacea for flagging spirits, polished and easy to love, all year long.
Notes: aldehydes (including cyclamen aldehyde), bergamot, grapefruit, citronella, lemongrass, lemon, Brazilian orange, mandarin, melissa, basil, ginger, lavender, Hedione®, geranium, lily-of-the-valley accord, green notes, nutmeg, cardamom, tarragon, bay, cilantro, Virginia cedarwood, cypriol heart, moss, ambrettolide, ambergris
Frederico Parfums Posh Affair
Being bewitched by haute parfumerie is one thing – but applying classical bone structure to a completely modern perfume is another. Posh Affair possesses all the panache of a rare vintage with present-day flair in the form of a sprightly aldehydic fruity floral draped in greenery, precious woods, and sprinkled with powder. This perfume displays facets of luxuriousness, animalic murmurs, and a delicious, juicy floralcy. So far, every person who has smelt it insists that they want a bottle of their own – and I agree. Frederico Parfums Posh Affair is that rare creature: a perfume which blends vintage mastery and contemporary finesse without skipping a beat. This regal fragrance renders any occasion memorable – dressed as the much-loved classic aldehydic green floral chypre with a twist. Lustrous aldehydes pave the way to a tender floral heart which includes a breathtaking rose; myriad green notes appear, beautifully balanced. This aromatic perfect harmony is accented with subtle traces of powder and the hint of an animalic growl embedded in its mossy balsamic/woody base. It’s the NEW classic.
Notes: aldehydes, bergamot, rose, peach nectar, Ceylon cinnamon, jasmine, galbanum, orris, guaiac wood, ambrettolide, patchouli, labdanum, oakmoss, vetiver, oud
Frederico Parfums Silken Skin
How does one approach a genre which has been explored time and again? With equal amounts of anticipation and trepidation. Justin had experienced an encyclopedic number of leather fragrances – and he had no desire to duplicate any of them. Justin’s particular master stroke lay in his use of passion fruit, with its subtle animalic tones – which are bolstered by patchouli, oud, musk and leathery benzoin. Silken Skin is an anomaly: weightless yet enduring; indolic and feathery. It is slippery-smooth – not boot leather, bridle leather, or any rough hide – and it isn’t suede, either. Sleight-of-hand expertise results in one of the more intriguing leather fragrances of the year. Silken Skin invites you to experience leather as never before: a gossamer-weight, silken skin of a perfume – haunting and extraordinarily long-lasting. Ripe plum and tangy, delicately animalic passion fruit pave the way for a floral heart which seethes with indolic jasmine; its deep, charismatic base is underscored with an exceptional oud, aligned with earthy facets. Unlike other leather fragrances, these elements compose a rare perfume which is feather-light and unforgettably compelling.
Notes: passion fruit, plum, jasmine, geranium, muguet, cedarwood, patchouli, vetiver, oud, oakmoss, benzoin, musk
Justin Frederico is a name to watch. It’s a beautiful thing to witness an artist come into their own, and these new fragrances foreshadow a bright future.
Ida (r) with Justin (middle) and Catherine (L) at ScentXplore 2022 NYC
Disclosure: As ÇaFleureBon readers, I value your trust, and the confidence which you have place in me. In that spirit, I wish to be clear: I am also a professional evaluator. I feel honored to be able to work with perfumers, creative directors, and their brands. In other words, I am paid for my objectivity and critical analyses. My collaboration with Frederico Parfums is ongoing and has been fruitful and satisfying. My forensic and scientific mind, however – does not permit me to foster bias. Were these not exceptional perfumes, I would not have reviewed them.
Samples provided by the perfumer – many thanks! My nose is my own… (all images provide by the brand)
~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor
Thanks to the generosity of Frederico Parfums, we are offering a 50 ml bottle of your choice of Frederico Parfums for one registered reader in the USA. To be eligible, REGISTER HERE and please leave a comment saying what appeals to you about the four new Frederico Parfums based on Ida’s review, and which perfume you would prefer to win. Please leave the name of the fragrance in your comment. Draw closes 11/29/2023
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