My first British Society of Perfumers event: scents, stories and a surprise win

By Anton Constantinou

On 20 March 2025, I attended my first British Society of Perfumers event and won a copy of the book, ‘British Perfumery: A Fragrant History; Celebrating 50 Years: British Society of Perfumers’.

The event would introduce me to industry professionals and perfumery students, while the book would offer a deep dive on all things British perfumery. Read on to find out how the event went and why the book is such a worthwhile read.

An evening of discovery with BSP

The British Society of Perfumers is the leading society in the UK for the promotion of British Perfumery. Founded in 1963, it helps improve the status of perfumers and raise the reputation of the profession as a whole. Providing education, content, and events for those working in perfumery or enthusiastic about the profession.

The event I attended - the BSP Fragrance Hub - was hosted at London’s Royal Society of Chemistry and featured a fascinating panel discussion with current perfumers. Followed by networking drinks at a local hotel bar.

Having never attended a BSP event before, I was a little unsure of what to expect, but excited at the prospect of face to face interaction with real life perfumers. As a non-practicing perfumer, it’s not everyday that you get such an opportunity.

Inspiring voices and scented connections

Leading the panel were perfumers Harry Sherwood (of 4160 Tuesdays and Artifisceny Ltd), Beverly Jackson Moore (of Fragrance Oils Ltd), and Deborah Bortolotti (of CPL Aromas), who shared fascinating insights with us.

Harry, I discovered, is a fan of the work of Roja Dove, and cited juniper as a note that inspired him to start making perfume. While Beverly regailed us with a tale of how she created a London-based fragrance inspired by Olympic cities past, present and future. Deborah meanwhile indulged us in her journey as an Italian-born perfumer, who made the leap to living and working in the UK.

The vast of majority of guests in attendance were perfume students who had some great stories to tell.

Séamus Lloyd White, who I got talking to on arrival and continue socialising with, is a multi-disciplinary Designer and lover of perfume, who shared a beautiful scent he made for his sister for Christmas. A billowy, lactonic smelling fragrance with a cosy ambroxan core that calls to mind Another 13, Not a Perfume, and other such airy, amber-based fragrances.

Billy Howarth, another attendee, shared her fondness for green notes, including the note of rosemary, which I’m also a fan of - and which made for a fun conversation.

Rebecca Barth Hakansson, who I got talking  to over cocktails at Madhu’s - a restaurant and bar at London’s the Dilly hotel - was a former Formulation Scientist, working with cosmetics, and today runs perfume workshops for teenagers in her native Sweden. She’s planning to release her own line of fragrances, which I look forward to getting my nose on.

It was at Madhu’s that Harry treated us to a glorious sniffing session of his fragrances. A mix citruses, musks, animalics and gourmands. I lost track of which scent was which by the end, but my nose certainly got a good tingling.

British Perfumery: A Fragrant History - a closer look at the book I won

The book I won, British Perfumery: A Fragrant History; Celebrating 50 Years: British Society of Perfumers’, tells the riveting tale of perfumery in Britain. Charting its history and influence across the globe, and the various perfumers who’ve made it the success story it is today.

Its focuses include the heritage of brands like Floris, Penhaligon’s, and Yardley, and the back stories of fragrance houses such as CPL Aromas, and Belmay.

The book also features a discussion of those working as Ingredients Specialists, and the impact global brands are having on British perfumery as we know it. Rounding off with a look ahead to the future of perfumery.

Published in 2013, the book is admittedly outdated in parts, but remains a great reference source for those interested in learning more about fragrance in the UK.

For those interested in learning more about the British Society of Perfumers, you can check out their website or hit them on social media. Membership is open not only for those working in the industry, but for fragrance enthusiasts with a passion for the stuff.

For other articles like this, visit my On the Road page, for reviews of places I’ve visited and the smells they’ve evoked.