Fragrance 04 – complex and modern and chic

Natural perfumes are a fast-growing segment within the niche fragrance category and have come a long way in the past few years, so when one of my favourite people, Brynne, texted me about a natural fragrance line she was excited about called DedCool, I got excited too.

The DedCool brand was launched in Los Angeles in 2016 by 21-year-old Carina Chaz. In an interview, she says: "Growing up, Barneys was the place I would go to discover fragrance, but the way fragrance was sold was very gender-specific, and I personally wanted to wear more 'masculine' fragrances," the founder says of the inspiration for DedCool. "Coming from a background of health and beauty" — her parents started natural personal care company LaNatura in 1987 — "I was never able to wear those traditional fragrances at the Barneys counter." The scents that did meet her safety standards "were the ones sold at Whole Foods," and those didn't speak to her style. So, she created a fragrance line of vegan, non-toxic, unisex, cruelty-free scents with a "naturally chic edge."

It took me no time to get my hands on some samples, and I was impressed with the quality and performance of the scents, but Fragrance 04 was a standout for me.

It opens with a bright, bracing note of spicy, earthy black pepper. As it fades, a note of dried fig comes up. Its jammy sweetness tempers the black pepper before bergamot and lemon appear. To my nose, the citruses aren't sharp or harsh. Here, they're aromatic and bright and add elegance to Fragrance 04. They also usher in a floral heart of sweet, opulent jasmine paired with a fresh, powdery freesia. The scent of freesia is hard to replicate in scent, yet Ms. Chaz has done an excellent job of capturing it here. The base is woody from creamy, rich and aromatic sandalwood, sweet earth and balsamy, smoky patchouli. The fig and sandalwood are a classic fragrance pairing that keeps everything balanced and in place – this is key in fragrances without synthetics.

The drydown is complex, modern and chic, making Fragrance 04 an anytime/anywhere fragrance.

I'm adding Carina Chaz and DedPool fragrances to my list of ones to watch.

Check out Fragrance 04 in our Shop.