A Scent-imental Journey

Nazrin Ladha grew up sitting on the counter in her father’s shop in Tanzania, Africa, among a heady blend of beautiful scents. She now stocks her shop with rare and elusive perfumes from Europe. But don’t expect to find your drugstore variety of Calvin Klein and Coty. “A lot of designers have gone to a chemical blend. Perfumers are still doing it the old way… with actual ingredients”, she says. And when you consider, “an ounce of rose oil is over $500,” and prices at The Perfume Shoppe aren’t that far off the department store fare, it makes sense to buy the real deal rather than something concocted in a laboratory.

Within minutes of meeting me, Ladha is already working on my Perfume Profile. She prides herself on picking the perfect scent for clients. I toss her a few hints… citrus… no musk… but she’s more interested in “skin tone, personality, what kinds of colors you wear,” she says.

With a twinkle in her eye, she announces La Chasse aux Papillions by L’Artisan Parfumeur and sends me on my way!