Matiere Premiere

Matiere Premiere is a Paris niche house, set up in 2019 by a perfumer from a Grasse perfume-making family, and its name, French for raw material, sums up the idea. Each perfume puts one ingredient in the spotlight and builds only what it needs around it. Parisian Musc is the clean, skin-close starting point, all soft musk. Encens Suave takes incense into warm, spiced territory, and Crystal Saffron makes saffron the centre of attention. Radical Rose is rose at full volume, warm and spiced. Fans of vanilla get Vanilla Powder and its richer Vanilla Powder Extrait. Across the range you also meet benzoin, labdanum, heliotrope, coconut and palo santo. Wearing one for a week tells you more than a quick spray on a card.

6 perfumes from Matiere Premiere, decanted in sizes from 3ml so you can try before you buy a bottle.