FOLLOW YOUR NOSE
Putting their love of nature at the centre of everything they do, Foras the Folkestone-based artisan perfume and cosmetics brand is a brand like no other. Their perfume compositions are inspired by the beauty and depth of fragrance of nature. Take their newest fragrance for instance, Folkestone Green, an ode to Folkestone’s green spaces featuring wild herbs, coastal plants, and green grass.
You’re guaranteed to be surprised by some of the unusual notes in their fragrances, from tomatoes to suede, there’s a world of curious smells waiting to be discovered. For instance, they created Oxidised Rose, a very modern take on the old rose with metal that cuts through the sweetness. Mushroom Forest has notes of mushrooms, earth and mossy woods and Summer Vine smells of tomato leaf, sweet pea and dusty wood.
All their products are made locally in small batches, with a minimal carbon footprint, as they don’t use international transport. They don’t use plastic in their packaging either, unless absolutely necessary. Many high-end designer perfumes contain animal ingredients, such as castoreum, but at Foras they believe in life at one with nature, so they select vegan ingredients for their perfumes — even the leather notes within Foras’ Elemental Musk are vegan. The fragrances are both animal-friendly and friendly on the skin. At the core of the business is also their desire to support local manufacturers thereby providing work to people from Kent. Better for the local economy and better for the planet — it’s that simple.
Alexander Verier, Foras’ founder and perfumer says “When it comes to designing a perfume, it must start with an inspiration. It can be anything — a special person, an event, a place.” He has developed six of their fragrances over the past four years with a particular occasion or person in mind; their perfumes are all very special to the individual they are created for as each one carries a story. Alexander, who so far has designed over 100 combinations, has spent over fifteen years working as a perfumer developing and manufacturing bespoke fragrances for individuals and companies. Developing an idea might take anything from a month to a year depending on the complexity, Folkestone Green, for example, has over 25 notes. Many popular perfumes contain between 5% and 10% of oils but the Foras fragrances contain 20% of oils, thanks to this strong concentration of oils their perfumes are long lasting.
The shop in Folkstone is a warm and welcoming place where fragrance and lifestyle combine. The Foras perfume and skincare range includes five types of cold-pressed nourishing oils for the face, hair and body, as always with a twist – they have a broccoli seed oil that helps diminish the appearance of fine lines and creates a layer that locks the moisture inside the skin. Plus, products from Verier’s Pelegrims range, a skincare brand that is based on by-products of wine production – grape skins, pulp, and seeds.
You can also enjoy a delicious latte made with coffee from Kent-based roasters Curve Coffee whilst browsing the inspiring poetry and travel writing section, within this scentsational store, and pick up gifts from other Kent-based brands, such as Molly Pickle (cards, tea towels and prints) and Folia (jewellery). It makes scents to pay a visit!
