IN THE PRESS

The brilliance of Jouissance perfumes however is not just in their scent, but in how they promote female authors that have been cast to the literary shadows thanks to their celebration of female eroticism.

...each fragrance is a tribute and opportunity to “shed new light on the controversial legacies” of iconic women.

While scent can powerfully evoke memories, it can also stimulate fantasies. Our most beloved perfumes are often as much about escapism and aspiration as they are about treasured recollections and associations.

Jouissance, in the theoretical sense, aptly describes what it feels like to experience the creations of Jouissance, the brand. Les Cahiers Secrets, based on the writings of Anaïs Nin, is, at open, so vulgar you can’t stop sniffing it. Powdery orris and fresh lilies are rudely interspersed with whiffs of sweaty cumin and animalic musk. It’s clean and dirty, gorgeous and sordid all at once.

Pink pepper grows on a different plant to the black variety but is often blended with it in both perfumery and cooking. “It’s fresh, spirited and sparkling with a rosy overtone,” says Jouissance founder Cherry Cheng, whose latest launch, La Bague D’O, works with the berry to “defile” a floral bouquet.