ÇaFleureBon Behind The Bottle: Sarah Horowitz Parfums – Perfect Coconut Milk + The Beach in Winter Draw

Sarah Horowitz is known as the force behind Creative Scentualization, and now Sarah Horowitz Parfums. She has three perfume series, What Comes from Within, Perfumers Palette, and PERFECT. I was lucky enough to receive some of her latest creation for the PERFECT series: Coconut Milk. A wonderfully almondy, warm take on a classic beachy note, I wanted to know how this fragrance came about.

What inspired you to make a coconut scent? 

Sarah Horowitz: Coconut Milk was launched in August of 2011, as the August addition to my Banque de Parfum collection.  Each month I design a fragrance for my customers (not for retail distribution), and for August, I wanted lush, sultry, sexy, tropical.  Coconut Milk seemed to be everywhere, and I adore it – my goal was to capture the lushness of a tropical escape.  What I got was astounding.  I had never gotten such a response from my customers to any of my monthly offerings; people were ordering it based on the description alone; and once they got samples, they ordered multiples – one for them, and one for a friend.  I started getting email from new clients saying they heard about it – which was amazing to me, as the only promotion I had done was my monthly email blast!  When it was still being ordered in October, I knew I was on to something, and we decided to make it a permanent edition to the Perfect Perfumes Collection.

When I first tried PERFECT Coconut Milk, I thought that this would be great all year long. Did you have it in mind to make a tropical scent that could be multi-seasonal? 

SH:  When I first designed it, I was trying to capture August!  Then I found that the lingering base note accord of Tonka Bean, Vanilla, and Egyptian Musk made a dry down worthy of the coolest winter nights – and honestly, the top notes still transport you to a sultry beach in the middle of winter, which is pretty much exactly where I dream of being when it gets to cold (not that I can complain right now – it was 80 degrees in Southern California today;-)).  I do have quite a few customers that have said the same thing – that they want this to be a scent for all year.  I love that.

I like the idea of your Banque de Parfum. Have any of your other scents become part of your line as a result of huge popularity like the Coconut did?

SH: Not yet.  Each has had an interesting response – Huntress did well over the Holidays, but I would say Coeur de Sang (Hearts Blood), my October offering (which was my ode to Amber, if you will), did very well – we are still getting orders for it today.  Arise, which is this month, was the second strongest launch after Coconut Milk – as in, customers ordering it based on the description alone, before they even get a sample.  We will see how it moves into the new year, but so far, so good – it is sparkling, and very 'clear/purple' with osmanthus, lavender, and the musk ambroxin accord in the base note. 

Do you have any favorite but as yet unexplored notes or perfume territory you may be visiting this year?

SH:  I do!  I have an ingredient I had developed for me that I am holding back until Spring…  it is a fresh green accord that I am playing with for my May fragrance (my birthday month).  I have yet to launch anything super green, super fresh… Stay tuned!

Many thanks to Sarah for taking the time to answer our questions. I am looking forward to seeing what she tantalizes us with next. You can win a lovely 0 .2 oz (6.2mL)  travel rollerball of Coconut Milk pure oil, perfect for dabbing at the beach or, for now, reminding you of paradise in the dead of winter; courtesy of Sarah Horowitz Parfums. Let us know something you learned from our interview, or tell us your favorite beachy scents. The winner will be drawn via random.org on January 19. 2012.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilt perfume.

-Tama Blough, Senior Editor

Editor’s Note: Perfect Coconut Milk is a nominee for The Fragrance Foundation’s Best Indie Scent of 2011 which will be awarded on January 30, 2012 at the Elements Showcase in New York City.

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37 comments

  • Ok, after reading this interview I’m so ready for a vacation!!…:-) Something that I learned from the interview is that Sarah’s birthday is in May ~ and I’m very curious to see what her green offering will be.

    As for favorite beachy scents – coconut, mango, and pikake [not necessarily all together, but maybe that could be another project for Sarah?…hmmmm…lol!]

  • I too love Coconut milk, I found it interesting Sarah had not intended it to be an all year scent. With the Tonka, Vanilla and Musk delightful. Good interview Tama, and thanks Sarah for the sponsor draw.

  • Favorite beachy scent….Right now it’s Bobbi Brown’s Beach. But I am still searching for my HG beachy scent, Maybe Coconut Milk will do the trick!?

  • I don’t have a favorite beachy scent, the beach is cold where I live and when I go there it’s to dig clams or harvest sea weed. But I guess Bronze Goddess Soleil, and Bronze Goddess Eau Fraîche Skinscent , and Dune could be considered beach scents.
    I do love coconut milk and this sounds like a great perfume.
    I enjoyed her teaser about the new green scent she’s working with and plans on releasing this spring, I wonder what it is?

  • I am a coconut lover! The food, the milk…. sadly most of the common fragrances on the market now are pretty gross. I have high hopes for this one! A close friend hates coconut… I said once that she was “Anti-coconut” and she has forever been called Auntie Coconut by my son. 😉

  • I love the tantalizing smell of creamy coconut and the best it reconnects me to my visit to India. I was around 12 then and as along as we stayed in India, we never missed a day without drinking coconut water in that typical Indian style.

  • I like several of SH’s perfumes, and would love to try Coconut Milk. One of my all time favorite beachy scents is her own BLISS. If I remember the story right, she created this after her Bali honeymoon. Living part of the year in Singapore, Bali is our go to vacation spot, and she perfectly captured that over the top beauty of walking into a small hotel in Ubud, located in the center of Bali. The stalks of malam malam everywhere, flower leis, petals on your bed….it is a scent lovers paradise.

  • I never ventured to the coconut fragrances as I cannot think of any. However, I always make the connection to summertime pastries and ice cream. Brilliant thought of bringing a new light to this intriguing note.

  • Funny thing about cocout milk for me is that my DH made rice with it and it was a hot mess flavor wise:) I never really told him that though, didnt have the heart too. And my head told me that if I had told him, chances would increase he’d never cook again!
    I learned that this was meant to capture the month of August. Very special month to me as it was whenI had my first child August 16, 2005.
    I love coconut I am freak for it! Has to be done the right way and I am confident in the review and also in SH:)
    I agree with Noelle, coconut can be done very wrong. It will smel cheap in some scents. Ingredients and blending are key to coconut perfection.
    I like a good coconut rum and I love pina colada’s. I got married in St. Thomas, I have been on a search to duplicate the smell of the air there and draw upon those memories for 7 years now. It was sweet, authentic, tropical, coconut and vanilla sugar air there. I was unable to wear a wedding scent. I wore tahitian oil to my wedding and was glad I did.
    The buggies there were clammoring for my boquet as it was!
    I have Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil for summer now.As another reader wrote I used BB Beach for many years. But the sunscreen note that I got overwhelmed me during pregnancy and I had to switch.
    Excellent review and the scent sounds great:)
    Thanks for hosting Cafleurebon and SH for the oportunity to whaft this.

  • One of my favorite beach scents is Norma Kamali Beach a perfectly yummi composed coconut fragrance, that does not smell too artificial or cloying. It has a slightly salty note to it, and does smell like the beaches of St. Tropez – suntan oil, sunshine, salt water and a breeze. Just like a beautiful beach vacation.

  • My mouth is watering from just reading this interview. I must try Coconut Milk! I love many seaside/beach fragrances. Perhaps my favorite is Annick Goutal’s Vetiver, with its seaweed-y vibe.

  • Favourite beachy scents – Creed Virgin Island Water, Profumum Acqua Di Sale & Marc Jacobs For men.
    Coconut milk sounds beautiful though! Thanks for the draw!

  • I’m getting some great ideas for summer scents to try – I never thought of Dune as a beach scent but I can see it! Must try the Kamali. One of my fave things is Hawaiian Tropic suntan oil. This Coconut Milk is awfully good.

  • I always like to find out the story behind different fragrances and reading this interview was a great way to do that. Coconut Milk sounds very nice and just the pick me up I need during these winter months.

  • I learnt that Sarah makes a new perfume each month and that she is working on a green fragrance for spring. That sounds interesting because it’s something new for her.

    Coconut Milk sounds delicious! I’d like to try it. My favorite beachy scent is Bronze Goddess.

  • Sarah can’t be more right. August smells like coconut!! She couldn’t have made a better perfume!!!

  • Favorite beach scent- organic virgin coconut oil right out of the jar slathered all over my body 🙂 It’s a super great moisturizer and smells fantastic!
    I have known of Sarah’s spectacular talents since the late 90s when she made a customized scent for me. I would love to win this draw!

  • Oh this sounds fabulous! I think it’s neat that she tried to make it a year-round scent! My favorite beachy scents are EL Bronze Goddess and Harajuku Lovers G.

  • I had no idea Sarah had so many perfumes and lines of scents! I really MUST look into these!! It sounds like Coconut Milk (which I love all aspects of) would be the “perfect” place to start! 😉

    Arise and Coeur de Sang also sound amazing! Thanks for the interview and thanks to Sarah for offering this wonderful prize!!

  • Michelle Hunt says:

    I always love reading about the creative inspiration behind perfumes. I enjoyed reading about the “beach in winter” inspiration for the Coconut Milk fragrance. I actually enjoy beaches more in the off season, their beauty is highlighted by the off-season weather.
    I’ve been searching for the ultimate coconut fragrance…not too cloying, fresh yet warm, and this sounds like it may fit the bill! I would love to enter to win this petfume!

  • This sounds nice, an all year round coconut! Favorite beachy scent for me is Lys Mediterranée, with it’s salty facet and solar feel.

  • I’m usually not a great fun of beach scents..but Knowing DHS’s fragrances and the way she works I’m so exciting only to think to have the chance to entee the drawn!

    Hugs from Maria

  • Tama, I loved working with you – thank you for the opportunity to share! I also LOVE reading all your comments – I haven’t experienced many of the other fragrance you mentioned, but now I am so curious, I must go out and find them:) If anyone would like to try Coconut Milk, check out our facebook page – when you “like” us on the page, we will send you 3 free samples of any of my fragrances that you would like to experience for yourselves. Enjoy! And again, thank you Team Calfleurebon for doing what you do – such an amazing forum to reach like minds (And noses;-))

  • I don’t have a favorite beachy scent yet. For coconut I love Versace Crystal Noir, its so sweet and frivolous that it instantly cheers me up. I was interested to find out that Sarah’s birth month is May, it is mine as well and I love fresh green scents so I look forward to her new work.

  • oh yes, sarah has a way with creamy cozy skin scents alright!

    my fave beachy scent would be csp acqua motu — and yves rocher monoi de tahiti (i don’t know if they still make that, but when they did it was lovely.)

  • Coconut is such a happy scent that although, I usually like incense scents, I’m starting to be drawn to perfumes with this ingredient. Beach scents for me have usually been herbal/fresh like Basilico by Aqua Di Parma.

  • From the interview, I learned that I need to sample more of this line! I adore green scents and look forward to the May offering. Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess is a favorite beachy scent, esp the original oil formation. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.

  • This sounds delicious! And I didn’t know about this other line–will check it out, it sounds great!

    I think of DSH’s Hippie Chic as a beachy scent, even though it has a lot of spice/incense/earthiness around the coconut. I also think of lemon and bergamot are very summery/beachy and I also like TDC Divine Bergamote.

  • I grew up around the beach and still love the smell of Bain de Soliel and Ambre Solaire suntown lotions. There are some great beach scents that remind me of my Southern California youth – Bobbi Brown Beach and Bond Fire Island.

  • I have learned about coconut milk, which sounds wonderful. I love the smell of coconut and think that this could be an lovely perfume to try. My favorite tropical scents are Roxana Villa~ Page 47; Ayala Moriel~ White Potion & Gigi; Opus oils Island & Tiare. Issey Miake~ L’Eau D’Issey more of a watery but very pretty.

  • It is fascinating to hear the story of how they get their scents. Coconut is very, very pleasant

  • You really captured the tropics. I tend to smell the tanning salon-ish when I wear coconut scents…not this one. Its genuine and real lush and clear. Bright and layered. I smell the green and the floral in harmony with the coconut. Its really wonderful I highly recommend it as a summer scent or like I have used it, to transport me elsewhere. If only in my mind.
    Great job I really love it.
    Thanks,
    felicia