Dusita Blog guest of the month: meet Kathleen aka Scentifolia

This month we welcome Kathleen, known in the fragrance community under the alias “Scentifolia”. Her bilingual (in French and English) perfume reviews on Instagram are deeply evocative and often poetic, perfectly reflecting her genuinely kind, gentle nature. It is no exaggeration to say that whoever meets Kathleen in person can’t help but be charmed by her luminous, winning smile and positivity.

Despina Veneti, Parfums Dusita Blog Editor

Q: Welcome to the Dusita Blog, Kathleen! Will you please introduce yourself to our readers?

A: I am Kathleen, a fragrance writer and school teacher living in Nîmes, in the south of France. I enjoy visiting art exhibitions, meeting friends for tea and pastries, hiking with my family, watching sci-fi movies, playing good old video games or listening to 90s music. At the school where I work, I teach English to 11-15-year-olds.

My pupils know that I love fragrance, because the classroom always smells amazing (or funny!), and I sometimes come up with creative activities that explore the sense of smell. Olfactory education is not part of the French curriculum but I believe it stimulates the curiosity and memory of my students; it also helps them expand their vocabulary. Only a few school colleagues know that I have an Instagram account dedicated to my passion and I don’t think that any of my pupils know that I am a content creator.

I am also an editor at Parfumista, a French perfume blog featuring fragrance news, reviews and interviews. As a freelance fragrance writer, I love helping perfume houses find the right words to share their stories.

Q: What is the meaning of fragrance in your life?

A: My first olfactive memory dates back to kindergarten: I remember I really enjoyed the comforting smell of wax crayons and play dough! When I was a teenager, I used to collect perfume ads from magazines and arrange them in folders. I stepped into the world of artistic perfumery as a young adult. I smelled Bois Farine and I was captivated by this unexpected fragrance which could, at the same time, take me to a faraway land and bring back childhood memories. Since then, perfumes have been triggering my imagination and I do my best to describe them and share the unique stories they tell.

I guess my perfume passion also offers me the opportunity to think differently. Since I started my fragrant journey, I have met people from various cultures and paths of life, and have learned a lot from their diverse perspectives. It has helped me broaden my horizons, both in a personal and professional way. The kids at school would say that I am an organized, energetic and passionate teacher. Being a fragrance writer is a way to let off steam and express my creative self more intuitively — and that, maybe, makes me an even better teacher.

Q: How did you get to know Parfums Dusita and which of Pissara’s fragrances is your favorite?

A: I discovered Parfums Dusita in 2018, through a set of various niche perfumes. It was an Auparfum box, featuring La Douceur de Siam. As a rose lover, I couldn’t help but fall in love with this tropical and creamy interpretation of my favorite flower. The cozy warmth and carnal sweetness of this vaporous bouquet got my attention, so I had to find out more about the nose behind this charming creation. That is how I discovered Pissara and her fragrant world.

My favorite Dusita fragrance is La Rhapsodie Noire, because it instantly transports me to the Roaring Twenties. I can picture a Parisian café at Montparnasse. Kiki is at her painting, an admirer offers her suave flowers. Dada artists smoke cigars and joyfully celebrate the gigantic hocus-pocus of existence. Hemingway sips his second glass of rum, seeking for inspiration. La Rhapsodie Noire is a jazzy fougère which celebrates the pleasures of life. Coffee and rum provide energy, with the fougère accord adding an ultra-chic character. Tobacco sets me in a relaxing mood, while creamy vanilla and nutty tonka satisfy me (after all, I do have a sweet tooth!) La Rhapsodie Noire is definitely hedonistic, just like me.

You can connect with Kathleen on Instagram @scentifolia (in French and English) and also read her at www.parfumista.net (in French).